Baird & Warner and Dream Town, Chicagoland’s two largest independent real estate companies, have announced the companies are merging their operations to form the second-largest brokerage in the region by number of properties sold in 2024.
The combined entity will represent nearly 3,000 agents, loan officers and staff providing comprehensive real estate services with eight city offices and a total of more than 30 locations across Chicagoland, a released noted.
The companies said the strategic partnership prioritizes an agent-centric culture driven by support and focused on agent success. “At a time of furious consolidation among publicly traded and private equity-backed national brands, the Baird & Warner/Dream Town merger celebrates agents’ preference for a fiercely independent and locally owned brokerage that puts people first and is actively invested in their communities,” the announcement stated.
The merger combines Baird & Warner’s brand recognition, relocation and lead generation, global luxury network, AI capabilities and tech stack with Dream Town’s considerable city presence, proprietary technology, CRM and marketing systems, to offer agents the depth of resources and breadth of market coverage to serve their clients and grow their business in any environment, the companies said.
“Throughout our 170-year history, we have sought to make bold moves that sharpen our competitive edge and enhance the value we bring to our agents and their clients,” said Steve Baird, president and CEO of Baird & Warner. “We quickly realized our shared values, service offerings and technology would provide significant benefits, and we are excited for Yuval (Degani, founder and CEO of Dream Town) to join our senior leadership team as president of brokerage services. Together, we will form the next generation of independent brokerage.”
“Every major brokerage in town is now run by Wall Street or a hedge fund,” said Degani. “Steve and I envisioned creating an even more competitive, locally committed and powerful independent alternative for agents, where they can have the best tech and marketing, yet maintain a culture of community and collaboration.”
For more information visit BairdWarner.com.
