HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, has announced the acquisition of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties—a leading real estate company in the Mid-Hudson Valley market for 29 consecutive years. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 1980 by Steven Domber and headquartered in LaGrangeville, New York, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties serves the counties of Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Columbia, Putnam and Westchester with more than 400 agents in 13 offices. For the 12 months ending in June 2021, Hudson Valley Properties closed nearly 4,300 units representing $1.53 billion of sales volume, earning more than a 24% market share, according to the company.
The company joined the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network as an independent franchisee in 2014 and, with this transaction, joins the HomeServices of America family of wholly owned companies.
Hudson Valley Properties ranked No. 275 among top 350 real estate brokerages in the United States according to RISMedia’s 2021 Power Broker Report and is a member of the prestigious Berkshire Elite Circle, ranking No. 31 in the top 50 brokers of the network worldwide.
Domber, founder and president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties, is active in the real estate industry on both the state and national levels. He will continue in his current role as president running the day-to-day operations along with his sales management and leadership team.
Domber and his wife Debbie, vice president and director of marketing at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties, are widely recognized for their community involvement and philanthropic contributions. Hudson Valley Properties is a founding sponsor of The Treehouse Foundation of the Hudson Valley, a fundraising organization that supports local children’s charities, including The Sunshine Kids, raising nearly $1 million since 2002.
Hudson Valley Properties will join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties family of brands—which includes New York and Westchester Properties, a leading real estate brokerage firm which now has more than 2,200 sales professionals spread throughout 63 offices in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Manhattan, Westchester County and Mid-Hudson Valley, New York.
“Steven, together with his executive team, sales managers, agents and employees, has built an extraordinary organization and demonstrated a longstanding commitment to providing exceptional service to their buyers and sellers,” said Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices of America, in a statement. “Joining Hudson Valley Properties with the New England Properties family of brands creates exciting opportunities for continued growth.”
“HomeServices stands for everything I have strived for in building our company—strength, stability and integrity,” said Domber in a statement. “By joining HomeServices of America and partnering with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England, New York and Westchester Properties, we will now have access to greater resources and services, which will be a tremendous benefit to all of our associates as they better serve the real estate needs of their clients.”
“Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hudson Valley Properties is one of the most highly respected independent brokerages in our global network,” said Candace Adams, president and CEO of the New England Properties family of brands, in a statement. “The team’s rich local market expertise—coupled with its proven track record of success—makes Hudson Valley Properties an outstanding addition to our growing network of sales professionals now reaching from Manhattan to the Mid-Hudson Valley, underscoring our strength as a regional powerhouse.”
What can Domber’s agents and staff expect from the affiliation? According to Domber, along with more robust technology, marketing and educational offerings, agents will gain more exposure in the marketplace and have networking opportunities on a larger scale.
This should not, however, impact company culture Domber tells RISMedia, emphasizing that while the brokerage is staying very independent in terms of leadership, the two organizations share similar traits in how they operate.
“I’ve known Candace her whole real estate career and we have very similar cultures,” says Domber. “We’ve collaborated on numerous things together so culturally we are very similar, and we are just growing into a much larger company.”
With this transaction, HomeServices has nearly 46,650 real estate professionals operating in more than 920 offices across 32 states. In 2020, the company’s associates facilitated $152.2 billion in residential real estate sales and more than 346,000 transactions, according to the company.
“We are pleased to be expanding our footprint in the Northeast and are committed to its continued growth and success,” concluded Blefari. “We are looking forward to working with Steven and his team of top professionals and are very proud to welcome them to the HomeServices family.”
The company has plans to continue growing according to Adams, but the process will remain selective, prioritizing alignment of culture and values above all else.
“We have to always revisit our foundation and that’s our people,” Adams tells RISMedia regarding Berkshire Hathaway HomeService’s goal to retain its company culture even amid continuing growth. “We always maintain individual connections with each person and that always comes first. We are acquiring companies who are totally aligned with our values and who we think are a good match for us. If those things present themselves, we will entertain any and all opportunities.”
For more information, please visit www.homeservices.com.
