Barely a year ago the real estate industry was stunned when Canadian-based Brookfield Residential Property Services (Brookfield RPS), a division of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (Brookfield), and owner of Royal LePage, the largest Canadian residential real estate company, acquired GMAC Real Estate. With the departure of CEO John Bearden and a pending name change imminent, many labeled the GMAC franchise as yesterday’s news.

What a difference a year has made.

Announcing their second large acquisition today, Brookfield RPS has now also the owner of Real Living Network Services, a subsidiary of Real Living Inc. Combining the two companies creates one of America’s leading residential real estate franchises with more than $20 billion in annual home sales and an estimated 30,000 agents.

Although that in its own is huge news (and the largest real estate brokerage acquisition of the year) it is the merging of the two and the rebranding of the whole as Real Living that is electrifying.

The reason is that Ohio-based Real Living is a national award-winning real estate brand known for its innovation, customer service and a culture of partnership and collaboration within its network.  Last year I even named Real Living as the “Most Promising New National Brand” in my Swanepoel TRENDS Report while Entrepreneur Magazine listed them as one of the Top 50 New Franchises.

Yesterday’s news has turned into tomorrow’s future. Exciting times for newly appointed President Harley E. Rouda, Jr.

For more information visit anyone of the three companies mentioned www.brookfieldrps.com | www.realliving.com | www.gmacrealestate.com