HIGH PERFORMING TEAM IN PUGET SOUND AFFILIATES WITH BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE LLC

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC announced today the affiliation of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate McKenzie Realty, based in Oak Harbor, WA. The newly formed brokerage serves the residents of Whidbey Island in North Puget Sound and on the mainland in Skagit, Whatcom and Snohomish counties.

The firm is owned and operated by Craig McKenzie. A 29-year industry veteran, McKenzie began his professional career in the Navy as an aviation electronics technician before starting his real estate professional path in 1993. He formed his own team in 2016, which earned recognition from RealTrends as a Top 10 team in 2021 of large teams by volume in the state of Washington.

The company represents a wide range of clientele, including residential, luxury, waterfront, land and commercial. In addition, the brokerage specializes in working with military clients from the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island encompass a vibrant waterfront and surrounding mountainous region, popular with retirees and second-home owners from Seattle. Located only one and a half hours from Seattle, residents enjoy a serene, outdoor lifestyle, where they can easily visit landmarks such as Deception Pass Bridge and State Park, Fort Casey, Fort Ebey, Joseph Whidbey State Parks and Penn Cove.  

The economy of Whidbey Island south of Oak Harbor relies heavily on tourism, small-scale agriculture and the arts, while the northern end of Whidbey Island is strongly influenced by the presence of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. On the mainland, large employers in the Seattle/Redmond area include Amazon, Microsoft and Boeing.

Details:    

• McKenzie will support increased agent productivity by tapping into the many business-building resources in Be Better^® University, the brand’s award-winning professional development and learning platform.
• The company will take advantage of the unique BHGRE^® lifestyle programs, resources and content to help develop lasting relationships with clients. PinPoint^SM, a proprietary BHGRE^® brand tool that taps into consumer behavior data from Better Homes & Gardens magazine and its publisher Dotdash Meredith’s customer database of more than 175 million consumers, will play a significant role in effectively reaching potential buyers for specific properties. 
• McKenzie fosters a service-driven culture that prioritizes the needs of its clients beyond the homebuying and selling process.  This philosophy compliments the BHGRE^® brand’s commitment to passion and excellence as part of its core values, P.A.I.G.E.
• As a veteran-owned and operated company, the firm is the local Homes For Heroes team on the island and surrounding areas. Each year the firm gives back hundreds of thousands of dollars in rebates to its clients who serve as firefighters, EMS providers, law enforcement personnel, healthcare professionals, teachers and active duty, retired, veteran and reserve military. They have eclipsed a total $2 million dollars to local Heroes rebates since 2016.
• According to Realtor.com^®, the median home sales price in Oak Harbor is $461,100. 

Quotes:

“Craig McKenzie has done a phenomenal job leading his real estate team to success. As new members of the Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate network, the company will now have access to state-of-the-art technology, comprehensive marketing resources, extensive learning opportunities and consultative business development support to help fuel growth. We look forward to partnering with Craig to help set the stage for his brokerage’s continued expansion and success.”  

- Sherry Chris, President & CEO, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC

“A big part of our philosophy is that we always strive to be better, but as we hit a growth ceiling, we began to explore viable options to take the team to the next level. As a BHGRE affiliated company, we have the backing of a powerful partner who shares our values to fuel future growth and allow us to focus on what we are most passionate about – helping agents and clients achieve their goals while growing community! We are very excited to be part of a widely known and respected brand name that people trust and rely on for inspiration 365 days a year.” 

- Craig McKenzie, Owner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate McKenzie Realty

About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC

The Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate network is a dynamic real estate brand that offers a full range of services to brokers, sales associates and home buyers and sellers. Using innovative technology, sophisticated business systems and the broad appeal of a lifestyle brand, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network embodies the future of the real estate industry while remaining grounded in the tradition of home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation, and settlement services.

The growing Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate network includes approximately 12,400 independent sales associates in approximately 400 offices serving home buyers and sellers across the United States, Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Australia and Turkey.

Better Homes and Gardens^®, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate logo, and BHGRE^® are registered service marks owned by Meredith Operations Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.