Re/Max Co. is attempting to grow in the West Akron and Fairlawn area with a new office and experienced real estate agents.
Re/Max Crossroads has opened its seventh Northeast Ohio office at 3480 W. Market Street.
The office has eight Realtors: Linda Banasiak, Jeanne Bobinchuck, Sherri Costanzo, Nikki Konstand-Relic, Dan Salmons and David Monteney — all of whom were recently with Stouffer Realty — and Ro Reed, most recently with Realty Executives, and Margie Valenti, who transferred from the Re/Max office in Stow.
The former Stouffer Realtors approached Re/Max Crossroads owner-brokers Dennis and Mary Lou Steed about two months ago to consider opening a new office in Fairlawn, said Mary Lou Steed.
“We always saw it as a fabulous area,” said Steed. For many years, there was a Re/Max Keystone office in Fairlawn, but the operation was rather small and closed, she said.
“At the time when we looked at the area, we weren’t in an opportunity to open it,” she said.
Costanzo said she joined the Re/Max team “because of all the resources and tools that are available at my fingertips. Having the ability to provide great customer service is critical.”
Konstand-Relic said, “It feels great to be back with a team that offers support and services not available at other real estate companies.”
Steed said opening the new office is a way to celebrate Re/Max Crossroads’ 20th anniversary.
“Having the ability to expand our offices to another location in this market almost seems too good to be true,” she said.
Two other Realtors also joined the Crossroads team in other locations. Kevin McCaulley from Keller Williams joined the Canton office and Lenny Immormino from ERA Lentz Associates joined the Strongsville office.
Steed said having so many agents come from another company isn’t unusual. “We did not approach (Stouffer’s) agents. They approached us. Our style isn’t to try to hurt someone else,” she said.
Gary Stouffer, owner-broker of Stouffer Realty said it was hard to have the agents leave his company, but he has 100-plus other employees and “we still have an incredible presence. We’re going to do business like we’ve always done.
“I looked at them as friends, but it’s business and people do what’s best for them,” he said.
Stouffer recently brought in Jim Fox as vice president of general sales and operations from Howard Hanna to run day-to-day operations.
Stouffer said there have been rumors that Fox was brought in so Stouffer could exit the company.
“That was the big rumor. In reality, I brought in a vice president to run the company because I’m a good salesman and bring good business to the company,” he said.
Stouffer a few months ago bought its own building at 130 N. Miller Road and brought several related businesses under one roof as tenants. The new Re/Max Crossroads Fairlawn office took over Stouffer’s old space. Re/Max Crossroads has 115 agents in Northeast Ohio.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blinfisher and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty