Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Intero Announces Larry Klapow as the new Executive Business Strategist

3 Comments

Former President of Coldwell Banker’s San Francisco Region partners with Intero Real Estate to support Intero into explosive growth

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – October 12, 2010 — Larry Klapow teams with Intero Real Estate Services to assist managers in business development and the growth of the company. Klapow will conduct agent trainings such as his signature class “Building Your Networks and Social Capital.” 

Over the course of a 19-year career involving Bay Area real estate, Klapow has earned a reputation as a peer, mentor, friend and coach. As a former President of Coldwell Banker’s Residential Brokerage San Francisco Bay Area Region, he was responsible for the development of the company and oversaw 32 offices and a talented team of up to 2,200 real estate professionals.

The last few years Larry has been assisting business owners in growing their companies, training sales staff and coaching and mentoring agents in growing their businesses. He has an expertise in recruiting, building relationships, and developing talents, while establishing accountability. Klapow is extremely effective in challenging environments and economic crises. His accomplishments include the ability to drive positive change, strengthen organizations, enhance productivity and improve financial results.

Prior to being named President in early 2007, Larry was the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s San Francisco-Peninsula region and before that he was the Senior Vice President of the Santa Clara County region from 2001-2007.

“We are really excited to have Larry on our team because he has vast knowledge on how real estate works and his ability to lead strategic programs and create reliable processes will be a huge benefit for Intero,” said Gino Blefari, President and CEO of Intero Real Estate Services.

“It is very typical for an executive to interview with many companies to look for the best deal; however I chose to interview with Intero only,” says Klapow. “Intero’s philosophy and values are right in line with my way of thinking.”

Klapow has more than a decade of experience in real estate, finance, technology, and entertainment, developing the strategies that support and achieve business objectives. Through creative campaigns, sharp business decisions, and clear-sighted ability to envision and land new opportunities, Larry motivates people to accomplish goals.

Previous to serving as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Larry was Manager of Coldwell Banker’s award-winning Morgan Hill/Gilroy offices. During his tenure, the Morgan Hill/Gilroy office earned the coveted Premier Office – honoring offices with consistent sales achievement – for four consecutive years.

Among Larry’s impressive list of managerial accolades: member of the President’s Council of Managers from 1999-2000, CEO of RENA – Managed Professional Networks from Dec 1998-present. He is also well informed on all the latest current events and is extremely well versed in the art of networking.


Top producing real estate agent Teddy Carlson-Brown and partner Dennis McDuffee open doors to two innovative offices

3 Comments

#1 Market share realtor announces new offices in Gardnerville, NV and Markleeville, CA

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – October 1, 2010 – Teddy Carlson-Brown and business partner Dennis McDuffee will have a grand opening of their new Intero Real Estate Services office in Gardnerville, NV on October 14, 2010. Their second office will soon open in Markleeville, CA.

Teddy Carlson-Brown, broker and owner of the new Intero Gardnerville and Markleeville, explains: “Intero is an exciting company with a whole new perspective on selling real estate.” She feels that providing agents with cutting edge technology, the best in training and tools and a positive, high energy work environment, along with strong leadership and management is a necessity to being successful in real estate sales in today’s market.

“We are pleased to have Intero Gardnerville and Intero Markleeville become part of the Intero® family,” said Intero Real Estate Services President and CEO Gino Blefari. “We’ve always thought about expansion in terms of the individuals involved, not the geography. We go where we find people who are the right fit for Intero because they have the same values and believe in the culture we’ve created. Teddy and Dennis are those people. With them on board, we simply couldn’t pass on the opportunity to expand in California and into Nevada.”

Teddy has been a top producing real estate agent for the past 15 years. She is a licensed broker in both California and Nevada and specializes in residential and land sales. Teddy has had many wonderful years with Coldwell Banker ITILDO Inc. in the Carson Valley, but was ready to take her career to the next level and that meant owning her own company.

Dennis McDuffee, partner, added: “We plan to have a small office of agents who work together as a team and who possess the qualities for success.”

Dennis has over twenty years of experience in real estate, all being in Carson Valley. He is eager to make Intero Real Estate the premier real estate company of Carson Valley. He is convinced that Carson Valley is ready for the innovative technology that Intero brings.

