(HANFORD, CA, January 7, 2009) – Century 21 Equity Realty is now serving the Kings County and Tulare County areas as a member of the Coldwell Banker^â franchise systemand will now be known as Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate. The office is located at 1002 N. 11^th Avenue in Hanford and is owned by George Murphy, a 35-year veteran of the real estate industry.

Equity Realty has served the Kings County and Tulare County areas for over 30 years. It became affiliated with Century 21 and has been at its current location on since 1984 and will now offer customers products and services exclusive to the Coldwell Banker System.  Services include an in-house mortgage lender in each office, a dedicated relocation department, listings posted to the leading real estate website, www.coldwellbanker.com, and association with the leading real estate brand in the United States. The office is staffed by 20 full -time sales associates who are committed to customer satisfaction.
 

"Coldwell Banker awards affiliation only to brokers who have a strong reputation and exceptional understanding of their market such as George Murphy,” said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.“We are proud to have Murphy and his sales associates as part of the Coldwell Banker System."

The conversion comes after Murphy purchased Century 21 Equity Realty in November 2006. With seven Coldwell Banker offices already established, the decision to convert was a logical next step for the corporation. “While the Century 21 franchise has served us well,” said Murphy, “it makes sense for the company to be unified in marketing and materials.  I have been associated with Coldwell Banker since 1986 and I believe it to be the Cadillac of all franchise companies.  In addition, Coldwell Banker was started in San Francisco over 100 years ago, so it is rich in history and customer loyalty.”

Murphy is broker/owner of eight Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate Offices located in Central California. The company currently employs approximately 250 sales associates, broker associates, and staff, and has earned the prestigious Chairman’s Circle Award for 20 consecutive years.

Murphy was the President of the Fresno Association of Realtors in 1999 and was voted Realtor of the year in 1998. He holds the Certified Residential Broker (CRB) designation from the National Association of Realtors. Murphy served as Chairman of the Realtors Political Action Committee and has chaired various committees at Board level and also served on several committees at the state level.

About Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate

Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate has office locations all over the Central Valley and Central Coast. Its corporate headquarters are located at 685 W. Alluvial #103 in Fresno, Calif. To find a Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate office nearest you, please visit www.cbpremieronline.com. Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate has been serving the central California area for over 20 years. Its owner, George Murphy has served in the real estate industry for 35 years.

About Coldwell Banker^®

Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker^® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2007, Franchise Times magazine’s prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the eighth straight year and 12th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,800 residential real estate offices and nearly 117,000 sales associates in 47 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International^® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge^® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker^® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated