$32M Producer Leaves Keller Williams for RE/MAX

RE/MAX veteran Diane Capodilupo and her $32 million-producing team are starting 2011 off with a bang after leaving Keller Williams.



Capodilupo had been with RE/MAX since 1988 and earned her way into the elite ranks. She left for Keller Williams in 2007 to become a franchise owner, but she quickly realized that the move was a mistake.



"When it comes to support and quality, RE/MAX and Keller Williams are like a Porsche and a Pinto," Capodilupo says, adding that she was the only top producer in her Keller Williams office, which included mostly new agents. "If you're an experienced agent, RE/MAX is the place to be and has the highest caliber of agents. I have a lot of plans for my new office; I want to create an Internet cafe and recruit the area's best performers."



Mike Gallagher, former owner of RE/MAX Achievers in West Roxbury, Mass., was looking to sell his franchise. He approached Capodilupo first, and she said yes right away, inheriting his seven agents while adding her own buyer's agent and licensed assistant.



Capodilupo cautions those who might be considering a switch to another brand. "No one will take care of you or compensate you the way RE/MAX does, but other franchises will try to convince you otherwise," Capodilupo says. "Throughout my entire career with RE/MAX, I was empowered and encouraged to succeed, and I achieved more than I ever dreamt I would. "Dave and Gail Liniger are my heroes; Dave revolutionized real estate and told agents to market innovative minds. If RE/MAX hadn't come along, we'd still be on 50/50 splits and the focus would be on the brokerage and not the agent."



There has been a resurgence of returns to the network, as well as new additions in today's market, says Fiona Beecy, Vice President of Brokerage Operations for RE/MAX of New England. "Some agents think the grass is greener on the other side, but in a tough market, they need the support and tools that only RE/MAX offers," Beecy says. "As a result, we're attracting high-quality, experienced agents."



By: Deborah Ball Kearns