Mel Foster Co. Announces 2019 Achievements

Despite low inventory across the country and locally, Mel Foster Co. President Lynsey Engels said Thursday that 2019 was a very productive year for the company. Engels joins other real estate experts in forecasting home sales across the region will hold steady in 2020.

The company’s year-end results were released collectively by Lynsey Engels, company president of real estate brokerage, Marc Engels, president of Mel Foster Insurance, and Rob Fick, president and CEO. The annual release of performance stats also recognized the achievements of 115 agents who received awards for 2019.

Mel Foster Insurance continues to be a trusted insurance agency in the Quad Cities region with exceptional client retention rates and the continued growth of new personal/business client relationships.  In 2019, Mel Foster Insurance associates added 775 new clients along with tallying 1939 new lines of coverage. The insurance division increased both total premiums written, up 8 percent, and policy count, up 3.8 percent from 2019.  Mr. Engels said, “We are pleased to have a 96.3% client retention rate agency-wide, which is a confirmation that we continue to provide a personalized insurance experience that our clients value. Our entire team collaborates and focuses on providing first class service to our personal and business insurance clients.”   Mel Foster Insurance made a large investment and converted to a 100 percent digital agency in 2nd quarter of 2019.  Engels stated, “This technological advancement is a game changer in the market and will allow us to work even more efficiently, improve customer service, and build even stronger relationships with our clients.”

Mel Foster Commercial Real Estate, led by Thad DenHartog, sold over $62 million in commercial real estate properties earning over 35% of the market share in 2019. The division employs eight commercial brokers and two staff members. Two of the company’s commercial brokers ranked in the top 10 in the Quad Cities Commercial MLS. “Our commercial division continues to be a leader in the Quad City market, and we are quite proud of their ongoing accomplishments,” commented Ms. Engels.

Across their nine residential locations within Mel Foster Co. serving Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, the average sales price across the entire company was $178,238 compared to $170,676 in 2018, representing a 6.5% increase in value while the number of closed transactions stayed flat in 2019.  On average, Mel Foster Co.’s agents closed 14 transactions in 2019 as compared to the national average of 11 according to statistics from the National Association of Realtors.  Average days on the market for their Quad Cities market remained steady at 49 days. Their Galesburg location closed over 45 percent of the transactions in their area and their Kewanee office remained dominate handling over 50 percent of the business in their MLS.  The company had a combined 13 agents who were in the top 10 of their respective MLS.

In 2019, Mel Foster Co. sold 61 lots in six subdivisions. Mel Foster Co. is the largest land developer in the Quad Cities and continues to expand its existing subdivisions. In 2020, tentative plans include opening up to 83 new residential lots. Mel Foster Co. residential agents sold 130 new construction homes or condos in 2019. The average Mel Foster Co. new construction sales price was $377,731, down from $417,200 last year.

The company added 16 new or transferring agents and two new staff and now employs 39 brokerage staff, 42 people in the insurance division and has 204 residential agents and eight commercial agents. At the annual awards event, Mel Foster Co. recognized five retirements and honored 43 agents and staff for their service years with the company. Across all Mel Foster Co. divisions, the average number of years of service among staff is 12.5 years. This average is three times the national average as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January of 2018.

Looking ahead, Ms. Engels said several economic indicators are continuing to point in a positive direction again in 2020. “Our economy is experiencing low unemployment rates and there is the potential of higher wages to be set in 2020. Experts predict today’s low interest rates are expected to continue into 2020, which will fuel price gains and increase buyer confidence in 2020.”

