One of Chicagoland real estate’s longest brokerage names is getting a rebrand and a five-syllable haircut.
The formerly named Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Koenig Rubloff Realty Group will henceforth be known as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, according to a report in Crain’s Chicago Business.
The 16-syllable name was a result of a 2014 merger between two well-known real estate brands, Koenig and Rubloff. The combination of the names and the already lengthy Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices name – which denotes the company is a franchise of the Berkshire Hathaway brand – created a Frankenstein-like brokerage name.
Mark Pasquesi, the firm’s president of brokerage, said the change was led by clients and brokers, according to Crain’s.
“When homeowners and homebuyers talk to us, they call us Berkshire Hathaway,” Pasquesi said. “We listened to that.”
A number of agents also reached out to Crain’s to discuss the change, noting that they were happy the Berkshire Hathaway brand will be the focus of the name, although one agent said he doesn’t believe it has strong enough brand equity in the marketplace. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is the number four ranked real estate franchisor in transaction sides, according to the Swanepoel Mega 1000.
The combined brokerage has approximately 25 offices in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.