Bob Moles, Chairman of Intero Real Estate Services, added: “We’ve pulled together an excellent management team with years of experience in the industry. Gardnerville, NV and Markleeville, CA present an incredible opportunity for us because of the strength of the real estate market here and the leadership ability of Teddy and Dennis.”

Teddy and Dennis will open the doors to their new real estate offices in Gardnerville, NV and Markleeville, CA and are focused on creating an energetic office with happy and satisfied clients as the end result. Their team includes Christy Canatsey-Malarchuk- Administrative Assistant and Nevada licensed Realtor, Beth Cressaty- Marketing Coordinator and Nevada/California licensed Salesperson, John Cressaty- IT Manager and California Salesperson, John Hamer- Nevada Broker Salesman, Joanne Snarr- The Balance Sheet/Accounting, Vicki Hone- Nevada Salesperson, David Wasick- Nevada & California Broker and Attorney, John “JP” Pilkinton- Nevada and California Salesperson, Jill Nichel- Nevada Salesperson, Ashley Coleman- Nevada Salesperson, Phil Sullivan- Nevada Salesperson, Theresa Guimont- Nevada Salesperson, and Janet Gookin- CA Broker/NV Salesperson.

At Intero, we’re confident that we can make a real difference to the clients we serve. We’re responsive to the needs of today’s customers, and dedicated to constructive change and innovation in every area of the real estate transaction.


One of a kind custom Mediterranean Estate in exclusive Paradise Valley

17 Comments

$6.5 million spectacular home nestled in Morgan Hill 

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – October 6, 2010 – 16370 Reynolds Drive is an architectural masterpiece and referred to as “Over the Top” one of a kind construction. Located in the most desirable street in exclusive Paradise Valley, this stunning home on 1.6 acres is the finest quality home to ever reach South County. Owners Sal and Becky envisioned a magnificent home with a mixture of rustic Old World and casual elegance. Realizing that they wanted only the finest materials and construction, they embarked upon building their dream home.

To further assist in their vision, Sal and Becky hired Michael Bonfante to design the fabulous gardens and landscape of this spectacular home. Michael is best known as the founder of Bonfante Gardens Theme Park in Gilroy and is also known as a well respected philanthropist and landscape designer. Michael’s inspiration and vision for the landscape design was to create two totally independent elements; the front yard and the back yard. The front yard feels dramatic and intimate. It creates an environment fit for family, friends or visiting political dignitaries. The backyard on the other hand provides a living experience and serves as a direct extension of the living space.

To create the lived in feel, Michael designed the landscape using over 100 types of trees including 39 different varieties. To further enhance the landscape he also brought in natural works of art in the form of large, unique rocks for personality, a natural waterfall cascading into the pool and a one of a kind custom designed gazebo. In addition multiple flower beds were also added for a touch of color throughout the yard. The landscape design ran close to ½ million for this perfect executive home.

Mitch Mazzetti Construction built this prestigious home and refers to it as the finest he has ever seen or even imagined. The views alone are amazing from this 5898 Sq. Ft. of living space plus an additional 1200 Sq. Ft. bonus room above the garage. Interior features include 4 luxurious bedroom suites and 5.5 baths adorned with stone and pewter vessel sinks, faux painting and marble floors. The kitchen is a master chef’s dream kitchen perfect for large families and entertaining complete with a large butler pantry, granite and marble counter tops, custom birch cabinets, stainless steel appliances and separate island with sink.

The extraordinary amenities extend all around starting with the state of the art wine cellar that accommodates 1200 bottles, old world stone floor, stone entrance and a separate A/C unit. This gorgeous home has solid hand scraped 8” old world walnut hardwood floors, soaring 14’-18’ ceilings, a layered lighting effect throughout the home and a dramatic dining room accented by custom chandeliers.

The exquisite exterior features include a gated front entrance that leads to an impressive driveway designed with 18,000 Sq. Ft. of natural pavers, copper exterior doors and windows, gorgeous stone patio, solar heated pool with spa and waterfall, a one of a kind custom antique slate roof and 2 separate 4+ car garages with custom 18” solid core doors, finished walls with recessed lighting, utility sink, granite counters and a craft area.