In closing, Fick commented about some of the company’s greatest achievements in 2019. “While we celebrate our sales success, it’s important to celebrate the work we do in giving back to the communities we serve. Mel Foster Co. has a long tradition of supporting causes and we are so proud of the staff and agents for volunteering and donating to the causes they are passionate about. A few examples of our agents and staff making a difference include: participating in local food, book and blood drives, donating and collecting school supplies, toys and shoes for area children, and purchasing Christmas gifts for families and seniors in need. Agents and staff stepped up during the floods, made Valentine cards and blankets for local nursing home residents, and donated financially to over 25 local organizations and charities. We promoted a successful social media campaign ‘Think. Buy. Be. Local.’ to encourage people to visit local businesses. This is our community and we are proud of the role we play.”

10 Mel Foster Co. Agents Named 2017 REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents

Ten agents with Mel Foster Co. were recently named one of America’s Best Real Estate Agents (Iowa) or America’s Best Real Estate Agents (Illinois), the newly issued ranking report produced by REAL Trends. The following agents are now members of the “America’s Best Real Estate Agents,” in Iowa or Illinois.

To qualify, an individual must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume in 2017.  All production numbers are independently verified by a third-party to ensure accuracy and report integrity.

Individual Iowa Agents by Transaction

Real Trends America's Best
Lucky Lang II, I-74, #6
Real Trends America's Best
Brad Boeye, Bettendorf, #12
Real Trends America's Best
Geri Doyle, I-74, #39
Real Trends America's Best
Sara Smith-DeWulf, I-74, #49

Real Trends America's Best
Candy Reaves, I-74, #85

Individual Illinois Agents Per Transaction

Diana Franks, Geneseo, #80
Real Trends America's Best
Sara Varner, Galesburg, #116
Real Trends America's Best
Paula Nabb, Moline, #204
Real Trends America's Best
Peggy Ramos, Kewanee, #104
Real Trends America's Best
Ty Johnson, Galesburg, #182

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individual Iowa Agents By Volume

Real Trends America's Best
Geri Doyle, I-74, #2
Real Trends America's Best
Brad Boeye, Bettendorf, #3

 

 

Boland Wins Top Individual Honor at Global Real Estate Conference

Deb Boland President's Award

Deb Boland, Director of Relocation of Mel Foster Co., is the recipient of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President’s Award, a top individual award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, an invitation-only global community of more than 565 independent real estate firms.

The award was presented during the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® Annual Conference, which took place February 20-22 at Wynn Las Vegas. The conference was part of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) Conference Week, a series of educational and networking events focused on leadership, innovation and delivering superior consumer experiences in real estate.

The President’s Award is part of the service recognition program, which formally acknowledges contributions such as committee involvement, presentations at network conferences, and service on various advisory councils and boards. The program offers three prestigious levels of awards based on cumulative points earned through service activities.

Lynsey Engels, Mel Foster Co. President, Real Estate Brokerage, said, “Deb is very deserving of this award.  She continues to engage herself in Leading RE and build relationships with her peers.”

“It’s a true pleasure to recognize the individuals who have contributed to the success of LeadingRE through an extraordinary level of commitment and years of service to our global community,” LeadingRE President/CEO Paul Boomsma said. “These individuals have shared their time, expertise and talent to support the success of their fellow members and our network as a whole, and we thank them for their service.”

Mel Foster Co. is a Quad Cities representative of LeadingRE (www.LeadingRE.com). A global real estate community that spans six continents, LeadingRE connects marketing-leading firms with more than 130,000 sales associates who produce over 1.1 million real estate transactions annually. As a member of LeadingRE, Mel Foster Co. provides a quality real estate experience, global marketing reach and access to top real estate professionals in virtually any market worldwide.

For more information about Mel Foster Co., please visit www.melfosterco.com.

Mel Foster Co. Recognized with Website Quality Certification

Mel Foster Co.  has earned the Website Quality Certification (WQC) from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a global community of 565 marketing-leading independent real estate firms in over 70 countries. The certification was presented in recognition of excellence in website design, content and functionality.

Mel Foster Co.’s website, melfosterco.com, received strong marks in a variety of key areas relating to website performance, including usability, design, content, interactivity, customer service and mobile responsiveness. The evaluation was conducted by Virtual Results, LLC, a real estate internet and social marketing firm selected by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® to review the websites of participating members.  

