ERA Key Realty Services – Growth in the Midst of a Pandemic Franklin Office Relocates to 456 West Central Street
Mar 25, 2021 02:57PM ● By Chuck Tashjian
In the rapidly changing real-estate industry, there’s always a new norm, a new system and a new approach to serving clients. ERA Key Realty Services stays on top of these changes, enabling its agents to fully cater to their clients.
“Our agents are in this business, because of the satisfaction they get helping clients achieve their home-buying and home-selling goals,” says Regional Vice President Jeff Taylor. ERA Key recently moved its Franklin office to 456 West Central Street.
Taylor’s father, Bruce, started the business in Milford as a Help-U-Sell franchise in 1987. That single operation grew to another in Franklin, then another in Whitinsville. In the 1990s, the company became an ERA franchise, later merging ERA Homeowners Advantage with ERA John Nelson, and in 2018 merged with HUNT Real Estate ERA in upstate New York. ERA Key has grown to 14 offices in Massachusetts, and the agency holds licenses in New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
“Our focus is to make sure we continue to embrace our family culture, staying on top of innovation and industry needs, while providing the assistance our professionals desire,” says President and COO Cheryl Eidinger-Taylor.
That culture begins with support. Buyers entering today’s competitive real-estate market need sharp, savvy agents armed with the latest technology and strong administrative backing.
“We are very focused on ensuring that our agents are the most educated within the industry – fully informed about not only legal issues, but about what’s going on in the marketplace,” says Jeff Taylor. “Our sales team is dedicated to providing solid advice, excellent service and outstanding results. Their goal is to always act in the best interest of their clients.”
For sellers, he says, that means helping prepare the home to stand out and sell quickly, for the highest price and with the best terms. For buyers, agents know the options and techniques available to make their offer stand out and secure the winning bid.
In addition to individual branch administrators and sales managers, ERA Key retains a support person for every eight agents. Agents can rely on staff for services such as accounting, IT, e-commerce, relocation, facilities and marketing.
“Agents don’t have to spend their time on the behind-the-scenes work, such as documentation or marketing, and they don’t have to worry about their systems going down. They can be face-to-face with their clients,” says Taylor.
During this past year’s lockdown, for example, ERA Key’s IT department seamlessly implemented Deposit Link, a paperless app for consumers and agents to send and accept deposits.
ERA Key’s 350+ agents can also turn to members of their senior team, who are always available.
“The ownership team is in the business daily,” says Taylor. “Those on the leadership team are not just names on a roster.”
Live training and morale-boosting events, in traditional years, create camaraderie between branches.
Even ERA Key Realty’s new Franklin site, a contemporary open work environment, fosters that friendly team atmosphere. While other firms are minimizing their office locations during the pandemic, Taylor says his firm is improving and expanding its physical locations.
ERA Key branches also volunteer as teams for local community projects and give back through a company charitable trust.
“When our agents have a closing with a client, they can elect to have a portion of their commission donated to the charitable trust,” says Taylor. “Money is held in the trust for their branch, and branch members vote on where it goes in the local community.”
ERA Key Realty Services Charitable Trust has donated more than $435,000 since it was established in 2004 – more than $32,000 last year alone – to dozens of Massachusetts charities.
That level of professionalism and community commitment explains why ERA Key enjoys a repeat customer average of 68%, compared to 14% nationally in its industry. “Our agents are staying connected with their clients long after the transaction is complete,” says Taylor.
2020 was ERA Key Realty’s best year ever. The firm sold 2,140 homes, with $813 million in sales volume. Including its New York division, that number increases to 13,195 homes and $3.3 billion in sales. That makes ERA Key the 35th largest real-estate agency nationwide.
ERA Key Realty Services is located at 456 West Central Street in Franklin. You can reach them at (866) 437-2539 or online at KeyRealtyServices.com .
