Local Real Estate Nationwide

Minneapolis, Minn. (Jan. 28, 2013) – HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, announced today that Blue Springs, Mo.-based Prudential Gaslight Realtors is joining the HomeServices of America family of companies. Effective immediately, Prudential Gaslight Realtors will be rebranded Prudential KC Realty to position the company for regional growth in Kansas and Missouri.

The acquisition and name change furthers HomeServices’ goal of deepening the real estate footprint within the greater Kansas City market and surrounding communities and reinforces the stability and financial strength of HomeServices. Reece and Nichols Realtors, Kansas City’s long-standing residential real estate leader, also is a HomeServices real estate brokerage.

“The acquisition of Prudential Gaslight Realtors and the immediate name change to Prudential KC Realty expands our presence in the Kansas City region,” said Ron Peltier, chairman and CEO of HomeServices. “Our goal is to grow HomeServices’ brands through the ongoing sales and marketing process, as well as through strategic acquisitions similar to this one.”

“We are very proud to be a part of HomeServices of America,” noted Wayne Minear, previous Broker/Owner at Prudential Gaslight Realtors. “We are joining an organization consistent with our high standards of service and integrity, making this a win/win for our customers and our associates.”

According to Stan Klinksick, previous Broker/Owner at Prudential Gaslight Realtors, “By joining forces with HomeServices and rebranding Gaslight to Prudential KC Realty, we will be unmatched in our ability to serve the needs of our new and existing clients throughout the Kansas City region. With more than 90 percent of today’s homebuyers starting their home search online, the new PKCRealty.com website that will launch in early February will offer easy property search and mobile convenience.”

“We are delighted to expand our services in Kansas City,” Peltier said. “And we continue to look for additional opportunities, both here and throughout other major markets in the U.S.”

Minneapolis, Minn. (January 9, 2013) – HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, today announced the acquisition of Guarantee Real Estate, one of central California’s largest and most respected residential real estate brokerage firms.

Headquartered in Fresno, Guarantee serves central California with more than 400 sales associates in 13 offices located in Fresno, Clovis, Prather, Shaver Lake, Reedley, Kingsburg, Dinuba and Visalia. Guarantee has held the No. 1 market share for more than 20 years and, in 2011, closed more than 3,700 units and $634 million of volume.

Originally founded in 1919, Guarantee has a long-standing reputation for providing clients with the highest level of customer service, expertise and resources. As co-chairmen, Joan Eaton and Paul Gibson will remain in their current roles leading strategic planning and growth initiatives and J. Scott Leonard will continue in his role as president and CEO. Together, they will continue to manage the day-to-day operations along with their sales management and leadership teams. The three have been widely recognized for both their community involvement and their leadership.

HomeServices is the second-largest, full-service residential real estate brokerage firm and the largest brokerage-owned settlement services provider in the U.S. The acquisition represents HomeServices’ expansion of their presence in California and their entry into the Fresno market. With this acquisition, HomeServices has 27 brands and more than 16,000 real estate professionals operating in 21 states. In 2012, HomeServices closed nearly $42 billion in sales volume, over 145,000 transactions and closed approximately $4 billion in home mortgages. HomeServices’ growth strategy focuses on identifying market-leading companies that have established deep and enduring reputations within their community and long-standing traditions for excellence.

“This transaction makes one of the premier firms in central California an even stronger organization,” added Leonard. “By joining forces with HomeServices, we will be unmatched in our ability to serve the real estate needs of new and existing clients in the Fresno area.”“Guarantee has been a valued partner to HomeServices within the Realty Alliance, and through the years, we have shared many ideas and successes. They are a strong company with an excellent reputation in a growth market,” said Ron Peltier, chairman and CEO of HomeServices. “This transaction aligns with our vision of acquiring distinguished companies in leading markets that share our core values.”

“We are proud to be part of HomeServices of America,” noted Eaton. “We are joining an organization known for its strength and stability; one that is consistent with our high standards of service, integrity and community involvement, making this a win/win for our customers and our brokers.”

“We are excited to be in Fresno and are looking forward to having Scott, Joan, Paul and their teams join the HomeServices family,” concluded Peltier.

Annapolis, MD: Mike Hamby, a top-producing agent for Champion Realty, was selected “Best Realtor” in the Capital-Gazette Newspapers’ 2012 Readers Choice Awards—the second year in a row he has won this honor. Thousands of readers cast votes by mail and online to pick their local favorites in 100 categories of service.

