Recent Press Releases
Corus Home Realty Names Four New Partners
(2/19/06)
Corus Home Realty Launches the Corus Report
(1/16/06)
Corus Home Realty Completes One of Region's Top 10 Transactions
(1/5/06)
Corus Home Realty Releases White Paper on Housing Bubble Concerns
(12/9/05)
Corus Home Realty Passes the Half a Billion Dollars Mark
(10/18/05)
Corus Home Realty Recognized by RealEstate.com
(9/8/05)
Corus Home Realty Launches New Web Site
(8/8/05)
Corus Home Realty Named to Washington Business Journal Top 25
(6/23/05)
Corus Home Realty Opens Home Center in Delaware Valley, PA
(6/15/05)
Corus Home Realty Hires Davila as Managing Broker
(6/5/05)
Corus Home Realty Adds New Marketing Vice President
(5/20/05)
Corus Home Realty's Gorman Named Finalist For Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 Award
(5/15/05)
Corus Home Realty Adds Annapolis To Service Area
(4/12/05)
Corus Home Realty Grows Fairfax Sales Office
(4/6/05)
Corus Home Realty Grows McLean Sales Office
(3/16/05)
Corus Home Realty Increases Marketing Expertise At Rockville Home Center
(2/25/05)
Corus Home Realty Adds District Of Columbia To Service Area
(2/16/05)
Corus Home Realty Wins 'Best Practices' Award From RealEstate.com/LendingTree For 2nd Consecutive Year
(12/5/04)
Corus Home Center Opens In Rockville, Maryland
(11/30/04)
Corus Home Realty Unveils Two Revolutionary New Listing Programs
(9/16/04)
Corus Home Realty Releases 2004/2005 School Reports
(8/3/04)
Corus Home Realty Releases Customer Service Survey Results
(7/9/04)
Corus Home Realty's Harry Potter Event A Huge Success
(6/4/04)
Corus Home Realty Announces Grand Opening of Fairfax Office
(5/11/04)
Corus Home Realty Makes The Washington Business Journal Top 25
(4/16/04)
Corus Home Realty Expands Into Maryland
(3/29/04)
Gary Macdonald To Join Corus Home Realty
(2/8/04)
Corus Home Realty Announces Two Key Promotions
(1/17/04)
Corus Home Realty Announces Two Branch Manager Promotions
(12/18/03)
Corus Home Realty Wins 'Best Practices' Award From LendingTree
(10/14/03)
Corus Home Realty Awarded Patent for Mobile Navigator Technology
(10/7/03)
Corus Home Realty Hires George Gorayeb as Principal Sales Advisor
(5/20/03)
Corus Home Realty Launches Mobile Navigator Version 2.0
(8/19/2002)
Corus Home Realty Adds Direct MLS Access to WebSite
(2/2/2002)
Corus Home Realty Launched Corus Mobile Navigator
(12/10/2001)
Corus Home Realty Opens its First Home Center
(11/18/2001)
News Articles About CorusAt Corus Home Realty, Former AOL V.P. Applies Technology To Real Estate (Bull Run Observer Newspaper)
(1/5/2005)
Corus Home Realty is featured on WTOP
(9/16/2002)
Technology and Real Estate Marry
(Connection Newspapers, 6/21/2002)
Corus Links to MLS
(Times Community Newspapers, 2/27/2002).
Computer Guys' are key to new real estate firms
(Times Community Newspapers, 11/28/2001)
Corus Home Realty Names Four New Partners
MCLEAN, VA, February 19, 2006 —
— Corus Home Realty recently named four of its executives as new partners of the firm. They include Kathy Davila,
Alison Farmer, Amy Richards, and Nikki Blythe.
Kathy Davila is the Branch Manager and Managing Broker of Corus Home Realty’s Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania office.
Kathy is responsible for the company’s operations throughout the Delaware Valley. She joined Corus Home Realty in early
2005, and launched the company’s first office outside of the Washington metropolitan area. Ms. Davila is a an Accredited
Buyer Representative (ABR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Certified Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), an
ePRO Internet Professional as approved by the National Association of Realtors and a graduate of The Realtor Institute
(GRI). A lifelong Delaware Valley resident, Kathy currently lives in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.
Alison Farmer manages Corus Home Realty’s operations in Virginia and Washington, DC. She is responsible for the company’s
McLean, Virginia and Fairfax, Virginia offices. She also works closely with clients, and has handled many of the company’s
most complex real estate transactions. Prior to her current role, Alison held sales and home specialist positions with Corus.
Alison has over 15 years of sales experience and has managed multiple offices and employees with previous companies. Alison
is a graduate, with honors, of Michigan State University. She lives in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, DC.
Amy Richards manages Corus Home Realty’s Sales Division. She oversees a team of sales specialists, coordinates the company’s
marketing partnerships, and manages companywide marketing efforts. Previously, Amy was the branch manager for Corus’ McLean,
Virginia office. Amy was Corus Home Realty’s fifth employee, and is a lifelong resident of the Washington DC area. Amy is a
graduate of James Madison University, and previously held marketing related positions at Verizon. She is married with two
children, and resides in Potomac Falls, Virginia.
Nikki Blythe has a dual role at Corus Home Realty. She acts as Senior Service Specialist for the company’s Fairfax, Virginia
team while also working as an Operations Manager. In that role, she coordinates much of the company’s hiring efforts, human
resources matters, training, and special projects. Nikki joined Corus in 2002 as one of the company’s first employees. Prior
to Corus, she held a variety of positions in both the Internet and hospitality industries. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Nikki
lives in Leesburg, Virginia with her husband and daughter.
Corus Home Realty's approach to marketing residential real estate is truly unique. The
company employs Home Specialists that are backed by a team of licensed
agents. With this approach, Corus Home Realty provides a client-service focus and a superior level of responsiveness
and representation in a low-pressure marketing environment. Notably, Corus team
members are available to their clients 12 hours each day from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven
(7) days a week.
About Corus: Corus Home Realty is an innovative residential
real estate brokerage firm, locally owned and headquartered in McLean, Virginia,
with four area Home Centers and a fifth Home Center in Pennsylvania. Corus was
recently named one of the top 25 brokerages in the area by the Washington
Business Journal. Corus Home Realty is the recipient of LendingTree.com’s “Best
Practices” award for the past two years as a result of its high customer
satisfaction ratings. For more information, please visit our web site at www.corushome.com.
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Corus Home Realty Launches the Corus Report
MCLEAN, VA, January 16, 2006 —
Corus Home Realty has announced that the company will be launching an ambitious new communication initiative to keep
a continuous flow of information between the company and current and past clients. Every 3-4 weeks, Corus will publish
the Corus Report which will provide in-depth information on market conditions, trends affecting real estate, and other
helpful information.
“One of our greatest strengths has always been our ability to leverage the combined experience of our team of experts who
are helping to complete dozens of transactions each month,” explained Corus’ CEO, Mike Gorman. “We’ve built an incredible
reputation for our market knowledge and the Corus Report will be another vehicle for putting the information that we have
about the market into the hands of our clients. ”
Corus Home Realty has an exclusive database of thousands of current and past clients who will receive this e-mail update.
Additionally, the Corus Report will be available on the company’s website at www.corushome.com/The_Corus_Report.aspx .
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Corus Home Realty Completes One of Region's Top 10 Transactions
MCLEAN, VA, January 5, 2006 —
Corus Home Realty has announced that during 2005, the firm completed one of the year’s 10 highest priced residential resale
transactions in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The property transacted was a 10,205 square foot Williamsburg colonial
situated on 3 one acre lots in the Langley Farms area of McLean, Virginia. The property was sold at a price of $5.5 million.
Corus Home Realty represented both the seller and purchaser in the transaction.
According to Michael Gorman, Corus Home Realty’s CEO, “Corus completes transactions at all price levels. However, the luxury
home segment of our business has expanded steadily, and people are starting to notice. Additionally, our sophisticated research
and the expertise of our senior-level staff have really made Corus an appealing choice for the high end homeowner or purchaser.”
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Corus Home Realty Releases White Paper on Housing Bubble Concerns
MCLEAN, VA, December 9, 2005 —
Corus Home Realty just recently released a comprehensive analysis of market conditions and specifically addressed concerns
among some consumers of a “Housing Bubble” that might “pop.” This in-depth analysis was e-mailed to Corus past and future clients.
The white paper, which can be obtained at no cost by contacting Corus Home Realty, represents the expert analysis from Corus Home Realty’s
team which currently handles several dozen transactions each month. This high volume of business spread out over the Washington and
Philadelphia regions allows Corus to have a unique perspective on the market.
The white paper was broken into several sections including an explanation of what has caused prices to reach current levels, what experts
are saying about these market conditions, some facts about the market, and answers to common questions.
It is the opinion of Corus and a consensus of most other industry experts that the housing markets in the DC and Philadelphia regions
will cool off in 2006 but any dramatic reduction of prices is very unlikely. A copy of this white paper can be obtained by contacting
Corus Home Realty at 888.81.CORUS or by e-mailing corusinfo@corushome.com.
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Corus Home Realty Passes the Half a Billion Dollars Mark
MCLEAN, VA, October 18, 2005 —
Corus Home Realty has announced that the company recently passed the $500,000,000 mark for the value
of all completed real estate transactions. In just over four years in business, Corus has completed
over 1,400 transactions worth more than $500,000,000.
Mike Gorman, Corus Home Realty’s CEO explained that, “we’re very excited that Corus has grown so fast
in such a short period of time. Our employees have really worked hard and our clients have been
amazing in referring their friends, families, and co-workers. This combination has really allowed
Corus the room to grow and expand.”
“It’s always exciting to hit a big milestone like half a billion dollars in real estate,” explained
Corus’ Principal Broker Eric Rossum, “but the real proof that our revolutionary approach to real estate
is working is our very high customer satisfaction ratings.”
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Corus Home Realty Recognized by RealEstate.com
MCLEAN, VA, September 8, 2005 —
Corus Home Realty was one of just forty top real estate partners recently recognized for outstanding service and growth by RealEstate.com, the online one-stop-shopping destination for consumers buying or selling a home, at the company’s recent annual partnership retreat
“Corus Home Realty is one of the top real estate brokers in our network. By earning this award, Corus has further demonstrated its commitment and dedication to being successful in the online real estate business” said Dave Collins, vice president, RealEstate.com.
Awards and recognition were earned by the top closing real estate and lending partners; partners experiencing the most growth over the past year; and partners that have successfully implemented best practices serving the needs on “online” customers. Corus received the Highest Overall Close Rates for companies receiving over 1000 leads.
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Corus Home Realty Launches New Web Site
MCLEAN, VA, August 8, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, Inc., a leader in delivering
client-centric real estate services, today launched a new Web site located at www.corushome.com.
The new site represents Corus’ second site in their 4-year history.
The Web site was designed to provide a clean, clear compendium of real estate services
that is exceptionally simple for the visitor to navigate. The site offers instant access to all the
homes listed for sale in the Washington metro area as well as neighborhood reports and school reports. A new financial center provides visitors with
comprehensive tools, calculators and instruction to aid in the
often-bewildering field of mortgages. Access to all the Philadelphia homes for
sale will be added in the coming weeks.
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Corus Home Realty Named To Washington Business Journal Top 25
MCLEAN, VA, June 23, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, Inc., a leader in delivering
client-centric real estate services, was named to the Washington Business
Journal’s List of “Largest residential real estate companies” for the second
year. Companies were ranked by 2004 metro area sales volume.
"This is
testament to the viability of Corus Home Realty’s innovative business model'"
says Michael T. Gorman, Corus’ President and CEO. "Our sustained growth over the
past three and one-half years proves that the market both needs and welcomes a
residential real estate company built entirely around the needs of our
customers."
Corus Home Realty is a locally owned and privately held
corporation, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Corus posted a 100% gain in
revenue in 2004 and 50% growth in employees over the previous year.
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Corus Home Realty Opens Home Center in Delaware Valley, PA
Plymouth Meeting, PA, June 15, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, Inc., a leader in
delivering client-centric real estate services, today announced the opening of
its newest home center in Delaware Valley. The office is located at 505 West
Germantown Pike in Plymouth Meeting, PA.
The new home center will
concentrate on providing Delaware Valley buyers and sellers custom resources and
data, including local neighborhood and school reports. Additionally, each center
offers clients a patented tablet PC, called the Mobile Navigator™. The Mobile
Navigator can be taken in the car, and with its GPS technology tied into MLS
data, clients can view home offerings at their convenience.
Corus Home
Realty's approach to marketing residential real estate is truly unique. The
company employs Home Specialists that are backed by a team of licensed agents.
With this approach, Corus Home Realty provides a client-service focus and a
superior level of responsiveness and representation in a low-pressure marketing
environment. Notably, Corus team members are available to their clients 12 hours
each day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven (7) days a week.
“We operate a
different business model, based entirely on the customer. We know there is a lot
of stress and pressure associated with buying or selling a home, so we pay attention to
making the experience as convenient and effective as possible,” said Kathy Davila, the center’s managing broker.
Corus is a residential real
estate brokerage with award-winning services, a no-pressure atmosphere, and
world-class responsiveness. Other home centers are in the neighboring markets of
Metro Washington, DC and Annapolis, MD. The Delaware Valley home center will be
staffed by Duane Thornton, Branch Manager, Kathy Davila, Managing Broker, and
specialists Rebecca Tarnowski, Andrea Bennett, and Lee Schwartz.
About Corus: Corus Home Realty is an innovative residential real estate brokerage firm
headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with four Washington, D.C. area Home Centers
and a fifth Home Center in Pennsylvania. Corus was recently named one of the top
25 brokerages in the area by the Washington Business Journal. Corus Home Realty
is the recipient of LendingTree.com’s “Best Practices” award for the past two
years as a result of its high customer satisfaction ratings. For more
information on Corus Home Realty, please call our Delaware Valley office at
610.825.3225.
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Corus Home Realty Hires Davila as Managing Broker
Plymouth Meeting, PA, June 5, 2005 —
Corus Home Realty, one of the area’s fastest growing residential real estate companies, has hired Kathy Davila as Managing Broker of their newest office in Plymouth Meeting, PA.
Ms. Davila brings a depth of experience to Corus, including 5 years of direct marketing expertise and seven years with the Realty Corp. Associates in Upper Gwynedd, a Coldwell Banker affiliate. For the previous three years, Ms. Davila enjoyed a spot in the International Presidents Circle Award – a position limited to the top 10% of Coldwell Banker realtors. Ms. Davila is a an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Certified Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), an ePRO Internet Professional as approved by the National Association of Realtors and a graduate of The Realtor Institute (GRI). She is a lifetime Delaware Valley resident.
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Corus Home Realty Adds New Marketing Vice President
MCLEAN, VA, May 20, 2005 — Paula Scanlon was named Vice President of Marketing for Corus Home
Realty, one of the area’s fastest-growing residential real estate companies. The
position was created upon her arrival to the company in January 2005. She will
oversee the growing company’s branding, advertising, public relations, new
media and sales and marketing programs.
Scanlon was a former Senior
Vice President and Communications Director at Anderson Communications in Hilton
Head Island, SC. At Anderson, she was directly involved with business
development and communications planning. Prior to Anderson, Scanlon served in
executive marketing positions at Plateau Systems, Verizon Communications and
Coca-Cola Enterprises. Scanlon began her career in communications at The Martin
Agency after graduating from the University of South Carolina, and brings over
25 years in communications experience to Corus. She also holds a Certificate in
Financial Planning from Georgetown University.
According to
Michael Gorman, Corus Home Realty President and Chief Executive Officer, “The
addition of Paula Scanlon will help grow Corus Home Realty’s brand in the
marketplace. With our new promotions and advertising programs, you’ll start to
hear and see more about the superior real estate services we offer.”
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Corus Home Realty's Gorman Named Finalist For Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 Award
MCLEAN, VA, May 15, 2005 — Michael T. Gorman, CEO of
Corus Realty Holdings, Inc., was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 Awards in the Greater Washington area. Gorman is
founder of Corus Home Realty, a residential real estate company, and was
selected from 63 nominations in the area by a panel of independent
judges comprised of local business leaders.
"The Ernst & Young award
is a distinct and prestigious honor for any entrepreneur, and being named a
finalist is a nod to our business model, which is designed to provide the utmost
in customer satisfaction to our clients. I am proud to represent all the
entrepreneurial people who've built Corus Home Realty into the company it is
today," said Gorman.
Recently, Corus Home Realty's strategy has been
recognized by LendingTree.com for its "Best Practices," demonstrated by the high
ratings from recent clients and its service approach, including no-pressure
tactics, extensive resources and the company's availability every day from
9a.m.-9p.m. Corus Home Realty also was named one of the top 25 residential real
estate brokerages by Washington Business Journal.
Award recipients will
be announced at the awards banquet on June 23, 2005 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons
Corner, in McLean, Virginia. The Greater Washington area winners will be
eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005 national
program. Winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national
Ernst & Young Entreprenuer Of The Year, will be announced November 2005, at
the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, CA.
About The Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur Of The Year® Program
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of
The Year Program was created and is produced by professional services firm Ernst
& Young LLP. As the first award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur
Of The Year recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading
dynamic and growing businesses. The program honors entrepreneurs through
regional, national and global award programs in over 100 cities and 35
countries.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young, a global
leader in professional services, is committed to restoring the public’s trust in
professional services firms and in the quality of financial reporting. Its
100,000 people in more than 140 countries around the globe pursue the highest
levels of integrity, quality and professionalism to provide clients with
solutions based on financial, transactional and risk-management knowledge in
Ernst & Young's core services of Audit, Tax and Transaction Advisory
Services. Ernst & Young practices also provide legal services in some parts
of the world where permitted. Further information about Ernst & Young and
its approach to a variety of business issues can be found at
www.ey.com/perspectives. Ernst & Young refers to all the members of the
global Ernst & Young organization.
About Corus
Corus Home Realty is an innovative residential real estate brokerage firm headquartered in
McLean, Virginia with other home centers in Fairfax, VA, Rockville, MD,
Delaware Valley, PA, and a satellite office in Annapolis, MD.
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Corus Home Realty Adds Annapolis To Service Area
MCLEAN, VA, April 12, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, one of the area's fastest-growing residential real
estate companies, has opened an office in Annapolis, Maryland. Now Anne Arundel
and Calvert County real estate buyers and sellers will be able to benefit from
Corus Home Realty's customer service-focused team approach, as well as its
information resources and patented information technology.
The Annapolis office, which will function as a satellite of Corus's Rockville, Maryland,
facility is manned by Mr. George Gorayeb and Ms. Cynthia Fleming, both of whom
are senior personnel with Corus Home Realty.
According to Michael
Gorman, Corus Home Realty President and Chief Executive Officer, "The addition
of Annapolis is the next step in our business plan. The initial consumer
response to our Maryland offering has been well received, and we look forward to
working with clients in Annapolis."
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Corus Home Realty Grows Fairfax Sales Office
MCLEAN, VA, April 6, 2005
— Corus Home Realty, one of the area's fastest-growing residential real estate
companies, has promoted a team member and hired three additional professionals
to broaden coverage of the Fairfax County market. All four associates are
available for client service at Corus Home Realty's Fairfax office in Fairfax
Corner.
Mr. Chris Kroll, a Home Specialist, brings a 15-year history of
sales, customer relations and communications to Corus Home Realty. Mr. Kroll
served in the Marines during the first Gulf War and earned his real estate
license last year.
Ms. Kristy Moyssiadis, a George Mason graduate and
licensed real estate agent, was promoted to Senior Service Specialist after
nearly two years of outstanding contributions to Corus client satisfaction.
Mr. Alex Coleman, a recent graduate of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, joins Corus Home Realty in the Field Specialist position and
will provide door-to-door service for our clients.
Ms. Lauren Bogart, an accounting major and senior at George Mason University, is a new Intern at the
Fairfax office and will supply general office support.
"The client
demand in the Fairfax office requires additional service support. We've selected
a good mix of native northern Virginians and outside talent to best serve our
client needs," according to Michael Gorman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Corus Home Realty.
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Corus Home Realty Grows McLean Sales Office
MCLEAN, VA, March 16, 2005
— Corus Home Realty, one of the area's fastest-growing residential real estate
companies, has hired two Home Specialists and a Service Specialist to meet the
growing business demands. All three associates are available for client service
at Corus Home Realty's McLean office.
Ms. Alison Farmer brings over 15
years of exceptional sales and interpersonal skills to the Home Specialist
position she will occupy at Corus. She currently resides in Washington, DC, and
is a graduate, with honors, of Michigan State University.
Mr. John Evans, a second Home Specialist, comes to Corus from a client/project manager
background in the technology field. A graduate of William and Mary, Mr. Evans
resides in Falls Church with his wife and 2 children.
Both Ms. Farmer
and Mr. Evans are licensed real estate professionals in the state of Virginia.
Ms. Rebecca Constantine brings her corporate event planning skills to
Corus and will provide service support to the productive sales team. Ms.
Constantine is a recent graduate of University of Georgia, and she also brings
her family's rich tradition of excellence in the real estate business to Corus.
"The number of sales and listing transactions in our McLean office has
doubled in the last twelve months. We've selected the best area talent to serve
our clients' need," according to Michael Gorman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Corus Home Realty.
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Corus Home Realty Increases Marketing Expertise At Rockville (MD) Home
CenterMCLEAN, VA, February 25, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, one of the area's
fastest-growing residential real estate companies, has hired an experienced Home
Specialist and promoted a Service Specialist. Both associates are available for
client service at Corus Home Realty's Rockville office.
Ms. Cynthia
Fleming brings to Corus Home Realty 10 years of real estate sales experience in
the Annapolis area and will work as a Home Specialist serving the Rockville and
Annapolis real estate markets. Ms. Fleming, a Baltimore native, is a lifetime
member of The Distinguished Sales Achievement Club for Anne Arundel County. She
is a graduate of Kenyon College in Ohio with a BA in Psychology.
Ms. Michele Hoke was recently promoted to Senior Service Specialist in Corus Home
Realty's Rockville office. Ms. Michele Hoke, also a Baltimore native, has been
with Corus since May, 2002, and graduated from Frostburg State University with a
BS in Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing.
According to Michael Gorman, Corus Home Realty's President and Chief
Executive Officer, "Corus is now in the best position to meet the increased
customer demand in Maryland."
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top
Corus Home Realty Adds District Of Columbia To Service Area
MCLEAN, VA,
February 16, 2005 — Corus Home Realty, one of the area's fastest-growing
residential real estate companies, has added the District of Columbia to its
full service offering. Now District of Columbia real estate buyers and sellers
will be able to benefit from Corus Home Realty's team-approach, as well as its
information resources and patented information technology.
The District of Columbia license is in response to consumer interest and completes the
Washington, DC metropolitan area coverage initiated by Corus in 2001.
According to Michael Gorman, Corus Home Realty President and Chief
Executive Office, "The addition of the District of Columbia is the next logical
step in our growth plan. The initial consumer response to our Maryland and
Virginia service offering has been well received, and we look forward to working
with clients in D.C."
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Corus Home Realty Wins 'Best Practices' Award From RealEstate.com/LendingTree For 2nd Consecutive Year
Corus Home Realty cited for high customer service and close rates among RealEstate.com's entire network
MCLEAN, VA, December 5, 2004 — Corus Home Realty, a residential
real estate company serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of
Columbia, received an award for 'Best Practices' for the second straight year by
RealEstate.com, the real estate division of LendingTree.
"We are very
proud to receive this prestigious award for the second straight year," said
Michael Gorman, President and CEO of Corus Home Realty. "RealEstate.com and
LendingTree revolutionizing their industries with a focus on responsiveness,
technology, and customer service. This is very similar to what has built Corus
Home Realty's success." Gorman continues, "Being chosen from over 800 partner
brokerages nationwide makes it clear that we are providing the highest possible
levels of service."
