ERA® Real Estate has announced the affiliation of ERA Shelman Realty. The company is based in Bonners Ferry, Idaho and has served the community since 1963, ERA stated.
Owners Mark and Loralee Carey purchased the firm in 2018 from Mark’s brother Steve Carey, who bought the firm in 1991 from the Shelman Family, a release stated.
A native of Bonners Ferry, Mark Carey left his hometown following his high school graduation in 1981 to find work due to the downturn in the economy. He met his wife Loralee Carey in Oregon in 1982 and earned his real estate license there in 1984. The couple moved back to north Idaho in 1993 where Mark continued his real estate career. In 2017, Loralee obtained her real estate license when the couple was purchasing the family brokerage. Mark and Loralee’s son, Isaac, is also a REALTOR® with the local Bonners Ferry brokerage, as well as a number knowledgeable and experienced agents who live in the area, the company said.
Bonners Ferry is located in the Kootenai River Valley, approximately 30 miles south of the Canadian border and 20 miles west of the Montana border. The city serves as the official gateway city for travelers from Canada. The area is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges, offering residents and visitors ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. With a lower-than-average cost of living, Bonners Ferry and the surrounding towns are popular with families and retirees. Major employers are in health care, retail trade, manufacturing, construction, agriculture and forestry. Additionally, many employees in the area work remotely due to the availability of high-speed internet.
“Mark and Loralee’s years of experience with everything from homes, farms and ranches to investment properties have made them an invaluable asset to Bonners Ferry,” said Sherry Chris, president and CEO of ERA® Real Estate. “Now as an ERA affiliated company, they will be well-positioned for continued success in the next phase of the company’s growth. Their partnership with the ERA brand is a testament to their dedication to their agents, clients and community. We look forward to supporting the firm’s bright future as part of the ERA family.”
“Our affiliation with ERA Real Estate will be a major game-changer for us,” said Mark Carey, broker/owner, ERA Shelman Realty. “As we look to attract more agents to the firm, we will be able offer them access to the brand’s comprehensive learning resources and professional development support. We also now have a distinctive edge in the market with an expanded national and international referral network and the introduction of ERA’s powerful suite of tools, easy-to-use technology and professional marketing materials. More importantly, our enhanced value proposition as an ERA affiliate will allow us to make an even greater impact on our community even more than we did as an independent firm.”
Loralee Carey, co-owner of the firm, said, “Over the years, we have taken an all-encompassing approach to strengthening our community outreach efforts and our business, which go hand in hand. We have seen tremendous growth in our town over the last few years. We want to ensure that we could continue our commitment to our growing community by offering our agents access to powerful tools and systems that will allow them to serve our clients at the highest level. Our affiliation with ERA Real Estate enhances our business in meaningful ways not just to our company but also to our clients and community.”
Visit ERA ®Real Estate for more information.
