Coldwell Banker
| Formerly | Sears Financial Network (1981–1993) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Real estate Franchising |
| Founded | August 27, 1906, in San Francisco, California |
| Founders | Colbert Coldwell, Albert Nion Tucker, John Conant Lynch |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people |
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| Parent | Sears (1981–1993) Fremont Group (1993–1996) Cendant (1996–2006) Anywhere Real Estate (2006–present) |
| Website | coldwellbanker |
Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a U.S.-based real estate franchise operating under the ownership of Anywhere Real Estate, with its main office located in Madison, New Jersey. Established in 1906 in San Francisco, the firm manages nearly 3,000 locations worldwide across 49 nations. It releases an annual Home Listing Report detailing housing market prices. The brand name originates from a former managing partner rather than lending services.
History
In the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Colbert Coldwell, Albert Nion Tucker, and John Conant Lynch founded the company initially named Tucker, Lynch and Coldwell on August 27, 1906. Benjamin Arthur Banker became part of the team in 1913 and was elevated to partner status by 1914. Over time, the firm underwent multiple renamings before adopting the Coldwell Banker title in 1974. Both Banker and Coldwell maintained active roles throughout their lifetimes.
The business relocated to a new facility in San Francisco during 1920 and expanded beyond California by opening an office in Phoenix in 1952. Expansion continued through acquisitions during the 1970s in cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., with its inaugural international branch launching in Toronto in 1996.
Coldwell Banker incorporated as a company in 1961 and became publicly traded by 1968. Sears acquired it in 1981 as part of its Sears Financial Network division. In 1989, Sears divested the commercial division through a management buyout involving The Carlyle Group for roughly $300 million; meanwhile, the residential division retained the Coldwell Banker brand. This commercial segment later evolved into what is now known as CBRE Group.
In 1993, Fremont Group purchased the residential arm from Sears for $230 million. Subsequently, HFS Inc., which later became Cendant, acquired it in 1996 for $640 million. Following Cendant’s split in 2006, its real estate operations were rebranded as Realogy and acquired by Apollo Management for about $7.75 billion. In 2022, Realogy changed its name to Anywhere Real Estate, Inc.
Philanthropy
To commemorate its centennial in 2006, the company contributed to raising $5 million aimed at supporting the construction of 100 homes with Habitat for Humanity. Demonstrating continued dedication to charitable efforts, it formed a partnership with Adopt-a-Pet.com—a canine adoption organization—in February 2015.