At the award presentation, Corus Home Realty was
cited for high customer satisfaction levels and for achieving close rates that
were the second highest in the entire RealEstate.com/LendingTree network.
RealEstate.com's Ed Gresham pointed to Corus Home Realty's team approach, the
company's 9-9 availability, and a relentless focus on customer service as
reasons for success again this year.
Upon completing a transaction with
the RealEstate.com/LendingTree network, each consumer is asked to rank their
real estate brokerage in a variety of customer satisfaction categories,
including responsiveness and overall experience. Since joining the network,
Corus Home Realty has consistently maintained 5 stars, the highest possible
ranking a brokerage partner can receive.
LendingTree, founded in 1996,
is the premiere online lending exchange that connects consumers with lenders
Realtors and related service providers through the convenience of the Internet.
This business model provides consumers with a convenient, one-stop shop for
their buying, selling and home financing needs. Consumers visiting LendingTree
for residential real estate needs simply complete online requests for required
services and LendingTree forwards the request to up to four brokerages within
the LendingTree network. LendingTree recently purchased RealEstate.com and is in
the process of creating the pre-eminent site on the Internet for consumers
looking for resources regarding their home.
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Corus Home Center Opens In Rockville, Maryland
ROCKVILLE, MD, November, 30, 2004 — Corus Home Realty is pleased to announce the opening of the
company's third Corus Home Center. Located at 800 King Farm Boulevard in
Rockville, Maryland, this Home Center is Corus Home Realty's largest space to
date. It complements the company's existing Corus Home Centers located in
McLean, Virginia, and Fairfax, Virginia. All Corus Home Centers are open from
9:00a.m. to 9:00p.m., 7 days a week. Corus Home Realty's Home Centers are unique
within the residential real estate industry. Designed as client resource
centers, each Corus Home Center contains hundreds of proprietary neighborhood
reports, exclusive school reports, maps showing zoning areas and school
districts, a library of books and articles on home buying, community newspapers,
and a new homes section. The Home Centers also contain the company's patented
Corus Mobile Navigators and computer terminals with high-speed Internet access
enabling clients to search for homes online.
Corus Home Realty's
Rockville facility will also support the company's Rockville-based real estate
team. Corus has been active in the Maryland real estate market since 2002, but
to date, the team has been operating from a temporary facility. "We are very
proud of this new office," said Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer.
"We've received feedback from our past clients and incorporated them into this
new space. Clients who have seen the new Corus Home Center have raved about the
inviting atmosphere and the resources it contains." Richard Barney, Corus' Chief
Operating Officer, also pointed out that Corus' growing popularity throughout the
region has created the need for more office space. "Our Rockville Home Center is
our biggest space so far, and we'll need it to meet the demand. This office will
allow our team to serve our clients with even more ease than before."
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Corus Home Realty Unveils Two Revolutionary New Listing Programs
MCLEAN, VA, September 16, 2004 — Corus Home Realty announces the introduction of two
revolutionary new listing programs: Corus Elite Listings and Corus Express
Listings. These two new programs will help Corus Home Realty offer home sellers
flexibility in choosing the listing program that best meets their needs.
With the Corus Express Listing program, sellers will pay just a 3.9%
commission (0.9% to Corus and 3% to the buyer's agent) and will receive
marketing and negotiation support that rivals what most listing agents currently
provide. As part of this program, Corus provides signage, a lockbox, newspaper
advertising, a full-color brochure, MLS listing and Internet exposure. Even
with this low-commission program, Corus team members remain on-call from
9am-9pm, seven days a week to show houses to prospective buyers at a moment's
notice.
With Corus Elite Listings program, sellers will pay a 6%
commission (similar to what many other agents charge) but will receive a level
of marketing that dwarfs what other agents currently offer. Direct mail to
prospects and agents, a stunning multi-page brochure, aerial photographs, floor
plans, virtual tours, and advertising in multiple publications are just some of
the marketing tools that are used. Additionally, clients choosing Corus Elite
will be provided with free handyman services, a free home warranty, and our
exclusive "triple valuation" pricing program with an outside appraisal.
With our Express Listings program we're simply offering the best rate
around, and providing a strong level of representation and marketing," explained
Corus' Chief Executive Officer, Michael Gorman. "With our Elite Listings, we're
throwing in the kitchen sink and then some."
Richard Barney, Corus'
Chief Operations Officer, also notes that "with both programs, the Corus Home
Realty team is available 9am-9pm, 7 days a week to answer prospective buyer
calls and run right out and show homes if requested. Just try finding another
real estate company open every evening and weekend!"
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Corus Home Realty Releases 2004/2005 School Reports
MCLEAN, VA, August 3, 2004 — Corus Home Realty has announced the release of the 2004/2005 version
of the company's exclusive school reports. These reports provide comprehensive
and hard-to-find information on each public elementary, secondary, and high
school throughout Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland. The reports include
statistical data and rankings on areas including test scores, drop-out rates,
crime statistics, and student-teacher ratios.
Corus Home Realty provides
these reports to its home buyer clients to assist them in their home purchase
decisions. The school reports may be obtained at any of the three Corus Home
Centers or by calling any Corus office. This is no charge for the reports.
According to Michael Gorman, the Chief Executive Officer of Corus,
"These school reports provide a depth of information that goes well beyond what
is commonly available. We've taken the time to pull this information from a
variety of sources and compiled it into a concise, convenient format. It's an
important benefit to our clients."
Corus Home Realty is a residential
real estate brokerage with offices in Fairfax and McLean in Virginia and in
Rockville, Maryland. The company is known for providing home buyers and sellers
with a superior level of service, responsiveness, and information resources,
combined with a no-pressure approach. Corus was recently named one of the top 25
brokerages in the area by the Washington Business Journal.
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Corus Home Realty Releases Customer Service Survey Results
MCLEAN, VA, July 9, 2004 — Corus Home Realty released updated results of the company's
comprehensive customer service survey. According to the survey, which asked past
Corus clients to evaluate the company's performance, Corus received an overall
rating of 4.69 on a 5 point scale in which "4" was described as "excellent" and
"5" represented "superior."
"We are extremely proud of the survey
results," explained Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer. "For the
majority of our clients to rate our performance as 'superior' proves that we are
living up to our promise of extraordinary service."
Corus Home Realty
has been surveying its past clients since the company's inception. Surveys are
mailed out after every completed transaction and feedback is provided
anonymously. Clients are asked to rate Corus Home Realty and team members in a
variety of categories from knowledge to communication to availability. Of the
responses received to date, the lowest average score on any one category was
4.39. The rating scale used is: 1= needs major improvement, 2= needs minor
improvement, 3= good, 4= excellent, and 5= superior.
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Corus Home Realty's Harry Potter Event A Huge Success
MCLEAN, VA, June 4, 2004 — Last night, nearly 900 past clients of Corus Home Realty, including
their families, packed three theatres at Ballston's Regal Cinemas to celebrate
Corus Home Realty's success and watch an advanced screening of the newest Harry
Potter Movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
As Corus Home Realty has grown, the company has taken many steps to thank their loyal and
enthusiastic clients for their support. Inviting them to a free sneak preview of
a major motion picture was just one more step in the process.
"Without the referrals and support of our past clients, Corus Home Realty wouldn't be
nearly as successful as it is today," explained Corus' Chief Executive Officer,
Michael Gorman. "Our past clients are continually spreading the word about our
very high levels of customer service. We just wanted to say 'thank you' to
them."
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Corus Home Realty Announces Grand Opening Of Fairfax Office
FAIRFAX, VA,
May 11, 2004 — Corus Home Realty is pleased to announce the opening of a 2nd
office in Northern Virginia. A Grand Opening celebration is scheduled for May
13th and, with hundreds of past and present clients invited, a great turnout is
expected. This new office is located in the new Fairfax Corner, an exciting
development featuring office and residential spaces in a vibrant “neighborhood”
setting.
