Fort Worth Real Estate Wants to be Global, Too — Trewly!

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$1,950,000 on Hillcrest Street. in Fort Worth

Oh the battle for the high end real estate dollar is getting heated up in our sister city to the west, Fort Worth. Williams Trew, a high end Fort Worth residential real estate firm, is becoming an affiliate of Sotheby’s International beginning May 1. The company will be re-named Williams Trew Sotheby’s International Realty, the companies said officially Thursday.

This is a boutiquey- firm very much like Briggs Freeman Sothebys: Williams Trew is owned by Martha Williams, Joan Trew and Marshall Boyd. They have 80 agents across two Fort Worth offices.

The reason why is similar to the one when Briggs Freeman joined up with Sotheby’s: we live in a global world, and this affiliation means Williams Trew listings will be marketed on the Sotheby’s Realty website all over the world. For example, I walked into a Sotheby’s office in Park City, Utah this weekend and voila — saw BFS’s Dallas listings on the big screen! Williams Trew wants the wider exposure and referrals, they said, and want to benefit from the firm’s association with the Sotheby’s auction house and worldwide Sotheby’s International Realty marketing programs.

That Champs D’Or auction, for example, is happening through Sothebys.

I’ve put a call into Martha Williams to get the nitty gritty on what this means for the WT agents. I know what it means for the consumers: more marketing bang for your buck. She’s in a meeting with the Sotheby’s transition team as we speak, or, er, blog.

Sotheby’s International Realty, founded in 1976, has nearly 12,000 sales associates in approximately 580 offices in 42 countries and territories worldwide.

Candy Evans, founder and publisher of CandysDirt.com, is one of the nation’s leading real estate reporters.

8 Comments

  1. Herbie Amigo on February 23, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I thought Briggs was moving west to FW?

  2. Herbie Amigo on February 23, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    I thought Briggs was moving west to FW?

  3. Real Estate Observer on February 23, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    Sounds like Williams Trew just strategically blocked Robbie's entry into Fort Worth!

    Now Briggs Freeman has no competitive advantage there – and they have the disadvantage of being a Dallas company. (Fort Worth people like to do business with other Fort Worth people.) I'm sure Robbie isn't too happy about all the money he has been spending in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and other Tarrant County publications over the past several months – that money was essentially wasted. And how is this going to affect his expansion into Southlake, Colleyville, etc?

    One would think that if you were going to boast in print ads about going into Fort Worth you would have first secured a franchise agreement in that area first. And because each Sotheby's franchise has a separate owner, it's going to be just like having two Re/Max offices in the same area – every man for himself. Should be interesting.

  4. Real Estate Observer on February 23, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    Sounds like Williams Trew just strategically blocked Robbie's entry into Fort Worth!

    Now Briggs Freeman has no competitive advantage there – and they have the disadvantage of being a Dallas company. (Fort Worth people like to do business with other Fort Worth people.) I'm sure Robbie isn't too happy about all the money he has been spending in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and other Tarrant County publications over the past several months – that money was essentially wasted. And how is this going to affect his expansion into Southlake, Colleyville, etc?

    One would think that if you were going to boast in print ads about going into Fort Worth you would have first secured a franchise agreement in that area first. And because each Sotheby's franchise has a separate owner, it's going to be just like having two Re/Max offices in the same area – every man for himself. Should be interesting.

  5. Real Estate Seller on February 23, 2012 at 5:50 pm

    Well if Real estate Observer isn't just jealous that his or her broker doesn't offer the fantastic support Robbie Briggs offers! Ads, internet, marketing, and three great offices! When you join a brokerage, you have many choices. I chose the one that supports agents the best — no competing with the Divas, no dumping of the old. Just because Briggs might not have an office in FW doesn't mean it won't be there.

  6. Real Estate Seller on February 23, 2012 at 5:50 pm

    Well if Real estate Observer isn't just jealous that his or her broker doesn't offer the fantastic support Robbie Briggs offers! Ads, internet, marketing, and three great offices! When you join a brokerage, you have many choices. I chose the one that supports agents the best — no competing with the Divas, no dumping of the old. Just because Briggs might not have an office in FW doesn't mean it won't be there.

  7. […] here in Dallas. What in the world are they suing over? Selling dirt in Fort Worth and Meridian. Seems that the Williams Trew brokerage in Fort Worth inked a deal with  Sotheby’s last May, 2…, to be the official Sotheby’s franchise office over there yonder. Now that firm is mad as […]

  8. […] here in Dallas. What in the world are they suing over? Selling dirt in Fort Worth and Meridian. Seems that the Williams Trew brokerage in Fort Worth inked a deal with  Sotheby’s last May, 2…, to be the official Sotheby’s franchise office over there yonder. Now that firm is mad as […]

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