This is an exceptional South County home close to Silicon Valley but secluded in the country that combines elaborate exterior detailing from the superb landscaping to the details and custom design. Grand, yet livable interior, the home showcases the best of lasting and timeless design and craftsmanship.

Listing agent Pam Rodgers is a 34 year native of the Bay Area with experience in first time home buyers, upgrading or downsizing your home, investment property, 1031 exchanges, condos, town homes, apartment buildings or vacation homes. She also has over 25 years of marketing and advertising experience that will ensure you get the best value for your property through ads, flyers, virtual tours, the Internet and Open Houses. Pam’s guiding principles are trust, respect and integrity. Customer service is the single most important attribute that separates her from the rest. Ask anyone of her client’s and they will tell you no one will work harder for you than her. She strives to exceed your expectations by delivering top dollar for your property. Pam’s goal is to earn you as a customer for life.

For more information regarding 16370 Reynolds Drive, please contact Pam Rodgers at (408) 621-5646 or via email at prodgers@interorealestate.com.

For additional property information and to view the virtual tour, please visit http://www.interorealestate.com/homes/CA/Morgan_Hill/95037/16370_REYNOLDS_DR/2519211/index.html


Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. now offers property search in 13 languages

3 Comments

Leading U.S. brokerage announces website feature enabling easier search for buyers around the globe.

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – September 13, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services, a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, announced that it now has the capability to search any property within MLSListings on InteroRealEstate.com in 13 languages, expanding home search capabilities to buyers more comfortable using their native language.

The new translation feature makes finding property easier for the company’s international customers as well as Intero’s domestic buyers, which represent a widely diverse demographic. It is also vastly more user-friendly and accurate than “machine translation” tools, which many real estate companies currently use. Visitors to InteroRealEstate.com can be assured that native speakers have translated property information, with special attention to real estate terms.

The language option is very simple to use. Just visit InteroRealEstate.com and choose among the languages listed at the bottom of the property search box. Once chosen, all the search parameters, listing results and property details will then appear in the user’s language of choice. Languages available include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Polish and Korean.

“At Intero we have realized that our consumer reach goes beyond the U.S.,” said Gino Blefari, President and CEO of Intero. “Recognizing our global audience, it was important for us to make the real estate Internet experience easy and understandable – and to invest in the technologies needed to make that possible.”

“Intero now offers franchise opportunities to entrepreneurs around the globe serving incredibly diverse markets,” Bob Moles, Chairman of Intero added. “Offering a compelling online real estate experience in any language is critically important to their success.”

Concludes Blefari, “Innovation is our commitment and in this case that means delivering a better solution for non English-speaking buyers than our competitors. I believe we have made that happen.”


Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. expands innovative franchise network in California and Nevada

12 Comments

Leading U.S. brokerage announces franchises in Discovery Bay, Brentwood, San Diego and Minden, NV

 
CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – July 26, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services <http://interorealestate.com> , a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has recently expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, announced its continued expansion with the conversion of a former Alain Pinel brokerage affiliate in Discovery Bay and Brentwood, CA to the Intero Real Estate brand, and the addition of new franchises in San Diego, CA, and Minden, NV.

More than forty agents will join Intero Discovery Bay and Intero Downtown Brentwood franchise. This office will complement an existing Intero franchise in Brentwood.

“We are pleased to welcome our new franchisees and agents today at a time when our competitors are retrenching,” said Intero Real Estate Services COO Tom Tognoli. “This expansion speaks to our commitment to innovate and thrive in an ever-changing business.”

LeeAnn Hogge, co-owner and manager of what will become the new Intero Discovery Bay and Downtown Brentwood offices, said: “We’re thrilled to become part of the Intero® family, and feel good knowing that we’ll have the technology and expertise needed to win in today’s market.”

Bryan Hogge, co-owner and manager of the future Intero Discovery Bay and Intero Downtown Brentwood offices, added: “We’ve worked hard to build our reputations in this market and the Intero® brand will help us grow and innovate upon that foundation.”

Intero Downtown Brentwood is the second Intero franchise to open in Brentwood, CA, joining the very first Intero franchise at 5541 Lone Tree Way, established in 2005 by owners Denise McGrew and Erin Gonzalez.