In the past year, Corus Home Realty has more than doubled its
size, and has recently increased its staff to 38. With its additional personnel,
Corus management hopes to further serve the needs of the company's clients and
to provide levels of responsiveness and service that set Corus apart from other
real estate brokerages.
"We are proud of our growth. The extraordinary
number of referrals from our past clients is a testament to our high service
standards," said Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer. "Clients
continually tell us that our extensive information resources combined with our
9-9, 7 day a week office hours are big selling points."
Richard Barney,
Corus' Chief Operations Officer also pointed out that Corus constantly gets rave
reviews for the knowledge and dedication of the team. "Clients really appreciate
that all our employees are salaried and primarily concerned with service not
pursuing their next commission check."
Another unique feature of Corus
Home Realty is that part of each office is set up as a resource center. The
Fairfax Corus Home Center contains hundreds of proprietary neighborhood reports,
exclusive school reports, maps showing zoning areas and school districts, a
library of books and articles on home buying, community newspapers, and a new
homes section. It also contains computer terminals with high speed internet
access enabling clients to search for homes online.
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Corus Home Realty Makes The Washington Business Journal Top 25
MCLEAN,
VA, April 16, 2004 — Corus Home Realty has been named by the Washington
Business Journal as one of the "Largest 25 residential real estate companies" in
the Washington, D.C. metro area. Even though Corus Home Realty is only 2 1/2
years old, the company's high rate of growth has enabled it to make the list so
quickly.
"We've accomplished a great deal in two-and-a-half years,"
explained Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer. "From receiving a
patent on our Mobile Navigator to being ranked as one of the top 25 real estate
companies in the area by the Washington Business Journal, we've proven that a
very different real estate model can be extremely successful!"
Eric
Rossum, Corus Home Realty's Principal Broker, points to a long list of accomplishments. "We're among LendingTree's
top real estate partners nationwide for customer service, we've received the
highest rankings by ServiceMagic for overall customer satisfaction and HomeGain
has designated us as a Platinum partner because of our strong service. We've
really raised the bar for what great service means."
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Corus Home Realty Expands Into Maryland
ROCKVILLE, MD, March 29, 2004 —
Corus Home Realty is pleased to announce the opening of the company's third
office and its first in Maryland. The new office is located in the King Farm
community in Rockville. Temporary space is currently being used while the
permanent space is completed.
The Rockville office continues Corus Home
Realty's rapid expansion. The company, started about 2 1/2 years ago, now has 33
employees and operates offices in McLean and Fairfax in addition to the new
Maryland location. The Rockville team will service all of Montgomery County and
parts of Frederick, Carroll, Howard, and Prince George's Counties.
George Gorayeb, Branch Manager of the Rockville office is excited about
the new office. "Corus Home Realty has been incredibly successful in Virginia
and I know that success will continue in Maryland. Many of our buyers are
looking on both sides of the Potomac River and we will be able to serve their
needs better now that we have a physical office in Rockville."
Corus'
Chief Executive Officer, Michael Gorman, explained that "Corus has been
successful to date because of our unique approach to real estate. No one else
offers the level of service, responsiveness, and professionalism that we do."
Gary Macdonald, a life-long Montgomery County resident will bring many
years of experience to Corus Home Realty as the office's Senior Home Specialist.
Gary spent most of his real estate career with RE/MAX before joining Corus Home
Realty.
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Gary Macdonald To Join Corus Home Realty
MCLEAN, VA, February 8, 2004 —
Corus Home Realty is pleased to announce that Gary Macdonald has joined the
company as a Senior Home Specialist. Gary will work out of his home office and
Corus Home Realty's McLean location until the company's Rockville office is
open.
A life-long resident of Montgomery County, Gary Macdonald has
spent over 5 years in residential real estate. Before joining Corus Home Realty,
Gary worked for a local RE/MAX franchise where he built his business into one of
the top 3% in the nation. Gary also brings significant sales and mangement
background having run his own waterproofing company in the area for several
years.
"Having a real estate agent with Gary's level of success,
dedication, integrity, and experience will be of great benefit to our company,"
explained Corus' Chief Operations Officer, Richard Barney. "Gary's commitment to
customer service matches our approach to the business. It's a great fit."
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Corus Home Realty Announces Two Key Promotions
MCLEAN, VA, January 17,
2004 — Corus Home Realty recently promoted Nikki Blythe to Operations
Coordinator and George Gorayeb to Branch Manager.
In her new role of
Operations Coordinator, Nikki's responsibilities will include training
coordination, management of new office openings, and facilitation of internal
communications. Nikki has been with Corus for almost 2 years and was one of the
company's first hires. "The level of dedication, energy, and insight that she
brings to Corus is amazing," explained Corus' Chief Operations Officer, Richard
Barney. "Nikki exemplifies the commitment to service that has been so crucial to
our success to date."
George Gorayeb will bring decades of management
and sales experience to his new role of supervising Corus' first Maryland
office. According to Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer, "The
experience and abilities that George brings to Corus are incredible. We're very
pleased to have him on our team as we prepare to expand our business."
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Corus Home Realty Announces Two Branch Manager Promotions
MCLEAN, VA.,
December 18, 2003- Corus Home Realty, a residential real estate company serving
Northern Virginia and Maryland, is pleased to announce two promotions that will
be going into effect in early 2004.
First, Amy Richards is being
promoted to Branch Manager of the McLean office. Amy has been with Corus for
almost two years and was one of the company's first hires. "Amy has consistently
done her job amazingly well, has eagerly taken on new challenges, and has gone
"above and beyond" on too many occasions to count," said Richard Barney, Vice
President and COO of Corus Home Realty. Barney continues, "Amy always has a
positive attitude and has ably handled the additional responsibilities of Senior
Home Specialist over the past several months."
Second, Bob Clark is
being promoted to Branch Manager of the new Fairfax office. Michael Gorman,
President and CEO of Corus Home Realty, emphasizes, "Bob has been with Corus for
over a year and has proven himself to be one of the team's most valuable
members. He has eagerly and effectively taken on any task thrown his way from
Service Specialist, to Home Specialist, to working with clients." Bob also has
had several years of management experience in his previous jobs and his
management and organization skills will be put to the test in the new Fairfax
office. Bob will also be handling Home Specialist duties in Fairfax.
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Corus Home Realty wins 'Best Practices' Award From LendingTree
Corus Home Realty cited for high customer service and close among LendingTree's entire
network
MCLEAN, VA, OCTOBER 14, 2003 - Corus Home Realty, a residential real
estate company serving Northern Virginia, recently received an award for 'Best Practices' by LendingTree, the leading
online loan and real estate exchange.
"We are thrilled to receive this
prestigious award from LendingTree and are proud to provide the quality of
service that today's real estate consumer's demand," said Michael Gorman,
President and CEO of Corus Home Realty. "Corus was founded on many of the same
principles as LendingTree, including customer service, responsiveness and
technology, and our alliance is a true fit." Gorman continues, "Receiving this
award makes it clear that we are living up to our goals."
At the
presentation, Corus Home Realty was cited for customer satisfaction and close
rates that were the second highest in the entire LendingTree network. "Corus
Home Realty managed their customer service and best practices with a total team
approach to attain this award," explained LendingTree's Ed Gresham. "Corus'
9:00am to 9:00pm availability and team approach allowed them to contact each
referral within the same day."
LendingTree, founded in 1996, is the
premiere online lending exchange that connects consumers with lenders, Realtors,
and related service providers through the convenience of the Internet. This
business model provides consumers with a convenient, one-stop-shop for their
buying, selling and home financing needs. Consumers visiting LendingTree for
residential real estate needs simply complete online requests for required
services and LendingTree forwards the request to up to four brokerages within
the LendingTree Network.
Upon completing a transaction with the
LendingTree Network, the consumer is sent a scorecard survey to rank their real
estate brokerage in a variety of customer satisfaction categories, including
responsiveness, overall experience. Since joining LendingTree's Realtor network,
Corus Home Realty has consistently ranked 5 stars, the highest possible ranking
a vendor can receive.