The specific measurements for the WQC are updated each year to reflect the most current online marketing strategies, as well as evolving consumer preferences. To maintain the certification, companies must be re-certified every two years.

“We are pleased to acknowledge the 120 companies that earned the WQC this year in recognition of their corporate websites, which engage consumers with attractive design, deep local content and the most up-to-date information on homes for sale – locally and around the world,” said Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® President/CEO Paul Boomsma.   

“We know local consumers have a choice when searching for a buying or listing agent.  We want to continue to offer the best tools in the market to be the top resource for buyers and sellers and to help our agents stay competitive.  Mel Foster Co. feels it is essential to invest heavily in digital marketing platforms and we are pleased that our efforts have been recognized with this international award,” said Lynsey Engels, President Real Estate Brokerage of Mel Foster Co.

Mel Foster Co. is the Quad Cities and surrounding areas representative of LeadingRE (www.LeadingRE.com). With a global membership that spans six continents, LeadingRE connects more than 565 firms and 130,000 sales associates who produce over 1.1 million real estate transactions each year. As a member of LeadingRE, Mel Foster Co. provides a quality real estate experience, global marketing reach and access to top real estate professionals in virtually any market worldwide.

For more information about Mel Foster Co., please visit www.melfosterco.com.

Mel Foster Co. Nominated for Awards

Lynsey Engels, President, Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. Inc. is pleased to announce that their Relocation Division, lead by Deb Boland, has been nominated by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® for the 2018 Award of Excellence, Incoming Referral Conversion Rate, Outgoing Sales Production, and Most Innovative Office Design Award.  These nominations are determined by the number of incoming closings with the number of incoming referrals and the number of outgoing referrals.  Mel Foster Co. is one of five real estate companies nominated for these awards in their size category. Mel Foster Co. just completed renovation of its Moline office in December, and there are six other companies nominated for the Most Innovative Office Design category.

The award will be presented during the Annual Performance Awards Dinner and Ceremony in Las Vegas later this month. For the past 23 years, Mel Foster Co.’s Relocation Division has been nominated for an award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a global network of over 500 premier real estate firms.  Leading RE is comprised of select independent real estate companies who set the standard of quality service, while generating a highest volume of referral, relocation, and real estate business opportunities for its members.

Moline Office Receives a Make Over

Lynsey Engels, President of Real Estate Brokerage is pleased to announce their Moline office just completed an office remodel. The interior of the office was completely updated to accommodate the integration of technology upgrades, allow for improved communication among the agents and staff and to reflect the contemporary style in furniture and fixtures found in many homes.

Bob Reaves, managing broker of the Moline office said, “With this office remodel project, we are happy to provide our clients with more collaborative working spaces when discussing buying or selling a home. The large TV screens make it easier for agents to present and share information and to view listings with their clients. The new configuration and use of technology make conversations with clients more active and allows our agents to become more engaged with buyers and sellers. The whole office is truly a fresh new communication tool.”

The newly designed space on 41st Street in Moline delivers more than just function. Several of the walls have giant photographic murals featuring local bridges that spotlight Mel Foster Co. is a local company that has been in the Quad Cities nearly 100 years.

Reaves continues, “While agents do enjoy the flexibility of not having to report to a desk in an office at 8:00 a.m., many are still eager each day to see their co-workers, share stories and lend each other a hand when needed. Selling real estate is a relationship business and most agents do really enjoy those personal interactions.”

Lynsey Engels, Mel Foster Co. president, real estate brokerage, explained why it was important for the company to make this investment. “Mel Foster Co. is continuing to stay current with industry trends to help agents work more efficiently and comfortably in an office setting while still being mobile enough to meet the flexible needs of our clients. Some of the technology upgrades may not be noticeable to visitors but we are sure they will appreciate the spacious meeting spaces and the thought that went into designing a space to make them feel welcome and valued.”

