Independent Los Angeles County Brokerage Joins The Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate Brand

Owners John Morrison and Michael Campbell started their business in 2014. The two met and worked together on a previous challenging transaction, which made them recognize their great potential as partners. They created a lead generation business which quickly expanded to include brokerage services under the name Porches & Places. Last year, the firm’s 58 affiliated agents were responsible for more than $23 million in sales volume.

La Verne is an affluent bedroom community situated between downtown Los Angeles and San Bernardino. The family-friendly area features many recreational opportunities, including 11 parks, an active community center and several golf courses. The city is home to the University of La Verne as well as 18 highly rated public and private secondary schools. The neighboring city of Pomona is well known for its unique events such as the annual Los Angeles County Fair and the rich cultural background of the Arts Colony, a neighborhood with many galleries and beautiful outdoor murals.

• Luxury listings in the region range between $1.3 million to $3 million. The marketing power of Distinctive Collection by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate®, the brand’s unique luxury program, will play an important role in increasing the firm’s presence in the area’s luxury market.

• The company will be utilizing PinPointSM, the BHGRE® brand’s proprietary predictive marketing tool that applies data from Better Homes & Gardens magazine and its publisher Meredith Corporation’s customer database of more than 175 million consumers to further enhance their marketing efforts and attract more clients.

• Several of the company’s affiliated agents speak many languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Farsi and Arabic.

• In addition to fortifying the firm’s presence in and around La Verne, the owners are seeking to expand westward toward downtown Los Angeles and eastward toward the Inland Empire as well as into other non-contiguous markets such as San Diego and Sonoma.

• According to National Association of REALTORS®, the median sales price of homes within the area typically ranges from $515,000 to $778,000.

• Morrison and Campbell report that a majority of their clients are first-time or move-up buyers, but they also work with investors. In addition, their property management division creates a steady client base for their first-time homebuyer segment.

• Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Porches & Places is the 21st BHGRE® affiliate in California to join the network.

> Quotes: “John and Mike are two incredibly driven entrepreneurs who have concrete goals for their firm’s growth and expansion. John’s impressive career as an elite agent and highly sought-after coach, combined with Mike’s success as a top-performing agent and his in-depth knowledge of the mortgage industry, create a savvy and agile leadership team with an eye on the future. We are thrilled that these ambitious business owners elected to work with us to help them on the path to continued success.” - Sherry Chris, President & CEO, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate “To increase the scope of our company as well as our market share, Mike and I knew we needed top-notch, turnkey solutions specifically designed to fuel growth. BHGRE® brand marketing tools, like PinPointSM, will allow us to reach potential clients at a scale we were not able to achieve as an independent firm. I am particularly excited about the brand’s sophisticated professional development platform, Be Better University®, which will support increased agent productivity and lead to incredible organic growth for the business.” - John Morrison, Broker/Co-Owner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Porches & Places “Expanding our footprint in Los Angeles and Riverside Counties has always been our goal and our affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate will set us apart in the market. Being aligned with a well-known and trusted lifestyle brand will help our affiliated agents to connect with their clients and be relevant 365 days a year. As leaders fully committed to the success of our team, we know that our decision to join the BHGRE® network with help all of us ‘Be Better®.’” - Michael Campbell, Broker/Co-Owner, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Porches & Places