This week, full-service real estate brokerage Living Realty, Inc. announced its new affiliation with Keller Williams Realty, Inc. (KW).
According to Ian Davies, Regional Development Director, Keller Williams, the unity of the Living Group of Companies subsidiary — a leading Greater Toronto Area (GTA) brokerage — and Keller Williams Realty, Inc. — the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count — marks the largest independent company to join a franchise in industry history.
Real estate veteran Stephen Wong is the visionary behind The Living Group's success. Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Markham, it’s one of the largest independent real estate organizations in the GTA. The Living Group's current employment of some 600 employees and salespersons, paired with $1.6B in real estate transactions since 2023 alone, are testaments to the company's lasting success.
Wong’s sons, Kelvin and Ben Wong, are currently at the helm of The Living Group, strategically positioning the company for ongoing success. The newly announced partnership with Keller Williams is part of their forward-thinking strategy.
“Franchising had long been on the table for us as an option, but we weren't actively looking," says Ben, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Living Group of Companies. “Our approach has always been about the professional and personal development of our agents; we intentionally invest significant resources and time to provide them the support they need to grow their business and succeed."
Ben explains that KW values those same supports and resources, with the added benefits of immense worldwide reach and strength.
"That kind of alignment in business philosophy and culture mattered to us,” Ben says.
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"People First:" A Natural Alignment
Both Living Realty and Keller Williams share a “people first” approach to business — a mutual philosophy first recognized by Davies and Kelvin over a business lunch.
“I met Kelvin for lunch in December 2023," he recalls. "We talked very little about business at that time." Instead, the conversations flowed around family, sports, and politics.
Following the lunch, Davies invited Kelvin and Ben to attend a KW conference — an opportunity for each party to get a sense of the other. The experience was (clearly) a resounding success, as shared priorities and "synergy" laid a strong foundation underfoot.
What impressed William (Bill) Soteroff — President of Keller Williams Worldwide — the most was Living Realty’s agent-focused culture. “It became clear that these guys were really focused on their partners in their brokerage,” he says. “Many of their values mirrored ours. We wanted win-win opportunities, and we want to have success with our people. There was a really great synergy in how we looked at the world, both personally and professionally – how they built the business and carry themselves as business people. We remain pleasantly surprised about the family business that Stephen Wong has created and built, the culture that Living Realty has, and how these elements align with Keller Williams.”
Despite having thousands of brokers worldwide, the KW culture is tight-knit and community-centric.
“Our annual convention in February is called the ‘family reunion,’” Soteroff explains. “We talk about the KW worldwide family. And to have a partnership with Living Realty, who understands those core beliefs of culture, of people, of agents taking care of each other, is very important."
A Win-Win Partnership
Of utmost importance to the Wong family, in the event of a franchise agreement, was retaining the identity the Living Realty brand had established over the past 45 years.
“We appreciated that Keller Williams wasn’t interested in watering down what we had built up as a family,” says Ben. “They really view us as a partner."
"It’s an easy transition," he continues, "knowing we’re not sacrificing who we are, but rather giving our people even more tools to succeed both professionally and personally.”
These advantages include Keller Williams’ educational resources and proprietary technology. “KW has Keller Williams University, alongside business systems and models that they’ve developed and tested for decades," Ben explains. "They have training courses that are relevant to new agents, all the way to those who have been in the industry for 40 years. Now, Living Realty has top-of-the-line tools and technology to position realtors — and their clients — for even greater success."
Indeed, Keller Williams is widely celebrated for its approach to training. In fact, the organization was voted the number one training organization in any industry by Training Magazine.
“We beat companies like Audi, IKEA, and IBM," explains Davies, "and we are committed to keeping agent's businesses growing and getting better all the time."
"Keller Williams provides its brokers with a highly developed toolbox to help them meet business goals. We have the in-house technology, so we can really operate an entire business from within,” Davies continues. “No other brand has that internally — not as extensively as we do.”
For KW, the partnership aligns with company plans to move more deeply into the Canadian market.
“We've been in Canada for 20 years," says Davies. "We’re looking to grow our number of franchises and the number of agents that partner with us, whom we can help build great real estate businesses with. Living Realty offers highly competent, high-minded partners in a part of Toronto that we weren't represented in before.” Davies notes that the partnership will make KW stronger in the marketplace. “Southern Ontario is a driver of business across the country and, as we've seen over the last couple years, every Canadian has care and concern about their most important investment – their home."
"We take that responsibility of helping Canadians buy, sell, and rent very seriously," he says, "and we know that with Living Realty, that responsibility is in good hands.”
"We take that responsibility of helping Canadians buy, sell, and rent very seriously," he says, "and we know that with Living Realty, that responsibility is in good hands.”
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On March 3, Living Realty, Inc. will begin operating as KW Living Realty, a KW market centre based in Markham, Ontario. The real estate firm's 550 agents and 35 staff members are all expected to transition to KW.
In terms of position shifts, David Wong — who previously served as the Vice President of Living Realty, overseeing the company's operations and administration — has been appointed the team leader of the KW Living Realty market centre, and will be promoted to Executive Vice President of KW Living Realty, the new franchise entity.
Kelvin Wong will be the operating principal of KW Living Realty. He has served as Living Realty's broker of record since 2016.
KW Living Realty logo
Kelvin says he’s looking forward to targeting the company’s growth in this new direction.
“Living Realty has always been adept at bringing new agents in and helping them become highly productive, which is why so many of our agents are loyal to the company," he says. "They started here, and can attribute much of their success to how we've been able to train and support them.” With this new affiliation, those abilities are only strengthened.
“Living Realty has evolved with the times, and now, Keller Williams brings in infrastructure that we could never develop on our own,” Kelvin explains. “Simultaneously, KW is looking to expand further into the Canadian market. So, in one fell swoop, via this partnership, Living Realty becomes the largest Keller Williams single-market centre, by agent, in Canada. And, Keller Williams breaks more deeply into the market with an organization that other brokerages will look to and say, ‘Living has been around for 45 years and they went to Keller Williams – there must be something there'.”
KW Living Realty will continue to operate from its head office, currently located at 8 Steelcase Road W in Markham, Ontario, along with its additional five branch offices located strategically throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
To read the full announcement, click here.
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This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