Hamby, who joined the real estate profession seven years ago after a career as a chef, attributes his success to being knowledgeable about the local market and providing an intuitive, information-packed website that helps clients find properties by location and category, such as town homes, waterfront, or new construction. “I’m easy to find, my website is easy to use and I’m a good communicator,” he said. “I provide clients with all the information they need to define what they’re looking for. I tell them, ‘my job isn’t to sell you a house—it’s to help you buy one.’”

Hamby specializes in residential properties and is located in the Champion Realty Annapolis Office at 711 Bestgate Road. In 2012 he is on track to hit the $100 million mark in sales. “Mike has an energetic, creative approach to business,” said Pat Savani, manager of the Champion Realty Annapolis office. “He is always searching for the best way to provide outstanding service to his customers whether they are purchasing a home or he is marketing their listings.” “Mike’s background as an executive chefwas great training for his career in real estate because he knows how to orchestrate the efforts of different specialists and bring everything together simultaneously,” said Jon Coile, CEO of Champion Realty. “Mike is amazing at multitasking,and he has the same creative gene as his famous family of entrepreneurs.” Hamby’s father, Charles, was a founder of Ticketmaster.

“Mike is on the leading edge of applied technology and knows which tools are most important for helping his clients buy and sell real estate,” Coile added. “The combination of Champion’s marketing resources with Mike’s engaging personality, inquisitive mind and hard work make him an excellent choice for Best Realtor. I’m very proud that Capital-Gazette readers have selected him two years in a row.”

About Champion Realty, Inc.
Champion Realty, Inc. is a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc. The Champion family of companies comprises Champion Realty, Inc., Champion Realty Mortgage, Champion Realty Title and Champion Realty Insurance all working together to create a full range of real estate services and products and providing a one-stop shopping solution for buyers and sellers in Maryland. Based in Severna Park, Champion Realty serves the Chesapeake Bay Region with eight branch offices and over 300 sales associates. Champion Realty is part of the second-largest home services provider in the U.S. HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. This elite network of companies encompasses 22 market-leading residential real estate brands, more than 16,000 agents and nearly 300 offices across the nation. A strong Champion Realty brand combined with the superior resources of HomeServices enhances our ability to deliver the full suite of integrated homeownership services.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. (Oct. 30, 2012) — HomeServices of America, Inc.™, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and Brookfield Asset Management, announced today that they have partnered to introduce Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices®—a new franchise brand that joins the existing brands and affiliate networks of Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® combines the financial strength of both organizations, coupled with the operational excellence of HomeServices and superior real estate franchising experience of Brookfield.

The combined networks of more than 53,000 Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate agents generated in excess of $72 billion in residential real estate sales volume in 2011, and operate across more than 1,700 U.S. locations.

“Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a new franchise brand built upon the financial strength and leadership of Brookfield and HomeServices,” said Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. “I am confident that these partners will deliver value to the residential real estate industry, and I am pleased to have Berkshire Hathaway be a part of the new brand.”

“We are honored and proud to be entrusted with the use of the Berkshire Hathaway name as our new real estate franchise brand,” said Ron Peltier, chairman and CEO of HomeServices. “We will convey the strength of Berkshire Hathaway’s reputation and its associated principles of integrity and financial stability in everything we do.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® unites proven operational excellence, demonstrated integrity and the reputation of Berkshire Hathaway—among the world’s most admired companies, according to Fortune’s 2012 ranking—to deliver its real estate franchise offering in the market. This combination enables brokers and affiliates to attract and retain the best agents to provide superior customer service and to drive performance and profitable growth. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® will be available in 2013.

“The strength of the Berkshire Hathaway name, coupled with the operational excellence of HomeServices and the franchising experience of Brookfield, positions Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® as a leading real estate franchise in the U.S., building on our traditions of exceptional client service and innovation. Brookfield is excited to be a partner in creating a home for the best real estate brokers and agents in the country,” said Bruce Flatt, Brookfield Asset Management CEO.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® will be led by an experienced management team including Earl Lee, Chief Executive Officer; Stephen Phillips, Chief Operating Officer; Brian Peterson, Chief Financial Officer and Aleya Chattopadhyay, Chief Marketing Officer.