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Corus Home Realty Awarded Patent For Mobile Navigator Technology
Corus'
innovative technology changes the way buyers can search for
homes
MCLEAN, VA, OCTOBER 7, 2003 - Corus Home Realty, a residential
real estate company serving Northern Virginia and Maryland, was recently awarded
a patent for their proprietary Mobile Navigator, an extremely innovative real
estate tool that revolutionizes the way clients can search for homes.
Corus' Mobile Navigator is a GPS-powered tablet computer that Corus
clients can take with them in their car while looking for homes. By using GPS
satellites to pinpoint the client's location, the Mobile Navigator can plot an
interactive map of the local area and display all current home listings within
the vicinity. Clients can then use the user friendly touch screen to instantly
see pictures of the homes for sale, along with sales price and home features.
"We've found that today's consumers want more information and control
over the home buying process and we built the Mobile Navigator to specifically
fill this demand. "This tool truly puts clients in the driver's seat with its
ease-of-use mobile format and by providing real-time home listing information at
their fingertips. It's an extremely informative and enjoyable way for our
clients to search for homes and we're proud to be the first to offer such a
solution," commented Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer.
Corus Home Realty is a residential real estate brokerage serving
Fairfax, Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Loudoun, Prince William and
Montgomery Counties. Corus provides home buyers and sellers with a higher level
of service, responsiveness, and information with no pressure approach.
The Corus Mobile Navigator is only available to clients of Corus Home
Realty. The system can be used either with a Corus team member in the car, or by
clients independently.
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Corus Home Realty Hires George Gorayeb As Principal Sales Advisor
Former
business leader and real estate investor joins Corus
MCLEAN, VA, May 20, 2003 - Corus Home Realty, a residential real estate company serving Northern
Virginia and Maryland, today announced it has appointed George Gorayeb as
Principal Sales Advisor.
Gorayeb, who joined Corus after serving in top
marketing and sales executive positions for over 20 years, will be responsible
for managing the company's ever-growing sales process and ensuring that
prospective clients are effectively and efficiently given top quality attention
and service.
With 24 years of business experience, George Gorayeb has a
broad background in management, sales, and marketing both domestically and
internationally. He has a B.A. in Philosophy and attended New York University
Grad School of Business. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer and a Foreign
Service officer with the US State Department and has lived and worked in five
countries.
Richard Barney, chief operations officer of Corus Home
Realty, said, "George's many years of executive experience in management, sales
and marketing will be a tremendous asset to the Corus team. He will undoubtedly
play a significant role in Corus' future expansion throughout the region."
Gorayeb said the decision to join Corus was based on the company's
innovative approach to real estate and enormous market opportunity. "There are
plenty of real estate companies serving the Northern Virginia and Maryland
areas, but no one has the vision that Corus has," says Gorayeb. "Corus has a
tremendous focus on meeting the changing needs of real estate customers and
provides the technology and levels of responsiveness and service that are
required in today's changing climate. By focusing and acting on these changing
needs, Corus is many steps ahead of the traditional real estate companies."
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Corus Home Realty Launches Mobile Navigator TM Version 2.0
Proprietary
Technology Changes the Way Consumers Find a New Home
MCLEAN, VA, AUGUST 19,
2002 - Corus Home Realty, a residential real estate company serving Northern
Virginia and Maryland, has recently launched the second version of its Corus
Mobile NavigatorTM.
Corus' Mobile Navigator is a GPS-enabled Tablet PC
that uses GPS satellites and proprietary software to pinpoint a client's
location, plot an interactive map of the local area, and display the most up to
date information about current home listings within the vicinity.
By tapping on the unit's touch-screen, clients can view individual home listing
information that includes photos, asking prices, and home features while they
drive through neighborhoods in their own car. Corus clients can use the system
by themselves, or can use it while being accompanied by one of Corus' qualified
realtors.
Improvements to the Mobile Navigator implemented in Version
2.0 include porting the system to an easier-to-use tablet-style format. The
company has also enhanced the Mobile Navigator's search functionality.
"Today's consumer wants to have more information and control over the
home buying process. The Mobile Navigator puts clients in the drivers seat with
its user-friendly mobile format that delivers essential real-time home listing
information at their fingertips. It's an extremely informative and enjoyable way
for our clients to search for homes," commented Michael Gorman, Corus' Chief
Executive Officer.
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Corus Home Realty Adds Direct MLS Access To Web Site
New web site gives
home buyers the same tools as real estate agents
MCLEAN, VA, FEBRUARY 2,
2002 - Corus Home Realty, a residential real estate company serving Northern
Virginia, has recently made direct access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
available to anyone with Internet access.
The MLS is a database of all
current and past homes for sale in the metropolitan area and is the primary tool
that real estate agents use to help their clients buy and sell homes. Corus Home
Realty has contracted with MRIS, the company that runs the MLS, to provide a
direct "window" into the MLS from the Corus web site (www.corushome.com).
The advantage of linking into the MLS is that individuals can get the
most up-to-date information on new homes - often much faster than through other
web sites. Additionally, using the MLS link through the Corus web site gives
users addresses as well as a detailed description of the property. In contrast,
on most other real estate web sites, addresses are not revealed.
Corus
CEO Mike Gorman explains why Corus has taken this step. "We understand that
today's consumer wants to have more information and as much control as possible
over the home buying or selling process. Providing a direct link to the MLS is
just one more way Corus is working to better serve the needs of our clients."
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Corus Home Realty Launches Corus Mobile Navigator
Exclusive and
revolutionary new system brings up-to-date home listings to a mobile
platform
MCLEAN, VA, DECEMBER 10, 2001 - Corus Home Realty, a new
residential real estate company serving Northern Virginia has announced the
official launch of its new mobile platform technology. The revolutionary Corus
Mobile Navigator (patent pending) allows homebuyers working with Corus to have
all current home data, "on the road."
The Mobile Navigator, which was
initially demonstrated at Corus' Grand Opening last month, is a combination of a
computer map and homes database. The Mobile Navigator shows the location of all
currently available and recently sold homes, along with basic information and a
photo of each property. Updated daily, all properties are plotted with an icon
on the map.
Equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking
device, this scalable map of the area remains centered on the laptop. As the
user moves through a neighborhood, the map continually adjusts to follow, and
plots the location of the user on the map.
Selecting any property on the
map brings up a photo of that house as well as basic information like price,
bedrooms, baths, size, schools, etc. Additional features of the Corus Mobile
Navigator include the ability to search by criteria like neighborhood, price,
style, etc., and a "hot list" feature that keeps track of the homes a client is
most interested in visiting.
Corus CEO Mike Gorman explains that Corus
has been testing this new system with clients for several weeks. "All the
clients that have had the opportunity to use the Corus Mobile Navigator have
been very impressed with the ease and usefulness of this system," explained
Gorman. "If clients desire more control over the process, the Mobile Navigator
can provide it for them."
Clients of Corus Home Realty can "check out"
the Mobile Navigator for a day and use it on their own, or they can utilize this
technology with a Corus team member when looking for homes.
Corus Home
Realty is a new residential real estate brokerage serving northern Virginia.
Corus works with home buyers and sellers who demand a higher level of service,
responsiveness, and information with lower commissions and a low-pressure
environment.
To achieve their goals, Corus has taken a very different
approach to residential real estate drawing from best practices from businesses
in other industries. For example, all Corus Home Realty employees are salaried
and work together as a team to provide consumers with service that exceeds
expectations. Additionally, the Corus Home Center is open 9am to 9pm, 7 days a
week.
For more information visit the Corus website at www.corushome.com
or call 703.827.0075.
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Corus Home Realty Opens Its First Corus Home Center
New center offers
homebuyers an unparalleled amount of real estate information.
MCLEAN, VA,
NOVEMBER 18, 2001 - Corus Home Realty, a new residential real estate company,
opened its new Corus Home Center last week. The company held a Grand Opening
Celebration on November 9th and 10th that was attended by over 120 guests.
Attendees also included Corus Advisory Board member Howard Rooks, the
founder and former CEO of Mount Vernon Realty and head of Weichert Realtors, as
well as fellow Corus Advisory Board member Dick Eagan, the former CEO of Century
21 Mid-Atlantic.
The Corus Home Center - a Unique Resource for
Homebuyers
The Corus Home Center is designed as a real estate
information center for the company's clients. The center is a key part of the
company's goal of providing its real estate clients with a vast array of useful
information on homes and neighborhoods.
Located on the first floor of
Corus' McLean offices, the Corus Home Center contains over 600 of the company's
proprietary neighborhood and condominium reports, maps showing zoning, planning
areas, and school districts, a library of books and articles on home buying,
community newspapers, and a new homes section.
The Corus Home Center
also contains computer terminals with high speed Internet access, enabling
clients to search for properties online. The center is staffed with Corus team
members, who are available to assist clients in their real estate search.
"Today's homebuyers demand more information about real estate. They also
want more control over the process. The Corus Home Center enables us to deliver
Corus clients an unparalleled amount of information on homes, neighborhoods, and
home buying within a unique, customer-friendly environment," commented Michael
Gorman, Corus' Chief Executive Officer.
A New Approach to Residential
Real Estate
Corus Home Realty is a new business venture that employs a
unique approach to residential real estate brokerage. The company utilizes
technology, a service team approach, and an education-centric business model.
The company's management has applied best practices from a cross section
of proven business models from other industries to the residential real estate
business. The goal of these efforts is to provide home buyers and sellers with a
level of service that currently does not exist and that far exceeds
expectations.
Corus has combined this new business model with the
experience and relationships of residential real estate veterans - both on the
company's advisory board and within the management team.
About Corus
Home Realty
Corus Home Realty is a new residential real estate brokerage
serving northern Virginia. Corus works with homebuyers and sellers who demand a
high level of service, responsiveness, information, and reasonable brokerage
commissions. For more information, visit the Corus Website at: www.corushome.com
or call us at 703.827.0075.
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At Corus Home Realty, Former AOL V.P. Applies Technology To Real
Estate
By Jennifer Heyns
Jan 5, 2005
Bull Run
Observer
Welcome to the revolution in real estate. Corus Home Realty,
with its three metropolitan area locations, strives to merge the business of
real estate with the world of information technology.
I spent a lot of
time looking into how to apply technology into the real estate business," said
Michael Gorman, president and chief executive officer of Corus Home Realty.
"This is a field that could use a lot of change; so our approach to real estate
is very innovative."
Gorman, who received his MBA from Harvard
University, has a background in information technology and formerly served as a
vice president at America Online. His vision for Corus is to be able to serve a
large number of clients in a consistent, high-quality, efficient way and
believes his company is accomplishing that through a number of methods which set
Corus apart from its competitors.
"Our philosophy is that today's
clients demand a lot, and it is difficult for a single agent to be available to
all of his or her clients at any given time," said Gorman.
Corus Home
Realty is set up as a team, and all agents work together to serve all clients.
In fact, even their work area is set up as a collaborative environment, with
desks and workspaces set up all in one room. According to Gorman, the agents are
all part of the team and are salaried employees, each aware of every client the
firm is serving.
"Our big focus is on information technology," said
Gorman. "We have the Corus Mobile Navigator, a GPS-enabled tablet PC."
The Navigator is a device invented and patented by Corus Home Realty and
can be used as a listing's tool for agents and clients. Gorman said the device
is in no way meant to be a substitute for an agent personally showing homes to
clients, but it is often used by clients who wish to go exploring on their own.
The Navigator is a mapping system that shows listings in the vicinity of
wherever the driver is at that moment. By touching the screen, clients can get a
visual of the exterior of the home and data concerning that property, including
physical description and price.
Another facet of Corus that Gorman and
his team came up with to better serve clients is the Home Center; a portion of
the office is devoted to information sharing at the client's fingertips. In this
center, customers will find a wall of data reports, organized by location, home
classification and price.
For example, pull out a report on western
Prince William County, single family homes in the $200,000-$300,000 price range,
and you will see a map of the area and surrounding areas with little black dots,
which indicate listings in that area, along with a chart showing number of homes
sold in each neighborhood, average selling price and more.
The Home
Center also contains computers set up for Internet use and the Wall of Fame,
where team members pin up all of the positive feedback they have received from
satisfied customers.
"They are just things that you don't find in other
real estate offices," said Gorman.
Additionally, at Corus, all of teh
marketing has been centralized. According to Gorman, this gives the company a
consistent image by portraying consistency, quality and high expectations to
their clients.
Selling clients will find they have choices to make at
Corus, said Gorman. Sellers can choose either the Express or Elite commission
package. The Express package has a commission rate of 3.9 percent and offers
standard marketing efforts. The Elite package, however, is just that, elite. It
has a rate of six percent and includes the standard marketing efforts; however,
it has several "above and beyond" services on top. The Elite client will also
receive four hours of handyman service to help with repairs, a triple valuation
to ensure proper pricing, a broker's open house, direct mail advertising,
virtual home tour and aerial photos, and drafted floor plans included in a 10
page full-color brochure.
"It's a range of marketing that is really hard
to match anywhere else," said Gorman.
In an effort to ensure their
clients feel they are the most important aspect of business, Gorman said his
team will always answer the phone during their business hours. Calls will be
answered by team members who can all answer any question about any listing, and
they guarantee to show buying clients any listing within tow hours of that
client's calling and expressing an interest.
We believe that we offer an
outstanding level of customer service, and we're very proud of it," said Gorman.
Corus Home Realty is located in Fairfax Corner, McLean and Rockville;
all offices are open from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week.
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to top
WTOP Radio Feature, 107.7 FM, 1500 a.m., 820 a.m.
Sept 15, 2002
WTOP Radio featured an in-car interview with Richard Barney and Dan
Hartz of Corus Home Realty. (RealMedia Player is required to listen.)
WTOP Radio Clip #1 (RealMedia
Format)
WTOP Radio Clip #2 (RealMedia Format)
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Technology And Real Estate Marry
By David Harris
June 21,
2002
Connection Newspapers
When Erin and Patrick Jones of
Centerville set out to buy their first home in November they didn't know what to
expect. Neither had much experience with realtors. Erin Jones also remembered
the ordeal of trying to rent a house through a real estate agent with a friend
several years ago.
"It was a miserable experience," she said. "There was
never time. He had to cancel appointments, reschedule appointments. I was scared
it was going to be like that."
When the Jones' discovered Corus Home
Realty, a 10 month-old real estate company that uses technology to help its
clients, they immediately felt comfortable, Erin Jones said.
"There was
always someone available," she said. "The technology they were using was
amazing."
CORUS HOME REALTY, based in McLean, lets its clients tour
neighborhoods on their own with a borrowed laptop computer equipped with a GPS
tracking device. Software on the computer lets clients see where the nearest
available houses are from their location and gives them information about the
property. They can learn the price, the address, the lot size, the number of
bedrooms, the number of bathrooms, school information, an agent's contact
information and whether or not a contract has recently been written for the
house. There are also photos of the house.
Although much of that
information is available on real estate Web sites, the software gives clients
more autonomy during the search, making it possible for them to look for a home
without a realtor, said Dan Hartz, a service specialist with the company.
"Some of our clients like to be more independent and want more control
of the process," he said. "It's a low pressure approach without having that
stranger with you."
"It makes the client more self-sufficient," agreed
Jones. "It's a lot easier to have all that information at your fingertips."
When clients identify houses they would like to tour, they can call the
Corus office and ask that an agent be sent out to show them the property.
According to Michael Gorman, Corus CEO, agents usually are able to meet their
clients within a matter of minutes.
"This is definitely meant to be used
in conjunction with a realtor" he said. "
The company also uses what it
calls a "team-based approach" to real estate. Rather than having one broker
responsible for a client, all of the company's 10 employees work with all the
clients, allowing staff to specialize in a particular area.
"It
definitely was helpful that every single one of them knew who we were," said
Jones.
GORMAN LIKENS the real estate company to companies in the
information technology industry.
"We've definitely modeled ourselves
after the tech companies a little bit," he said.