Mel Foster Co. Agents Elected


Dennis Bell


Ellen De Rycke


Chris Holvoet


Julie Sage


Lynsey Engels, President, Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. is proud to announce that four of their agents have been elected to the Quad City Area Realtor® Association Board of Directors for 2019.  Congratulations to the 2019 Slate of Officers:

Ellen De Rycke and Dennis Bell of their Bettendorf office, Julie Sage and Chris Holvoet from their Davenport Kimberly Road office for being recognized and nominated for the 2019 Quad City Area REALTOR® Association Board of Directors.  Mr. Holvoet will serve as President-Elect, Mr. Bell and Ms. Sage will serve as three-year Directors and Ms. DeRycke will serve as a 1-year Director.

Mel Foster Co. REALTORS® Earn Emeritus Status

Lynsey Engels, President Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. Inc. is pleased to congratulate Sherry Frankville and Kelly Welsh of their Moline office, and Marge Stratton of their commercial office for receiving the prominent REALTOR® Emeritus Status by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).  This prestigious honor is awarded to licensed real estate professionals who have held membership in the REALTOR® organization for a minimum of 40 years.  They were recognized during the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association’s Holiday Party and Installation Celebration on December 7th.

Sherry Frankville

Sherry Frankville has been a licensed REALTOR® for 40 years and joined Mel Foster Co. in 1988.  She is licensed in Iowa and Illinois.  Sherry’s achievements include Chairman’s Club, Executives Club, President’s Club and Honors Club levels for Mel Foster Co.  She is a member of the Quad City Area Association of REALTORS®, the Illinois Association of REALTORS®, the Iowa Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS®.

Marge Stratton started and worked in real estate with her father.  She owned her own real estate company and joined forces with Mel Foster Commercial Real Estate in 2013 and has earned Chairman Club recognition with Mel Foster each year.   She was inducted into the 2017 Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame.

Marge Stratton

Licensed Broker in Iowa and Illinois, she is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, Illinois Association of REALTORS®, Iowa Association of REALTORS®, Quad City Area REALTOR® Association, and the Society of Industrial & Office REALTORS® (SIOR).  Since 1996, she has been a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) and has served on several national committees, as well as the past present for the local SIOR Chapter. The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) is recognized as the leading professional commercial and industrial real estate association.  She is one of the 2,7000 members of SIOR whom have attained the highest level of knowledge, production and ethics in the real estate industry.  She has represented several Fortune 500 companies, in addition to many local landlords and tenant in the Quad City area.

Stratton’s dedication to the community is currently serving on the board of Downtown Davenport Partnership, Gilda’s Club, and Quad Cities Area REALTOR® Association.

Kelly Welsh

Kelly Welsh began her career in real estate with Dasso Realty in 1978 then Boeye Realtors in 1992 and continued with Mel Foster Co. in 1992.  Kelly served on the Board of Directors and on the Education Committee on the Rock Island County Board of Realtors prior to the merger with the Illinois and Iowa Board of Realtors.  She has earned designations for Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) and Certified Real Estate Specialist (CRS).  Kelly’s other achievements include Chairman’s Club, Executive Club and President’s Club at Mel Foster Co.

She is licensed in Illinois and Iowa and a member of the Quad City Area Association of REALTORS®, the Iowa Association of REALTORS®, and the National Association of REALTORS®.  Kelly has two sons and daughters-in-laws and four grandchildren all who reside in Phoenix, Arizona.

“The Mel Foster Co. family congratulates Sherry, Kelly and Marge for their high achievements in their real estate careers,” said Lynsey Engels.  “To be recognized for 40 years in real estate is amazing! We are fortunate to have their wealth of experience and knowledge on our team.”

