Top 5 Real Estate Groups in Philadelphia

Welcome back to another Momentum blog post! We hope you are healthy, happy, and not going too crazy because of social distancing regulations. Hopefully things will be returning to normal soon!

The Coronavirus has been hitting businesses, small and large, hard. With many people working from home and unable to go about their daily routines, it can be hard to look to the future and not wonder, what comes next?

Here at Momentum 360, we have been doing our best to keep moving forward and keep producing the most relevant and helpful work we can to help our friends who are struggling during this time.

As a virtual tour company, we work with all different businesses from a wide variety of industries. One that we are especially involved in is real estate. We have talked in previous blogs about the benefits of virtual tours in real estate, how virtual tours are applied across all forms of real estate, and the innovation of real estate agents during this pandemic.

This week, we got in touch with 5 of the best real estate companies in the Philadelphia area to highlight their missions, values, and how they are best serving their customers during this difficult time.

These include OCF Realty, Keller Williams, Century 21, Berkshire Hathaway, and the Conway Team. All of these businesses are working hard during this pandemic to restore a sense of normalcy in their clients and proceed as best they can with their business. The real estate agents from these companies are all aware that the pandemic is changing things for everyone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean life can be put on hold. One of the ways realtors are doing this is through virtual tours, which allow people to see and lease properties without breaking social distancing.

OCF Realty

OCF Realty is a real estate leader providing services in property management, leasing, buying, selling, and developing real estate.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, OCF has been forced to adhere to social distancing protocol just like the rest of us. This means that they have been avoiding all showings of units, which would be difficult if not for their experience in using virtual tours. The realtors at OCF are determined to make the transition as smooth as possible for their tenants and potential clients by working hand-in-hand with them to ensure everyone remains safe while still completing what needs to be done.

And in fact, according to their agents, OCF believes that virtual tours are actually “encouraging potential tenants to lease more than a showing would. Virtual tours are valued by clients because there is no rush to get in and out of a property, and the client can even have measurements that they wouldn’t be able to take in an in-person showing.”

Additionally, virtual tours allow people to view the property and revisit it as many times as they want, which is valued by potential tenants when making the decision to buy or rent a property.

Overall, OCF is committed to making their properties as accessible as ever through virtual tours, and this commitment to their clients is one of the reasons they are one of the top Philadelphia real estate businesses.

For more information about OCF Realty’s Coronavirus changes, click here.

Keller Williams

Keller Williams is another realty group that has three locations throughout Philadelphia. These locations include Center City, Society Hill, and Fishtown.

Keller Williams strives to be the best of the best by utilizing the latest and the best in real-estate technology. With over 450 agents and 2,500+ properties sold, Keller Williams is committed to being the best and providing the best for their clients.

Another thing that makes Keller Williams stand out is their initiatives to give back to the communities they serve by participating in RED Day. RED Day is a global day of service that stands for Renew, Energize, and Donate.

When it comes to helping their clients in the wake of a global pandemic, Keller Williams has been constantly innovating their practice to help their clients continue to move forward.

We spoke to Mike McCann of Keller Williams’ McCann Team. McCann noted that since the country’s shutdown, he and the rest of his team has put much of their effort into transitioning to more of a virtual agency. They have been using video-conferencing platforms like Zoom to do walk-throughs, open houses, and client conferences. McCann believes that post-shut down, 3D virtual tours in residential real estate will change from being a bonus feature to being a necessity for each and every listing.

He also says that his team has learned that they prefer first meetings with potential clients to be Zoom conferences rather than emails and phone calls because it adds a much more personal aspect and takes much less time, which are both very important improvements on the way they operate their business.

McCann seems positive that though things are tough right now, once we come out of social distancing and lockdown protocols, the residential real estate industry will rebound and come back strong. He thinks that the industry will become much more efficient and become a remote industry.

Throughout this, McCann and his team emphasize the health and safety of their clients and tenants as their number one priority, as well as laying down the groundwork to make their business safer and comfortable for all involved parties.

Their commitment to adapting, changing, and prioritizing client needs is what sets Keller Williams apart from their competition and will ultimately help them persevere in the coming months.

Century 21

Century 21 is without a doubt one of the most respected real estate agencies on the east coast. Operating since 1971, Century 21 has grown to be one of the fiercest competitors in the real estate business.

Their mission is to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences – something they have clearly accomplished as Century 21 has the most brand-awareness of any real estate company.

Century 21’s system includes over 8,000 independently owned and operated franchise brokers.