Information about Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices® is available at: www.berkshirehathawayhs.com

About HomeServices of America, Inc.™

HomeServices of America, Inc. is the nation’s second largest, full-service residential brokerage firm and one of the largest U.S. providers of integrated real estate services. HomeServices is owned by MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, a consolidated subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Since it became a MidAmerican affiliate in 1998, HomeServices has grown from 4,000 agents in three markets to more than 16,000 agents in 21 states. HomeServices is comprised of some of the industry’s most respected real estate firms, specializing in brokerage, mortgage, title and escrow services, insurance and relocation. Each of the HomeServices’ companies has been serving clients for an average of more than 60 years and is regarded for unparalleled service.

During 2011, the company’s associates facilitated nearly $32 billion in residential real estate sales and closed over $3.0 billion in home mortgages. From 1998–2011, HomeServices transacted nearly 1.9 million brokerage units with a total sales volume of more than $506 billion.

For more information, visit www.homeservices.com

About Brookfield

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a global alternative asset manager with over $150 billion in assets under management. The company has over a 100-year history of owning and operating assets with a focus on property, renewable power, infrastructure and private equity. It has a range of public and private investment products and services. Brookfield is co-listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges under the symbols BAM and BAMA, respectively, and on NYSE Euronext under the symbol BAMA.

Brookfield Residential Property Services is a leading global provider of real estate and relocation services, technology and knowledge, and a division of Brookfield Asset Management. Through its North American real estate and relocation operations, it has more than 75,000 real estate professionals in more than 2,800 locations, transacting over $150 billion in 2011.

Prudential Real Estate and Real Living franchisees are independently owned and operated. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities and are used under license, with no other affiliation with Prudential.

For more information, visit www.brookfield.com

For further information please contact:
Marisa Mulqueen
Office: 212-704-8112
Mobile: 646-351-2309

TUCSON, AZ. – Long Realty Company is proud to announce the addition of the Down Payment Resource (DPR) service for property listings on its website LongRealty.com and Long Realty agent websites. This functionality automates the matching of homebuyers to down payment assistance programs on qualifying listings, aiding buyers in their home search and providing valuable information on programs that may assist in their purchase.

DPR is a web-based service that provides REALTORS® an easy way to connect home buyers with government funded assistance programs which include down payment assistance. Each night, the DPR system automatically reviews all of the MLS listings and matches them against the parameters of local down payment assistance programs. It then flags the matches with a call to action button on the corresponding listings on Long Realty websites. When consumers click the button, the DPR system will then ask a few questions about their financial status and household, and presents the potential buyer with information about available programs. Agents are then notified about the down payment program inquiries and have access to specific information on available programs, in order to follow up with the consumer and provide greater service.

All the matching property listings from the Tucson, Phoenix and Sierra Vista area MLSs are displayed on Long Realty’s websites with a “down payment assistance may be available, learn more” button. In fact, the majority of the MLS listings actually qualify for at least one down payment assistance program, which is valuable information most consumers would not have known otherwise.

For Phoenix and Sierra Vista area property listings, the DPR service and information is available exclusively on LongRealty.com and Long Realty agent websites, as part of a new DPR real estate brokerage program.

“Traditionally, getting accurate information on available down payment assistance programs has been a challenge for both consumers and real estate professionals. By partnering with DPR, Long Realty is bridging that gap and is able to provide on our website better information to potential buyers that may aid in their purchase decision. The program also benefits our sellers, by better marketing their properties on our website with qualifying down payment assistance programs. I am thrilled that we have been able to add down payment assistance information to Phoenix and Sierra Vista listings in an exclusive relationship with DPR” said Rosey Koberlein, CEO of Long Companies.

“The DPR service is another way we are creating a unique and easy-to-use experience on LongRealty.com and our agent websites.” said Kevin Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing and Technology of Long Companies. “Not only do we have down payment assistance information on Tucson area listings, but now we are the only website that has the DPR service for Phoenix and Sierra Vista area listings.”

Portland, OR – Prudential Northwest Properties is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of The Oregonian’s Top Workplaces. Companies receiving this honor are determined solely on anonymous employee feedback to a survey conducted by Workplace Dynamics, a leading independent research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.

Jason Waugh, President & CEO of Prudential Northwest Properties, said, “Being named a Top Workplace based on responses to a blind survey of our Brokers and employees makes me extremely proud. We have a wonderful culture here at Prudential Northwest Properties that has grown over the past sixty years under my father’s leadership, and it’s a tribute to him and to everyone in this company who work so hard every day toward a common goal of providing exceptional service.”

