(openPR) - CHICAGO (05/05/09) – Despite market conditions, recruiting is up 50% for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE.com) year-to-date through April, versus the same period last year.

The network has added 14 new member companies with 35 offices and over 650 associates since January, versus nine member firms last year.

New affiliates provide additional coverage in Taos, NM; Fremont, CA; the Hamptons, NY; Baltimore, MD; Murphy, NC; Wailea, HI; South Elgin, IL; Strasburg, VA; Stowe, VT; Telluride, CO; Aspen, CO; Incline Village, NV; Lake Tahoe, NV; and Lansing, MI. Two of the companies were former national franchise affiliates who have returned to independence.

“While virtually all brokers are trimming expenses everywhere possible in this environment,” comments LeadingRE President/CEO Pam O’Connor, “many are also re-deploying dollars in strategic areas to position themselves for growth when the market turns. The robust resources provided by our network today, ranging from lead generation to luxury marketing to blogging platforms and Web tools, are obviously resonating with brokers looking to be here for the long haul.”

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About Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (www.LeadingRE.com) is a global real estate network comprised of nearly 700 of the best-known local and regional real estate firms. With more than 5,500 offices and 170,000 sales associates in the United States and 38 countries abroad, LeadingRE affiliates sell nearly $370 billion in home sales representing 1.2 million transactions annually. Six of the United States’ top 10 real estate firms are LeadingRE affiliates, and our members are the Number One firms in 44% of the top 88 markets in the United States, representing a powerful force in American real estate.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
www.LeadingRE.com
161 N Clark St, Ste 1250, Chicago, IL 60601
Contact: Robin LaSure, 312.424.0436, rlasure@leadingre.com