Real estate firm joins regional brokerage

Real estate firm joins regional brokerage

The six-member team from the former West Michigan Group Realty is now part of Greenridge Realty: Jane Zawacki, left, Mike Duffy, Ty VanWingen, Dave Kirchgessner, Corky Paul, Bob Kirchgessner. Courtesy Greenridge

A long-time residential real estate firm has joined a brokerage with offices across the region.

West Michigan Group Realty in Grand Rapids has merged into Grand Rapids-based Greenridge Realty to increase Greenridge’s market share in the East Grand Rapids and southeast Grand Rapids markets, the firms said yesterday.

West Michigan Group Realty has moved its six agents into Greenridge’s location in Grand Rapids’ Eastown neighborhood, at 2213 Wealthy St. SE.

Greenridge has about 350 agents at 24 offices in West Michigan.

Family run firms

West Michigan Group Realty was a family owned and run firm, with Bob Kirchgessner, the firm’s former owner, having managed the company for about 25 years.

Greenridge Realty, founded in 1980, is also a family owned and run company.

“Once I decided to join a larger firm, Greenridge was always the only consideration,” Kirchgessner said.

“The real estate market has changed drastically over my 25 years in business. There is so much information available to consumers today. However, information is not knowledge, and real estate knowledge is the key difference that we feel our agents bring to their client relationships and to every transaction.”

West Michigan Group Realty merging into Greenridge is “the perfect combination of multi-generational, family owned businesses — who share the same philosophies and core values with regard to the practice of real estate in our area," said Walter Perschbacher IV, manager, Greenridge Realty’s East Grand Rapids office.

Agent growth

The move marks a continued trajectory of growth for Greenridge, which has added about 28 real estate agents to its organization since December of 2013.