Gorman, a 34 year-old
graduate of Harvard Business School spent several years working as a vice
president of America Online, where he gained the technology background he put to
use with Corus. Market strategies used by AOL have been replicated at Corus.
Rather than networking in a community like traditional real estate brokers, he
said, Corus employees will conduct market research or send out direct mailings.
According to Gorman, this kind of real estate technology could bring
about considerable change in the industry. With the new technology, he said,
"our employees are much more productive than traditional real estate companies."
Employees are also paid a salary, rather than receiving commissions, which helps
keep the stress level down, he added.
"One of the challenges traditional
brokerages will have is changing their structure which many will find hard to
do," he said.
He added that the response from clients and the industry
has been encouraging. Other real estate companies do not feel particularly
threatened, he said, because the industry is so big and fragmented.
"The
GPS thing was really cool," Jones said. "It had pictures of little houses. No
way to get lost with that, for sure."
BUT JOHN FITZGERALD, a 30 year
veteran of the real estate business working with Better Homes Realty in McLean,
said that new technology is not a substitute for an experienced realtor.
"A lot of that stuff is just a gimmick," he said, likening the Corus
software to "talking houses," houses that have concealed speakers that play
recorded messages giving clients information about the house.
"You need
somebody who knows about the house, who knows enough about the market. That's
what really counts," he said. "If I had no experience in real estate and I was
going to make the biggest investment of my life, I'd want a real estate agent to
go around with me."
Sending clients out on their own is actually doing
them a disservice, he said. "The whole point of hiring a real estate agent is to
help you buy something. You're really tapping into that agent's experience and
expertise," he said.
The only time when technology like that would make
sense, he added, is if a realtor were "a terminally hopeless map reader."
Like all gimmicks, Fitzgerald said, this one will not revolutionize the
real estate industry. "I think it's basically a blip on the radar screen," he
said.
"It's nice. It can't hurt anything. Is it going to change the
world? I don't think so."
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Corus Links To MLS February 27, 2002
Times Community
Newspapers
Corus Home Realty in McLean is providing direct access to
the Multiple Listing Service reports through its own web site
(www.corushome.com).
The MLS form has long been the Realtors' primary
source of information on housing available. It includes such vital information
as the address, age, lot size, and number and location of bedrooms and baths.
Users will receive a password after providing their e-mail addresses
through the Corus web site.
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'Computer Guys' Are Key To New Real Estate Firms
By Jackie Friedlander
November 28, 2001
Times Community
Newspapers
Now that her company is moving from Rosslyn to Reston,
Tina Briganti is hoping to buy a town house in Sterling.
"I grew up
there," she said, "so it will be like going home."
At the opening of
Corus Home Realty in McLean, Daniel Hartz showed her a new way to do it. All
afternoon, he had been standing in front of the computer screen, demonstrating
his Mobile Navigator. He continued doing it when Briganti arrived, after the sun
went down.
"If you are driving through a neighborhood and want to see
what is available there in your price range, it will put the listings on a map,
along with information about the community and schools," Hartz said, to the
crowd gathered around his computer screen. He sounded as enthusiastic about it
as he had when he started the demonstrations, more than three hours ago. Lured,
briefly, to the buffet table, which was stocked with gourmet goodies from Sutton
Place Gourmet, he was quickly lured back to the computer screen when he heard
someone ask, "What is the Mobile Navigator?"
Working, as she does, for a
computer-related company, Briganti shares Hartz's enthusiasm for cyber-shopping.
"This is a neat way to shop for houses," she said. As a longtime Northern
Virginia, she might decide to go shopping alone, guided only by the Mobile
Navigator. Out-of-towners may prefer having a human Realtor along, equipped with
a company laptop.
A former Realtor, Hartz is filling the role of the
Corus "computer guy." It is perfect casting, too. Briganti joins other guests in
noticing his striking resemblance to the computer-guy-in-chief, Bill Gates.
Computer guys (and girls) are playing a vital role in most real estate
offices. Old-line Realtors are busy earning the new "e-Pro" computer-expert
designation.
At Coldwell Banker Stevens, Realtors in Loudoun, Jason
Demers relies heavily on www.vadreamteam.com to attract clients to his Blue
Ribbon Dream Team.. "Since I have been updating my site and adding features, I
have had an abundance of e-mails from buyers and sellers impressed with its
look, ease and information," he said. It averages 10 to 15 visitors a day, he
said, and has led to seven completed transactions.
But the local Bill
(or Melinda) Gates is the heart (or, as it were, the hard drive) of the new
cyber-centered firms. They include the new local Corus Home Realty company as
well as the older e-Realty.com, based in Texas, and zipRealty, with its
California headquarters.
Wave of now
These firms are not
only the wave of the future, insisted Ben Clark, marketing manager of
eRealty.com in Purcellville and McLean. "They are the wave of now," he said.
To prove it, he points out that his offices have grown from two agents
in July 2000 to 11 now, and he is hiring two more in Virginia. At the same time,
his McLean location has doubled in size, to 7,000 square feet. What's more, he
says, "We reached 200 transactions in our first year."
As for zipRealty,
it plans to recruit 1,000 Realtors over the next 18 months, including 10 in
Virginia, in addition to the current staff of 11.
W. Howard Rooks, who
founded Mount Vernon Realty and went on to become head of the Washington office
for Weichert, Realtors, seems to agree with Clark's assessment. Despite his
experience with traditional agencies, Rooks is an investor and adviser to Corus.
"I am excited about what they are doing," he explained.
If these firms
are, in one sense, the wave of the future (or even the wave of now), in another
way they hark back to more traditional business practice. The agents are paid
salaries, with health insurance, company cars and other benefits. Most Realtors,
by contrast, work as independent contractors, for straight commissions (most,
but not all: Century 21 New Millennium in Ashburn and Kingstowne has switched to
a salary system).
Michael Gorman, the chief executive officer of the new
Corus firm, said that he does not expect to attract the "superstars," like Ron
Rush or Ron Resnick at Long & Foster Real Estate.
"They are
essentially running businesses of their own," he said, with commissions beyond
any salary short of Michael Eisner's. Gorman said that he does, however, hope to
interest Realtors in the top 10 percent of the field, as he adds more agents to
his staff of six Realtors.
While both of the Rons, like other top
Realtors, are the leaders of "teams," Gorman said that Corus is following
another "team concept."
For traditional Realtors, he said, the "team"
usually consists of the leader plus eight or nine assistants. At Corus, they
will form a "team" with members who know about all their clients and listings.
As one result, "There will be someone to answer the phones from 9 a.m. to 9
p.m." Each team member will also have the power to make decisions on purchase
offers and counteroffers.
Eric J. Rossum, who has merged EJ Properties
of Annandale with the new firm, is the leader of the first sales team and part
of the company's management team as well. After 15 years in real estate, he is
bringing, not only his experience, but also his invaluable client base. It
includes David Evinger of Fairfax who attended the opening, where he said that
Rossum had sold his parents' home.
Young and independent
Tina Briganti, too, had been brought to the company's launch event in a
traditional way: through a personal contact. She is a family friend of Richard
Barney, another of the founders, so he sent her an invitation.
Once
here, she soon showed that she prefers this new method of home shopping, aided
by the Mobile Navigator.
Like her, "our clients tend to be younger and
more technological," Hartz said. More independent, too: The Realtor who sold
Briganti her current Fairfax condo apparently failed to realize that fact.
"I felt that she was pressuring me to buy what she thought I wanted,"
Briganti said. "Here, they say I know what I want, and they will make it
happen."
To help shoppers make the decision, a wall is covered with data
sheets about communities and their housing stock.
The partners chose
McLean because it is convenient to almost all those communities in Fairfax
County, Gorman explained. But they have a buyer client who, like Briganti, is
shopping in Ashburn. They also sold a town house that was listed with them,
between the informal start of business on August and the Nov. 9 launch event. In
that short time, it has become obvious to the owners that Loudoun County is also
the wave of now.
"If we get many more clients like that," said Barney, "we will probably open an office there."
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