In the Philadelphia area alone, there are over 29 Century 21 offices serving the community and thousands of properties being leased, sold, or rented.

Century 21 has adapted to the global pandemic in a similar manner to other real estate groups. They are seeing the impact of 3D virtual tours rise as people are unable to visit properties in person. Century 21 has recently introduced live-streaming of open houses in an effort to stay connected and keep producing the work their clients need.

Century 21 has shown an adaptability that can only be considered par for the course for such a leader in real estate. Like the rest of us, Century 21 is having to learn and change as the world keeps changing. They have proved to be a leader not only in the industry, but in changing their business to reflect the global changes also happening.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is another top real estate firm in the country. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, the Philadelphia section of the HomeServices branch of Berkshire Hathaway, was recently awarded “Real Estate Agency Brand of the Year” and “Highest Ranked in Trust and/Love” in the 32nd annual Harris Poll EquiTrend Study, and it is easy to see why.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, the Berkshire Hathaway team is ready and willing to help their clients to not only survive and get through the Coronavirus, but to make sure their lives don’t stop in the process. For many people, especially in a time of such great change, homebuying can’t wait.

We talked to Rajeev Sajja, Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing and Innovation at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach about how the real estate industry has changed due to the Coronavirus.

Sajja commented that the biggest change was a shift to fully-virtual capabilities as well as an increase in interest in 3D technology and virtual tours. In the past few months, in addition to 3D walkthroughs, Berkshire Hathaway agents have been doing virtual open houses and showings. These new strategies have seen success in keeping clients satisfied. Sajja also believes that though realtors shifting to virtual tours, open houses, and showings happened because of the Coronavirus, the real estate industry will continue to rely on virtual capabilities even after this time period.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is also using this time of social distancing to take care of their realtors and clients. One such initiative is the Virtual Home Advisor system. This allows realtors and clients to have access to creative tools to make informed decisions about the properties they are selling, renting, and buying. This is something that empowers the realtors and values the clients and their needs.

The VHA as well as Berkshire Hathaway’s commitment to creating virtual open houses, showings, and tours are just a few examples of Fox & Roach’s dedication to the industry and to their clients, earning themselves a spot on the list of best realty groups in Philadelphia.

The Conway Team

Operating under Berkshire Hathaway, the Conway Team is run by Kathy and Patrick Conway. The Conway Team is responsible for properties all over the Philadelphia area. The Conway Team as realtors are not simply there to facilitate the buying and selling of property, they also specialize in researching market statistics, contract negotiation, and making sure their clients find the perfect home – something that doesn’t just meet their expectations but blows them away.

The Conway Team is personable and makes their clients feel comfortable and well taken care of. This is one of the many advantages of using a smaller realty team; their clients feel respected, well taken care of, and have a personal relationship instead of just a professional one. The Conway Team has expert and intimate knowledge of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods and they use their personal experiences to guide their clients to the right property for them.

Like many realtors, the Conway Team uses a variety of tools to aid their clients in their searches for a new home. They have a thorough website, social media sharing of property, and 3D virtual tours. The 3D tours, used by the Conway Team even before the Coronavirus pandemic, are now just one of many tools used to help clients find the right home even when they can’t be out touring properties as they usually would.

The Conway Team is one of the best in Philadelphia because of their personality. Philadelphia is their community, and they have a genuine interest in making each one of their clients feel at home in Philadelphia.

Momentum 360 is proud to support Philadelphia real estate as well as small businesses everywhere as we all attempt to keep moving forward in a difficult and often-troubling time. Virtual tours are the future of real estate and we work hard to make tours available for any of your needs.

As always, stay safe and keep washing your hands! These are trying times but people are strong and resilient and we will come out of this.

Here at Momentum 360, we want to make growing your business easier than ever. Investing in a virtual tour is without a doubt an imperative step in making that happen. Our society is prioritizing digital content now more than ever, and we likely will not see a decline in this mindset in the future years.

If you are interested in learning more about Momentum 360 Virtual Tours or would like to have one made for your business, feel free to email us or schedule a call with Sean or Mac. For more information, visit our website! Mac Frederick and Sean Boyle, owners of Momentum, have over twenty years of experience in the digital marketing field and have a passion for helping businesses reach their fullest potential.

We post our Momentum Monday and Small Business Saturday blog every week, so feel free to subscribe and make sure you are up to date on the latest trends in the industry. If you have any questions or concerns, leave them in the comments below! From everyone at Momentum 360, thanks for the love, stay healthy, and until next time, build Momentum!