Assist-2-Sell plans to reach 500 franchises by end of year

Friday, February 04, 2005

Inman News

Lyle Martin

Assist-2-Sell, a real estate services discounter, added 145 owner-operated franchises in 2004, bringing the Jan. 1 total to 440. The company's rate of adding new offices in 2004 increased 61 percent compared to its new offices in 2003, Assist-2-Sell co-owners Mary LaMeres-Pomin and Lyle E. Martin announced.

During 2004, sellers saved an estimated $165 million using Assist-2-Sell's "Full Service with $avings" process -- the savings are based on lower commissions than the traditional 6 percent commission for a real estate transaction that some traditional full-service real estate brokerages expect.

"We remain on track to surpass our projection of 500 franchises by the end of 2005," LaMeres-Pomin and Martin said. "Home sellers like the fact we offer all the primary services of traditional real estate companies."

"Entrepreneur Magazine" has ranked Assist-2-Sell as 78th among the top franchises in 2005 -- up from 145th in 2004. The magazine also listed Assist-2-Sell as 19th on its top-20 list of low-cost franchises.

The owner-operated Assist-2-Sell franchises that launched in October and December 2004 are: Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Merced, Poway, San Diego and Santa Rosa, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; Bonita Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Fernandina Beach, Leesburg, Palm Coast and St. Petersburg, Fla.; Germantown and Towson, Md.; New Bedford, Mass.; Bend, Ore.; Monticello, Minn.; and London, Ontario, Canada.

Assist-2-Sell franchises provide real estate services for a flat fee. A privately held company based in Reno, Nev., Assist-2-Sell was founded in 1987.

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