By Teri Carnicelli

    HomeSmart, one of the fastest-growing real estate agencies in Arizona, celebrated the opening of its third Phoenix office on April 12 at 5225 N. Central Ave, Suite 104.

    HomeSmart was founded by president and CEO Matt Widdows in January 2000. Much of HomeSmart’s success can be attributed to the combined real estate and technology background of its founder.

    Widdows, who previously owned a technology company focused on accounts receivable systems for the medical industry and also held a real estate license, created a company built around technology that provided agents with cutting-edge tools, a professional meeting and working environment, and efficiencies that would give them more time to focus on their clients.

 

What started out as a company with only two agents has grown into a business with more than 4,000 agents in Arizona and southern California. HomeSmart has offices near the Biltmore area as well as in northeast Phoenix. In regard to opening the newest office, Widdows said, “There are a lot of agents who specialize in the North Central and downtown historic districts, many of whom had been contacting us asking for an office in that area. That’s a special part of town and a local company presence in the neighborhood is important to homeowners and agents alike.”

    One of the key components of the North Central office is its “Elite” division, which focuses on luxury homes. Longtime North Central real estate agent Bobby Lieb, who specializes in higher-priced homes, was Widdows’ first hire for the new division and will oversee that department.

    “We felt that there was an opportunity and need for another luxury player in the market, and Bobby was the inspiration for the Elite branding,” Widdows explains.

    Widdows lured Lieb away from another high-profile real estate agency in Phoenix, and also brought on board another 20-plus seasoned agents from throughout the metro Phoenix area, including Dian Bentinck, Randy Betnar, Tom Bryant, Rodney Coty, Ronda Cronin, Carol Gilbert, Shelly Lane, Pat Martin, Sam Miller, Christopher Paris, Clay Spillman and Vicki Vanderhoff.

    “Those agents were never targeted by HomeSmart, but word gets out when you have something special going on, and we think we do at HomeSmart,” Widdows says. “Our intent was not and is not to damage any competitor as there is room for all of us in the marketplace.”

    Widdows’ latest idea is to take the HomeSmart brand and proprietary systems and franchise them throughout the country.

    “We already have franchise locations in Arizona and California and there will be many people who use the technology suite and structure of HomeSmart to build companies in excess of 4,000 agents,” Widdows believes. “There will also be the opportunity for locations in smaller markets. HomeSmart is as beneficial for the small brokerage business as much as the big.”

    For more information about HomeSmart’s Central Phoenix office and its agents, call 602-761-4600. To learn more about HomeSmart, visit www.homesmart international.com.