Montgomery Receives REALTOR® Honor

Lynsey Engels, President, Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. Inc. is pleased to announce that Austen Montgomery was recognized by the Quad Cities Area REALTOR® Association during their Annual Holiday Party and Installation of Officers held on December 7th.  Congratulations to Austen for receiving the Rookie of the Year Award, which is designed to bring credit and recognition to an individual during their first two years as a REALTOR® member and takes an active role in the Quad Cities Area REALTOR® Association.

He is a Member of the Quad City Area REALTOR® Association, Iowa Association of REALTOR® and the National Association of REALTORS®.  Austen is involved in the Association participating in the Legislative Bus-In Day, REALTOR® Party Committee, and spearheaded the RPAC Raffle at the annual Golf Outing.

“Austen has worked hard these past two years and is truly deserving of this recognition. We are so pleased to have him part of Mel Foster Co. team and cannot wait to see him grow.” says Engels.  “This award demonstrates that Mel Foster Co. is a great place to start in real estate and it’s a great place to stay and build a career.”

MEL FOSTER CO. AGENTS NAMED REAL TRENDS AMERICA’S BEST REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

Real Trends America's Best logo

Mel Foster Co. is pleased to announce that several of their agents have been named as one of America’s most productive agents as a part of REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals, the newly issued ranking report produced by REAL Trends and sponsored by Adwerx.

REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents ranks over 13,800 residential real estate professionals solely based on their excellence in real estate sales during calendar year 2017. All production numbers are independently verified by a third-party in order to ensure accuracy and report integrity.  “This group of highly successful real estate sales agents represents less than 1 percent of all real estate practitioners in the United States,” says Steve Murray, president of REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals and president of REAL Trends.

To qualify for inclusion, an individual agent must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in closed sales volume in 2017.  “The average residential real estate agent in the United States closed 8.0 transactions in 2017 and had less than $1.3 million in sales,” said Murray.  The individuals ranked in America’s Best Real Estate Agents had an average of 73.88 transaction sides and an average sales volume of almost $38 million.  This ensures that only the best of the best are included on the prestigious list.

The rankings are compiled based on survey from virtually every national branded network, many state and local associations of Realtors®, multiple listing services, all applicants from past years’ rankings, and the 1,600 largest brokerage firms in the United States.

The real estate agents are ranked in two categories:

  • Individual agent – Sales volume
  • Individual agent – Transaction sides (in each real estate transaction there are two sides that can be represented by a real estate agent; the buy side and the selling side)

For Individuals by Volume, in Iowa, two Mel Foster Co. agents ranked in the top ten:

  • Geri Doyle, Davenport I-74 office, ranked #2
  • Brad Boeye, Kimberly Road office, ranked #3

For Individuals by Sides, in Iowa, eight Mel Foster agents ranked out of 101:

  • Lucky Lang II, Davenport I-74 office, ranked #6
  • Brad Boeye, Davenport Kimberly Road office, ranked #12
  • Geri Doyle, Davenport Kimberly Road office, ranked #39
  • Mary Leslie Douglas, Clinton office, ranked #43
  • Sara Smith, Davenport I-74 office, ranked #49
  • Dee Shepherd, Clinton office, ranked #54
  • Robert Allmandinger, Clinton office, ranked #71
  • Candy Reaves, Davenport I-74 office, ranked #85

For Individuals by Sides, in Illinois, five Mel Foster Co. agents ranked out of 254:

  • Diana Franks, Geneseo office, ranked #80
  • Peggy Tossell, Kewanee office, ranked #104
  • Sara Varner, Galesburg office, ranked #116
  • Ty Johnson, Galesburg office, ranked #182
  • Paula Nabb, Moline office, ranked #204

“Having our agents recognized on REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents list, shows Mel Foster Co. agents are dedicated to their industry, their business and their clients.  They are part of an elite group of real estate agents across the country.  Many of our agents have made the list for consecutive years,” said Lynsey Engels, Mel Foster Co.’s President Real Estate Brokerage.


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