Keller Williams Realty of Northern Colorado

FORT COLLINS, CO—Sept. 3, 2008—Two of the fastest growing real estate firms in Northern Colorado have joined forces. Fort Collins Real Estate and Keller Williams of Northern Colorado today announced their merger, according to Keller Williams Operating Principal JoAnn Johnston.

Established in 1999, Keller Williams of Northern Colorado has offices in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, focusing primarily on residential real estate sales. Fort Collins Real Estate, established in 1988 and owned by Michael L. Jensen since 2003, has specialized in commercial, investment and residential real estate since Jensen has been in charge of the company. Last week, Keller Williams Realty International (KWRI) launched its commercial division; KW Commercial and Jensen will now take the opportunity to head up and help launch that division for the Northern Colorado offices of Keller Williams with the completion of the merger and the formation of this new partnership.

“Keller Williams of Northern Colorado will be the only real estate company in the area with full-service residential and commercial sales divisions under one roof,” explains Johnston. “We are excited to have someone with Mike’s knowledge, track record, and expertise to build and lead our commercial division and continue building the premier real estate company in Northern Colorado.”

“Our companies share many of the same values so it was a natural fit- we both have very strong team-and family-oriented cultures so the result is an even stronger company to better serve our customers,” says Jensen. “The merger is great for our agents too because they will now also have all of the resources of Keller Williams Realty International, the fourth largest real estate company in North America. All the while it also still allows us to continue to market, sell, and help shape the future of Downtown Fort Collins & the North College Ave urban infill areas with even better service to our residential projects at Penny Flats, Solar Village Maple, North Flats, Old Town North, and Conifer Meadows that we represent. We can also further our investment property offerings both residentially & commercially, which only enhances our core competencies and what we can offer to our customers, and further strengthens the company going forward.”

In mid-October, Keller Williams of Northern Colorado will move from its current location at 2809 E. Harmony Rd. to a new location at The Pads at Harmony, on the north side of East Harmony Road near Snow Mesa. “This is going to be one of the most elegant, premier buildings in Fort Collins with great visibility along Harmony Road,” says Johnston. “We will also maintain the office at the present location of the former Fort Collins Real Estate office which is located at 1220 S. College Ave.”

In addition to Jensen and Johnston, the ownership group of Keller Williams of Northern Colorado includes Dave Pierce and Walter Weckbaugh. The ownership group collectively has more than 100 years of combined experience in real estate. Rick Kness serves as Team Leader in Fort Collins, Brad Clarkson as Team Leader in Loveland and the company is hiring a new Team Leader in Greeley. The merged company now has more than 215 agents, making it one of the largest real estate firms in Northern Colorado.

Keller Williams of Northern Colorado was named in the Top 500 in the Power Brokers Report by RIS Media in April 2008, and the top 500 largest brokers in the U.S. by “Real Trends” magazine for sales volume and units sold in 2007.

After Fort Collins Real Estate was purchased by Jensen in early 2003, the company quickly grew and in two short years was listed in the Top Ten Real Estate Companies in Fort Collins Based on Sales Volume (Northern Colorado Business Report). Fort Collins Real Estate is the second real estate brokerage firm that Jensen has quickly grown into a local market sales volume leader in his 13-year career. A 34-year-old graduate of Colorado State University, Jensen grew Housing Helpers Real Estate from a two-person company in 1995 to a 50-person powerhouse, which he then sold in May 2001. “I am confident that I can take all that I have learned over the years with both companies, combine that with the great resources of KWRI and the strength of this new partnership, and make KW Commercial a true force to be reckoned with in Northern Colorado. The horsepower of an additional 190 agents that Keller Williams Residential brings to the table should bring even more success to our current residential projects, so our developers are very excited about that,” Jensen says.

Keller Williams Realty franchised the Colorado Region in 1993 and has succeeded by creating a unique agent-focused model that builds partnerships between agents and local ownership through participation in a life-long, profit sharing program. In 2007, Keller Williams Realty in Northern Colorado profit shared nearly $125,000 with its agents.

In Colorado, the company has 28 locations and more than 2,800 agents. In 2007, Keller Williams agents achieved a sales volume of more than $3.5 billion. For more information, contact Operating Principal JoAnn Johnston at 970-377-3700, Mike Jensen at 970-226-0999 or visit www.NorthernColoradoHomes.com.