Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate

• Agents
• Offices
• Real estate options
• Filtering options
• License
• Specialties
• Experience

Agents

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network includes approximately 9,000 sales associates. They even provide listings for areas they don't have agents in. In addition to the large area they serve, they have a lot of listings in each area. The company has an expansive network of affiliate brokers.

Offices

Currently, BHGRE has 250 offices serving buyers and sellers in Canada and across the U.S. In California, they have a cluster of 38 offices. (Although not in the Los Angeles area). Other states, (Illinois, Indiana, Vermont, Idaho, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Alabama) only have 1-2 offices. Depending on where you live in your particular state, this may or may not be a drawback. Let's say a Homes and Gardens agent is not in your region. They may not know the area as well as someone more local. You can, however, find a local agent with one of their franchise affiliates.

Real Estate Options

Homes and Garden Real Estate offers services to help you buy and sell your Home. For buyers, they have affiliated buyer's agents to help you through every stage of the Home-buying process, such as: scheduling appointments and accompanying you when you view potential houses on the market, helping you negotiate the offer, and guiding you through the closing process. For Sellers, you can list your Home with one of the company's real estate agents on their site, bhgre.com. with an exclusive database of millions of brand-loyal consumers to help give your Home ample exposure to potential buyers. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate also provides services to affiliate brokers and agents, such as Business Consulting, Branding and Marketing, and other related training. This means whatever side of the desk you're sitting on, there are resources to help you achieve your goals.

Filtering Options

Homes and Gardens offers a total of 13 Filtering options. These options let you search properties for sale by things that matter to the way you live: commute time, schools, budget, parks, public transportation access, etc. You can search for Homes by city or zip code, neighboring areas, near work (or another address), Drive time (for work using work address), schools (by attendance zone), MLS# or Address of a Specific Property. Other advanced filters include Beds, Baths, Square feet, and minimum and maximum price range. The filtering option of nearby schools (by attendance zone) is great for parents with school-age children looking for a Homes. It also is great for career people seeking places to live near work.

License

All of their agents are required to have a license. You can choose an agent by specialization: Luxury, Lifestyle, Specialty and Investment, and First-time buyer. Also unique is that you can find agents that speak your native language-everything from English to Zulu and Sign language. Franchise opportunities are available to Real Estate Brokers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Specialties

Homes and Gardens offers services in the following specialties:

• Residential: Home buying and selling services
• Investment: Golf Course Communities, New Construction,
• Commercial: "matching" buyers and sellers of commercial properties
• Other specialties include: First-time Home Buyers, Seller Representation, Historic Homes, Residential Condos/Townhomes, Land, Recreation Properties, Buyer Representation, Single Family Homes

These services vary, depending on the individual agent you choose to work with. Some offer only one or two services; others offer all of the above. The good thing is that you can search Better Home's database to find the agent that does exactly what you need.

Experience

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was originally launched in 1978 by Meredith Corporation, the publisher of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Meredith Corporation sold its real estate business in 1998 to Reology, Inc. This deal was a licensing agreement between Realogy and Meredith Corporation for a 50-year term, with a renewal option for another 50 years. Under this new agreement, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate officially launched its current franchise system in 2008.

• International
• States
• Commission/selling cost

International

This agency is found in one other country: Canada. This is great for Canadian residents or for those outside the U.S. and Canada looking to find a home, but not for anyone seeking homes in other countries. Some luxury brands have agencies in at least several countries.

States

Better Homes and Gardens can be found locally in 32/51 states. This is low compared to other agencies with agents and/or locations in all 51 States. It should be noted, however, that there are many local agents in every zip code who are franchise affiliates with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.

Commission/Selling Cost

Although their real estate professionals get a commission, Better Homes and Gardens declines to share those commissions unless you're one of their customers.