Over a third of Northeast Ohio's housing market is now under the roof of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. Hoby Hanna who runs the Cleveland branch of the firm is optimistic that he'll be able to retain the Realty One agents about to be folded into his company.
HOBY HANNA: Once those sales people learn what we have to offer, what our plans are, and get to know us as an ownership group, I think the vast majority of them will want to stay forward with the strength of these two companies coming together.
But, in a market with over 750 players, there's still room for competition. Jeff Russell of Strongsville-based Russell Realty says a lot of Realty One agents are interested in jumping ship.
JEFF RUSSELL: For the most part, they're trying to play out and see what's going to happen. I think we will be very successful once this all shakes out and we see exactly who's going where. I think we will actually get quite a few agents.
But, Russell expects it will take a week or two for the market to shake out and reveal the winners and the losers.
