Windermere Real Estate

Windermere Real Estate is a real estate company founded in 1972 and based in Seattle, Washington.[1] It is a privately held company and is the largest regional real estate company in the Western U.S., with over 300 offices and 7,000 agents.[1]

Windermere Real Estate Services
TypePrivately held company
IndustryReal Estate
Founded1972
FounderJohn Jacobi
HeadquartersSeattle
Number of locations
300
Key people
  • Geoff Wood (Chief executive officer and Co-President)
  • Jill Jacobi Wood(Co-president)
  • OB Jacobi (Co-president)
  • Brooks Burton (Chief Operating Officer)
Services
  • Residential real estate services and investmen]
Number of employees
7000
Websitewindermere.com

History

Windermere Real Estate was founded by John W. Jacobi in 1972, when he purchased an eight-agent office in Seattle, Washington.[1] It grew outside Seattle in 1984 with an office on Bainbridge Island.[2] As of 2019, Windermere had offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Utah, Alaska, Mexico,[3] Colorado,.[4] All Windermere offices are locally owned and operated.

In 2010, Windermere created Windermere Solutions, a web platform for agents.[5] Windermere Solutions rebranded as MoxiWorks in 2014 and began operating independently of Windermere Real Estate.[6] In 2015, Windermere partnered with Porch.com to integrate their data with MoxiWorks.[7]

On March 12, 2013, Windermere announced that it would add drive times to and from work as an attribute of new home buying.[8] According to INRIX, Windermere is the first real estate company to offer this feature.[9] On August 9, 2013 Windermere added Search by Drive Time as a new home buyer feature to its website.[10]

In 2016, Windermere Real Estate entered a three-year agreement to be the "Official Real Estate Company of the Seattle Seahawks".[11] In November 2016, Windermere launched the "W" Collection, a luxury residential real estate brand for houses priced over $3 million.[12] The "W" Collection was an extension of the company's Premier Properties program.[12]

In 2006, D'Ambrosio & Associates Realtors joined Windermere as a subsidiary.[13] In 2018, Windermere Real Estate acquired a 50 percent stake in West Coast Commercial Realty, a Seattle-based commercial real estate firm.[14]

Geoff P. Wood, son-in-law of founder John Jacobi, became president of the Windermere Real Estate Company in 1999.[1] He was promoted to CEO in 2003 and became co-president in 2007.[15] Jill Jacobi Wood, daughter of John Jacobi, was appointed President of Windermere Real Estate Company in 2003.[16] In 2009, OB Jacobi, John Jacobi's son, was appointed co-president.[1] As of 2007, John Jacobi served as Chairman of the board for Windermere Real Estate Company after ceasing participation in day-to-day operations.[15]

In 2017, Windermere appointed its first COO, Brooks Burton.[17]

Philanthropy and Awards

In 1987, Windermere Real Estate sponsored the first Windermere Cup, a crew race in the Montlake Cut of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which became an annual event.[18] In 2002 the company began sponsoring the Cascade Cup.

In 1989, the company established The Windermere Foundation to support low-income and homeless families.[19] The foundation won the Corporate Philanthropy Award in 2018 from the Portland Business Journal.[19]

In 2003, Windermere launched a program called Home For The Holidays, which pays one year's rent for seven families in the Puget Sound Region.[20]

In 1999, Windermere Real Estate received the Washington Family Business of the Year Award (Large Business) from the Pacific Lutheran University Family Enterprise Institute.[21]

In 2008, Windermere Real Estate was named the "Top Private Company" by Washington CEO magazine.[1] In 2013, Windermere was awarded the Succession Award from Seattle Business Magazine.[22] In 2015, Inman nominated Windermere for their Most Innovative Real Estate Company award.[23]

References
  1. "It's a family affair at 40-year-old Windermere". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  2. ""Kushner sells office, will retireThe businesswill be owned by islander Jim Laws." | Bainbridge Island Review". Bainbridge Island Review. 2001-06-27. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  3. "Windermere expands in Southern California, hires new exec". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  4. "Browns to open Windermere Real Estate office in Windsor – BizWest". BizWest. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  5. "New broker platform merges CRM, intranet, email marketing". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  6. "Windermere Solutions rebrands to Moxi Works, launches new real estate software". GeekWire. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  7. CNBC (2015-02-17). "Porch.com and Windermere Real Estate Come Together to Simplify Home Buying". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  8. Wingfield, Nick (March 12, 2013), "Predicting Commutes More Accurately for Would-Be Home Buyers", The New York Times
  9. Windermere Real Estate and INRIX Partner to Help Home Buyers Find Properties with the Actual Drive Times (press release), INRIX, March 13, 2013
  10. Hanley Frank, Blair (August 9, 2013), "Windermere partners with Inrix to provide drive-time recommendations for homebuyers", GeekWire
  11. "Exclusive: Windermere, Seahawks to tackle homelessness as part of sponsorship deal". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  12. "Windermere's ultra luxury W Collection brand and website officially launches". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  13. "D'Ambrosio joins with Windermere". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  14. "Windermere acquires 50% of West Coast Commercial Realty". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  15. "Windermere founder passes the torch to next generation". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  16. "Windermere Real Estate | History of Windermere". Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  17. "Windermere Real Estate Appoints Its First COO: Brooks Burton". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  18. "The eight most memorable Windermere Cup rowing races in Huskies history". The Seattle Times. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  19. "Corporate Philanthropy Award winner (Large Category): Windermere Realty Trust". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  20. "Windermere Real Estate". Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  21. "Pacific Lutheran University Family Enterprise Institute". community.plu.edu. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  22. "It's All Relative: Family Business Awards | Seattle Business Magazine". www.seattlebusinessmag.com. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  23. "Inman announces 2015 Innovator Award candidates". Inman. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
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