The following quotes, shared anonymously on returned surveys sums up why the company was deemed a Top Workplace:

“The senior managers at the firm, including the Chairman and President, are excellent and are dedicated to the success of all of the firm’s staff and Brokers, to high integrity and values, and to achieving the highest possible quality in delivering service to our real estate clients. They are genuinely great people to be around and work with. I am absolutely delighted to work here!”

“They have the agent’s best interest in mind always. We are given wonderful tools to work with. I wouldn’t work for another company, because the management at Prudential Northwest Properties is wonderful and they work hard at making the company the best it can be.”

“It’s wonderful to know that people feel proud to be associated with this company,” adds Bert Waugh Jr., Prudential Northwest Properties Chairman. “I’m honored to have the support of such a terrific group of hard working and dedicated real estate professionals behind us. That’s what makes our company so great, and why I love coming to work every day.”

About Prudential Northwest Properties

Founded in 1948, Portland-based Prudential Northwest Properties is a proud member of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a flagship franchisee of the Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services network. Recognized as a market leader and one of the most progressive real estate firms in the nation, the company is one of the largest home service providers in the Pacific Northwest, with 21 offices and 500+ brokers serving Oregon and Washington. The company ranks as one of the top brokerages in North America for delivering client satisfaction, based on independently measured client feedback, and is also a Corporate Philanthropy Award recipient, named one of the five most generous medium-sized companies in Oregon. To learn more, please visit www.prunw.com.

Severna Park, MD: Champion Realty announced today that Realtor(r) Mary Wiley Wagner, who launched her real estate career in 1999 at Champion, has rejoined the company after a brief hiatus. Formerly a professional jockey, Wagner brings to real estate the same hard work and dedication she was known for in horse racing.

“The people, support and professionalism at Champion are unparalleled, and I’m glad to be back on the team,” said Wagner, an experienced agent whose clients value her communication skills and attention to detail. “It’s important to me to keep clients informed at all times and to make sure nothing comes unraveled anywhere in the buying or selling process,” she said. A recipient of Champion’s lifetime achievement award for sales, Wagner was also highly successful as a jockey for 10 years, winning nearly 10% of the 3,000 races she rode.

“The real estate business is a lot like competing in a sporting event,” said George Savani, manager of the Champion Realty Severna Park office. “A lot of work goes into preparation, and the most successful athletes and agents have a plan that culminates in a win. Mary’s accomplishments in real estate translate into a win for the buyers and sellers with whom she works, and for Champion Realty, as well.”

“It makes sense that a champion jockey like Mary would rejoin Champion Realty when she was ready to hang up her riding silks,” said Jon Coile, CEO and president of Champion Realty. “She wore our Champion logo when she rode in the Lady Legends horse race at Pimlico in 2010, and her fellow agents came to watch,” he said. “Retiring from horse racing is bittersweet-but now she can channel all her amazing energy and skills into helping clients buy and sell real estate. Mary is a top agent, and we’re excited to have her back.”

About Champion Realty, Mortgage, Title and Insurance

The Champion family of companies comprises Champion Realty, Champion Realty Mortgage, Champion Realty Title and Champion Realty Insurance*all working together to create a full range of real estate services and products and providing a one-stop shopping solution for buyers and sellers in Maryland. Based in Severna Park, Champion Realty serves the Chesapeake Bay Region with eight branch offices and over 300 sales associates. Champion Realty is part of the second-largest home services provider in the U.S. *HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. This elite network of companies encompasses 22 market-leading residential and real estate brands, more than 15,000 agents and over 375 offices across the nation. A strong Champion Realty brand combined with the superior resources of HomeServices enhances our ability to deliver the full suite of integrated homeownership services.

CONTACT: Lauri Ladd, 410-975-3018, LauriLadd@ChampionRealty.com For Immediate Release: July 12, 2012

Iowa Realty is helping our veterans find new careers as Realtors. Learn more about this important program by visiting www.iowarealty.com/vets

LINCOLN, Neb. – June 18, 2012 –HOME Real Estate and Woods Bros Realty are each pleased to offer fast, powerful local real estate applications for Android and Apple mobile devices.

Home buyers can search for listings and open houses via criteria, maps or current location (GPS required), or even draw a search area to find the most properties in any mobile real estate app. Flip through additional photos; turn the screen sideways for full screen viewing. Quickly save interesting properties for comparison or contact an agent. Share properties via message, e-mail or Twitter, and easily look up office and agent information.

Visit www.woodsbros.com or www.HomeRealEstate.com for a quick code or search for the company names in your device’s application store.