Intero also announces two new franchises in San Diego, CA and Minden, NV. Intero El Cajon, will be owned and managed by Sandy Miller, and Intero Minden Nevada, will be owned and managed by Teddy Carlson-Brown.

Discovery Bay/Downtown Brentwood


Intero Foundation 7th Annual Golf Tournament

2 Comments

Are you ready to play?

The 7th Annual Intero Foundation Golf Tournament sponsored by Bank of America is next Thursday, July 29th from 12:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club in San Jose.

We are still looking for golfers, so sign up today!

Click the registration card image below to view and print. Mail forms to Deitra Catalano c/o Intero Foundation Golf Tournament 10275 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014 or fax to 408.516.8133.

Besides golf, the day features a BBQ lunch, dinner and a raffle.

The Intero Foundation’s mission is “to create awareness in the community by demonstrating good corporate citizenship” and to support organizations that focus on assisting children, their education and their personal development.

It’s gonna be a great day, so see you there!

Thanks again Bank of America!                                                                              


Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. executives keynote prestigious global real estate seminars in Singapore and Hong Kong

1 Comment

Blefari and Moles share innovative approach to distressed property opportunity globally as well as in the U.S.

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – July 1, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services, a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has recently expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, announced that its Chairman, Robert Moles, and CEO, Gino Blefari, recently made keynote presentations at two prestigious global real estate seminars in Singapore and Hong Kong to share insights learned from leading the exponential growth of a global brokerage company in the distressed property market.

Gino Blefari, Intero® President and CEO, spoke at the iProperty Real Estate Seminar 2010 in Singapore about distressed property opportunity both globally and in the U.S. He said that while real estate is still very much a local business, market insights and technology innovation can be shared globally to new markets and new business partners. Both factors have been critical to Intero’s own growth.

“Not all markets are distressed markets, but all markets have distressed property opportunities. California has been at the epicenter of the global housing crisis, yet Intero has grown to lead in market share in Santa Clara County, the largest market in Silicon Valley, in spite of this challenge. We did so by leveraging technology and honing a deep understanding of current market dynamics and letting those insights guide our actions,” Blefari said.

Robert Moles, Intero® Chairman, gave a keynote presentation about the global distressed property opportunities at the SMART Investment & International Property Expo in Hong Kong in June. Said Moles on the experience, “We are excited to share our story of success in distressed markets with agents and investors from across the globe as we continue the worldwide expansion of our brand.” Moles continued, “Our experience in California gives us a unique perspective on thriving in a difficult market.”


Intero Real Estate Services climbs to #17 on the 2010 REAL Trends 500 list of America’s largest real estate companies

0 Comments

Silicon Valley-based brokerage and franchisor is the youngest firm among the top twenty companies on prestigious list

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – June 8, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services (http://interorealestate.com), a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has recently expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, announced that it ranked #17, based on sales volume, on the prestigious REAL Trends 500 list of America’s leading real estate companies for 2010.

Intero is also the youngest company within the list’s top twenty firms – a fact that underscores the rapid growth and success of the Intero brand. Intero was founded in 2002 and broke into the REAL Trends top 25 in its second full year of operation – a first for any real estate company.

The REAL Trends 500 list is published by REAL Trends, Inc., a publishing company considered to be a leading source of real estate analysis and information.

“We are honored to make the REAL Trends 500 again – it represents a who’s who of American real estate companies,” said Gino Blefari, Intero President and CEO. “The fact that Intero is one of the youngest firms on the list is particularly meaningful to all of us at Intero who believe real estate is ready for our brand of innovation.”

Intero’s growth is driven by re-thinking the real estate brokerage. The company was among the first to syndicate listings on the Internet, has been recognized for its outstanding Website and has reinvented the real estate office. Intero is now expanding its brand nationally and internationally through master and single-unit franchising.

“The REAL Trends 500 has always been a marker of success in this business,” said Bob Moles, Intero Chairman and former President and CEO of the Real Estate Franchise Group of Cendant Corporation, the largest franchiser of residential and commercial real estate brokerage offices in the world. “The fact that the Intero® brand has made it so far so fast is a validation of our commitment to sustained innovation.”


Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. makes new, more efficient real estate office model available to franchisees worldwide

2 Comments

The ‘AndareSM‘ Office, launched in Silicon Valley, enables real estate brokers to sustain profitability while delivering a compelling customer experience

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – May 4, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services (http://www.interorealestate.com), a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has recently expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, has announced that its groundbreaking Andare office model is now available to companies choosing to affiliate with the Intero brand.

The Andare model, first piloted by Intero in Silicon Valley, re-wrote the book on what a real estate office should be: a cost-efficient operation that delivers a memorable experience to agents and consumers alike. Gone are the seldom-used cubicles, replaced with wired pods for agents who drop-in and head out. Gone are the fax machines, file cabinets and copiers, replaced with wireless Internet and Web-based transaction management. The Andare office is an environment built for today and tomorrow, not yesterday.

A multimedia presentation of the Andare office can be viewed online.

‘The economics of a real estate brokerage today are different than a few years ago – that’s a fact that cannot be ignored’ said Gino Blefari, President and CEO of Intero Real Estate Services. ‘The real estate office as we have known it needed to change, so we reinvented it completely with Andare.’

Intero has developed a turnkey plan for franchisees around the globe to create their own Andare offices. Research, floor plans, operational and management practices and consulting are available to Intero affiliates that wish to open Andare offices in their markets.

‘Andare was a big part of my decision to affiliate with the Intero brand because it gave me something new and exciting to bring to the marketplace and will put me on a profitable track from day one,’ said Sandy Miller, the owner of the soon to be built Intero Rancho San Diego, California branch. ‘There’s a lot of talk about innovation in real estate right now, but Intero was the only company that delivered substance.’


Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. wins prestigious Website award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

3 Comments

Organization representing over 600 premier real estate companies in 35 countries across the globe recognizes Intero for design excellence

CUPERTINO, SILICON VALLEY, USA – March 25, 2010 — Intero Real Estate Services (http://interorealestate.com), a leading U.S. real estate brokerage that has recently expanded its brand globally, as a franchisor, through Intero Franchise Services, Inc. and Intero International Franchise Services, LLC, was awarded the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Best Visual Design of 2009 award for its flagship website, interorealestate.com.

The award was presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a global network of distinctive real estate firms, at the organization’s annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The award comes on the heels of a recent redesign of interorealestate.com to reflect the latest design standards, highlight the company’s expanding international presence and create a visual experience that reflects the spirit of innovation that drives the Intero brand.

“It is not a coincidence that our global headquarters sits next to the Apple® Computer campus,” said Gino Blefari, Intero® President and CEO. “We recognize the importance of design in everything we do – especially online, which is where most property buyers and sellers first encounter real estate brands today.”

Bob Moles, the Intero Chairman, added, “Real estate operators around the world have known for years that the Web is a critically important brand touchpoint, but most have failed to take action and make the investments needed to deliver usable, compelling online experiences. We believe this inaction is no longer sustainable and have made the investments needed to ensure our growing network of franchisees excel in this area.”

The Intero® approach to designing online experiences is based on a set of principles any company, in any country, would do well to follow:

User focused design: Design should be driven by the needs of end users, not the brand. This requires taking the time to understand what property buyers and sellers want when they go online, then delivering it to them in the clearest way possible. Though simple, this idea has been largely ignored by real estate companies intent on designing with their needs in mind.

Restraint: Website design in real estate has long been plagued by unnecessary complexity. Designs laden with marginally useful features, self-promotional copy and heavy graphics are the norm. This gets in the way of users seeking what they truly want, which ultimately harms the brand.

Quality: Real estate companies that spend millions on palatial offices and expensive print collateral often balk at spending thousands on quality Web design. This is exactly backwards. Insisting on – and investing in – good Web design is imperative.

Concludes Blefari, “This award is an important validation for us, and one we are particularly honored to receive given the strength and breadth of the organizations in the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® network.”

About the Intero® brand

Founded in 2002 Intero Real Estate Services, Inc. has quickly become one of the premier real estate brands in the U.S. Today, the Intero® brand has over 1,800 agents and 40 company owned and franchise offices covering California, Colorado, Nevada and Texas. The company is private and headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley.