The Coldwell Banker^® Story

After the devastating earthquake and fire that leveled San Francisco, Calif. in 1906, unscrupulous deals in real estate preyed on a vulnerable populace trying to rebuild . On August 27, 1906, a 23-year-old real estate agent named Colbert Coldwell recognized the need for integrity, ethics and professionalism in the industry and opened his new real estate firm with the customer as its focus. Coldwell’s straightforward business principles set the cornerstone for one of the most successful brands in America’s history. That brand is Coldwell Banker®.

One hundred years after its founding, the nation’s oldest national real estate organization is known as an industry leader and innovator, while still practicing the benchmark for outstanding customer service. The Coldwell Banker network has grown from one office in ravaged Northern California to the largest real estate franchise organization and ninth largest franchisor in the world 1 with $325.9 billion in closed sales volume and more than 126,000 sales associates working in more than 3,800 offices in 29 countries and territories.

Along the way, Coldwell Banker has set high standards for the real estate industry and has achieved many “firsts” in the industry. It was the first to offer comprehensive service guarantees to homebuyers and sellers and the first advocate and the practice of Seller Disclosure, Coldwell Banker also transformed the real estate process into a consumer friendly experience through its easy to navigate Web site which was first to provide nationwide listings in one portal. Its Coldwell Banker Concierge® Service Program that matches customers to local service providers such as contractors to assist in every facet of the home buying and selling process, was another innovation.

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