ERA Real Estate names ERA Team VP Real Estate winner of Gene Francis Memorial Award for Top All-Around Company

ERA^® Real Estate, a global franchising leader within the Realogy family of brands, has named ERA Team VP Real Estate based in Chautauqua, N.Y., as the winner of its Gene Francis Memorial Award for Top All-Around Company.

The award, named after ERA Real Estate co-founder Gene Francis, is the highest honor given to an ERA^® affiliated company and reflects the qualities most respected throughout the global ERA system and the real estate industry. Known for his forward-thinking business acumen and philanthropic spirit, Francis established a defining culture of service to which all ERA companies aspire. Factored into the award selection are high customer satisfaction ratings, strong brand engagement and use of the ERA brand resources and company growth. 

Serving their clients and communities for over 25 years, ERA Team VP Real Estate specializes in residential and resort properties, vacation rentals, property management and real estate development. Headquartered in Chautauqua, N.Y, and home to 82 agents, the company has eight offices and covers Western New York’s South Tier, and Northwest, Penn. 

William “Bill” Soffel started the company in 1990 and joined the ERA network in 2004. Under Bill’s leadership, ERA Team VP Real Estate has achieved Top Affiliate status over the years, which is given to the top 20 companies in units and volume. The company has also been a three-time finalist for the Gene Francis Memorial Award for Top All-Around Company. Additionally, the company has been a finalist for the Jim Jackson Memorial Award 1^st in Service Agent and a two-time finalist for Office Coordinator of the Year.

ERA Team VP Real Estate finished 2021 in the Top 15 among the ERA network of brokerages of similar size, with more than $290 million in sales volume and 1,584 transactions, an increase of 49 percent and 21 percent, respectively, in the last year alone. 

With a focus on providing each client a personalized service experience, the company successfully leverages ERA’s innovative technology and programs to help agents develop meaningful and long-lasting customer relationships. This philosophy has been a driving force behind the company’s high customer satisfaction ratings and agent productivity.  

Bill and his team at ERA Team VP Real Estate also have a passion for being good corporate citizens and giving back to the communities they serve. For the last 12 years, the company has hosted the Annual Agents of Hope Golf Tournament, raising over $100,000 for the ALS Association, the ALS Division of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and local families affected by ALS. Additionally, the company has hosted the Bags & Brews event, which gives back to the local Roswell Cancer Institute, Back the Blue 5K Race in support of the local Bradford City Police Department and Habitat for Humanity in Chautauqua, N.Y. All these organizations and local community efforts are near and dear to hearts of the team members and agents that make up Team ERA VP Real Estate.

“ERA Team VP Real Estate is a shining example of ERA’s continued commitment to service, performance and growth,” said Sherry Chris, President and CEO of ERA Real Estate. “We are thankful to Bill for ensuring that the indomitable spirit of Gene Francis remains at the forefront of the way his company works with the communities it serves. The company’s leadership, agents and staff embody the ERA culture of collaboration and commitment to being the best at what they do and having fun while doing it. We are honored to stand alongside this incredible company as they continue to uphold the highest standards of performance.”

“We are honored by this astounding recognition and overjoyed to be able to continue the amazing legacy set by Gene Francis,” said Bill Soffel, broker/owner, ERA Team VP Real Estate. “At ERA Team VP Real Estate, we have a passion for building relationships and changing lives through the power of homeownership. Our team of affiliated agents demonstrates professionalism in all aspects of their businesses. We strive to create an environment driven by ERA’s collaborative culture and support systems designed to prioritize the success of our agents. The efforts of our agents, staff and leadership are paramount to company’s growth. We are thrilled to receive the ERA network’s highest achievement.”

About ERA Real Estate
ERA ®Real Estate knows that real estate is as local as it gets. We believe that our core business values of collaboration, innovation, diversity and growth are needed more than ever. As a global leader in the residential real estate industry for nearly 50 years, ERA features a powerful network of like-minded entrepreneurs supported by the brand’s game-changing technology, products and powerful lead generation.  

The ERA Real Estate network includes more than 39,000 affiliated brokers and independent sales associates and approximately 2,350 offices throughout the United States and 33 other countries and territories. ERA Franchise Systems LLC (www.ERA.com) which operates the ERA Real Estate system, is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global provider of real estate services. ERA Real Estate information is available at www.ExploreERA.com.