COLUMBUS, Ohio – (June 13, 2008) – Real Living, the nation’s first women-focused real estate brand, hosted its fifth annual national convention, Momentum, May 8-10 at the Columbus, a
Renaissance Hotel. Momentum showcased an incredible line-up of real estate speakers, educational workshops and awards. This year, eight agents received coveted Ruby Awards—the highest designation for Real Living agents based on sales of $50,000,000 or more in volume or 200 or more transaction sides—at Momentum’s Awards Night.Awards Night not only recognized the distinguished jewels of real estate with a dusting of glamour and good company, but it was forged with inspiration from husband and wife duo, CEO Harley E. Rouda Jr. and President Kaira Sturdivant Rouda.“Our agents are unparalleled. Despite a tough national housing market, these individuals continue to shine through their dedication to Real Living and their consumers. Awards Night is a great time to reflect on everything we’ve accomplished as a company over the past year and since our origin,” said Harley E. Rouda Jr.This year’s Ruby recipients present at
Momentum include: John W. DeSantis of Real Living Realty One (Mentor, Ohio) with 258 units and $40,655,021 in sales volume; Jill D. Rudler of Real Living HER (Westerville, Ohio) with 205 units and $51,843,770 in sales volume; Sandy L. Raines of Real Living HER (New Albany, Ohio) with 165 units and $63,321,039 in sales volume; and top agents Marilyn Vutech and Jeffrey Ruff of the Vutech & Ruff Team of Real Living HER (Columbus, Ohio) with 222 units and more than $70,000,000 in sales volume. These winners represent an elite group of Real Living’s 4,000 agents from around the country. They exhibit Real Living’s core values—family, innovation and results everyday, and continue to be an important asset to our growing real estate company.Other top awards were the Harley E. Rouda Sr. Award, The George Smith Award, Vince and Joe Aveni Award, Real Results Award, and Relocation Results Awards. The Harley E. Rouda Sr. Award recognizes managers who have built, maintained and successfully grown an office during their many years of service. This year’s recipients are JoAnn Hall of Real Living HER (Columbus, Ohio) and Sheila McDonald of Real Living Realty One (Mentor, Ohio).
The George Smith Award, which recognizes franchisees who demonstrate the highest level of team spirit and most actively promote and position the entire Real Living Network, was awarded to Donna Baldwin of Real Living Baldwin Realty (Defiance, Ohio), Pat Law of Real Living Realty Services (Dayton, Ohio), Art Brill of Real Living Town and Country (Martinsville, Ind.) and Al Cerritelli of Real Living Realty One (Cleveland, Ohio).Gloria Rau of Real Living HER (Columbus, Ohio) received the Vince and Joe Aveni Award for achieving the highest overall volume, highest number of transaction sides, highest annual increase in volume and highest annual increase in transaction sides of any other manager.Real Living’s number one Real Results winner was Nicole Yoder-Barnhart of Real Living HER (Columbus, Ohio). She had the most outstanding, overall support of Real Living services, including real estate, mortgage and title in the company.Finally, the Relocation Results Award, which recognizes the top agent who supported Real Living Relocation in 2007, based on total outgoing referrals closed per office divided by total agents in that office, was given to Santina Saporito of Real Living Realty One (Cleveland, Ohio).Sponsors for Momentum 2008 included: American Home Shield; American Solutions for Business; Artina Promotional Products; AXA Financial Protection; Bailey Cavalieri, LLC; CBIZ; Cleveland Cavaliers; Cleveland.com; Compu-Mail; Cyberhomes/Fidelity; David Pasz Co., LPA; Dee Sign; Dell; FloorPlanOnline; Homescape; Homes.org; Hondros College; Maguire & Schnieder, LLP; McSteen & Associates; The Plain Dealer; Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur; Real Living Mortgage; Real Living Title; RSP; Staples; Sun News; ThisWeek Newspapers; QuantumDigital; and Zillow.com.
About Real Living Inc.Real Living, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the nation’s fastest-growing real estate franchisors with more than 4,000 agents and 170 offices, coast to coast. Offering consumers a full suite of home and lifestyle services, Real Living also offers corporations industry-leading relocation management services. Real Living was named one of the best new franchises by Entrepreneur magazine and winner of the Inman Innovator Award. Real Living’s award-winning Web sites receive nearly 17 million page views per month. For more information, visit
www.RealLiving.com or
www.RealLivingFranchise.com.