Top Ranking Company

The residential real estate industry, announces the top companies to watch. These are real estate companies that during the previous 12 months set forth actions that can potentially have a far reaching blow on the residential real estate brokerage industry in the years to come.

Companies that have been listed in recent years include Google, Redfin and First American. Three companies are featured for the second time on the list, namely Zillow, Trulia and RealEstate.com, while the Housing Boom and collapse of the Secondary market introduced new companies namely Bank of America and the Federal keep back. The growth of Social Networking was acknowledged with the insertion of ActiveRain but overall the year seemed to be dominated by a few large real estate companies such as Realogy, RE/MAX and EXIT.

The Top 10 Trendsetters for 2007 are (in countdown order):

10. Bank of America

Bank of America, the largest retail banking operation in the country, for their saving of luckless and cash-starved Countrywide.

9. EXIT Realty

Based on a system that pays out residuals, EXIT's innovation in redistributing the commission pie and strong growth in recent years to become one of the 10 largest national franchises in the country.

8. RealEstate.com

For the turn about in increasing an online business and successful opening of 12 "bricks and mortar" locations.

7. Federal Reserve

For the poor managing of the forewarned housing fizz that liked to the worst housing sprawl in two in decades and the largest collapse of the financial markets since the sadness.

6. Trulia

Racing up the Hitwise list to become one the 3rd largest traffic contributor to 12 of the largest residential real estate franchisors and brokerages nationwide.

5. ActiveRain

Launched in June 2006, ActiveRain assumed the mantle as the #1 in real estate social network boasting 60,000 members by 2007.

4. RE/MAX

Leading the charge in adding everyone's listings on their corporate website, Remax.com became the most visited website of any national real estate company generating a record 3 million leads for its agents.

3. Zillow

Fueled by "Zestimates" and excellent publicity, Zillow became the most talked about company in real estate and their site was one of the top 3 most visited websites in real estate.

2. Dominion

Combining print publications Harmon Homes, For Rent, New Homes & Living, Home Solutions and Distinctive Homes together with websites Homes.com and ForRent.com and companies Number1Expert, Katabat and eNeighborhoods, Dominion has in two short years become a force in the industry.

1. Realogy

Breaking up Cendant into three divide operating units (valued at $7.75 billion) made Realogy the new parent for all their real estate activities (Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, NRT and Sotheby's). Realogy is the industry's largest franchisor in the world with more than 15,000 employees and 315,000 affiliated real estate brokers and sales associates worldwide. In September 2007 they added Better Homes and Gardens to their portfolio solidifying their position at the top of the list of 2007 Trendsetters of the Year.