ERA Key Realty Services

ERA Key’s Flannery Achieves Rare Milestone: Selling 1,000 Homes

SPENCER, Mass., Jan. 30, 2019 – ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge announced today that lifelong Spencer resident Donna Flannery, an agent in the Spencer office, recently joined an elite group of Realtors by selling her 1,000th home.

The average real estate agent sells 8.6 homes a year, according to statistics from Real Trends. A majority of new agents quit the business within two years, often without ever selling a home. Donna has sold 1,000 homes during a 27-year career in real estate, while also receiving awards for community service.

“Donna’s hard work and sales ability have placed her among the best Realtors in the business,” according to ERA Key President Cheryl Eidinger-Taylor. “She is consistently among our top agents and has been a standout since her first year with us.”

Donna worked for four years as the MLS supervisor for the Greater Worcester Board of Realtors before pursuing her license to sell real estate. She became a Realtor in 1992 at the former Hometown Real Estate and was named Rookie of the Year. She was her office’s top-selling agent from 1993 through 1998, finishing each year with the highest number of closed transactions and the dollar volume of homes sold. In 1999, she was one of four national finalists from more than 30,000 ERA agents for the Jim Jackson Memorial Service Award for Customer Satisfaction.

In 2007, she was the ERA Boston Broker Council Agent of the Year, with the highest dollar volume for homes sold and the largest number of transactions from more than 800 agents. In 2009, she again achieved the highest dollar volume and finished second for number of closed transactions.

She was in...

ERA Key Names Laffey Realtor in Billerica Office

BILLERICA, Mass., Jan. 25, 2019 – ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge announced today that Shelly Laffey of Billerica has joined ERA Key’s Billerica office as a Realtor.

Shelly previously was a Realtor at Burns & Egan Realty Group, LLC in Billerica. She worked as a hairdresser and in the shipping industry before opening Shelly’s Home Day Care 25 years ago. She attended Middlesex Community College in Lowell.

She worked part-time in real estate, but now that her children are grown, she’s making it a fulltime career.

“Now that my children are out of the house, it’s my turn to get involved with the community and make a difference,” she said. “I want to give back, because I have been blessed in so many ways.”

Shelly started her real estate career in 2015 after deciding to close the doors on her home day care. The career move stemmed from her ambition to be her own boss and the caring nature she's always had to help families find their dream home. As a long-time resident of Billerica, Shelly knows the neighborhood well. She can help pinpoint areas and, more important, get you into neighborhoods that fit your needs.

Outside of real estate, you can find Shelly around Billerica and surrounding towns, as she is a local dog sitter, and loves the outdoors and traveling, walking, hiking, swimming, skiing and biking. She especially likes to visit beaches.

“I’m excited about the knowledge and experience I’m going to get with ERA Key Realty Services,” Shelly said. “ERA Key has a reputation for having strong training programs and a team approach, with agents working together.”

About ERA Key Realty Services

ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge, Mass., has 14 offices throughout central and eastern...

ERA Key’s Zide Achieves Rare Milestone: Selling 1,000 Homes

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Jan. 22, 2019 – ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge announced today that Framingham resident Nelson Zide recently joined an elite group of Realtors by selling his 1,000th home.

The average real estate agent sells 8.6 homes a year, according to statistics from Real Trends. A majority of new agents quit the business within two years, often without ever selling a home. Nelson has sold 1,000 homes, while also serving in management roles, presenting to and training other real estate agents around the country, writing books and raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

“While Nelson has served as a principal and manager at ERA Key, his passion is selling – and it shows in his results,” according to ERA Key President Cheryl Eidinger-Taylor. “His hard work and sales abilities have earned him a place among the best Realtors in the business.”

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in 1975, Nelson was teaching social studies at Natick High School, studying for an MBA at Babson College, coaching basketball and serving as director of a day camp in Natick. His mother told him about changes in real estate licensing in Massachusetts and suggested that he obtain a license to sell real estate.

Real estate was in his family, as his grandparents were real estate agents and his grandmother was one of the first women to obtain a real estate license in 1960.

After obtaining his license, he approached a friend he played basketball with and asked if he needed another agent. He did and Nelson was hired.

“I figured I would give it a year,” he said. “I sold...

Falter Returns to ERA Key as Realtor in Spencer Office

SPENCER, Mass., Jan. 18, 2019 – ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge announced today that Brookfield resident Bob Falter has rejoined ERA Key’s Spencer office as a Broker Associate and Realtor.

He has 14 years of experience in real estate and spent more than five years at ERA Key before joining EXIT Real Estate Executives in Brookfield. He has been a certified Massachusetts real estate instructor since 2006 and has been an in-house trainer for six brokerage companies.

Bob is an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR); a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS); a Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI); a Military Relocation Professional (MRP), and a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES).

He is active in his community as a member of the Board of Assessors, the Capital Improvement Planning Committee and the Financial Advisory Committee for the Town of Brookfield. He earned his MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, and his doctoral degree from the Institute for Advanced Studies at Walden University.

Bob retired as a Captain (O-6) from the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service in 2001. After serving as a healthcare administrator, correctional health care administrator and licensed nursing home administrator, he made a career change to residential real estate in 2004. He volunteers at UMass Memorial Medical Center in the Pastoral Care Department.

He is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR), the REALTOR® Association of Central Massachusetts (RACM), the REALTOR Association of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) and the Real Estate Educators Association (REEA).

“It’s good to be back at ERA Key,” Bob said. “I’ve...

Fontaine Joins ERA Key as Realtor in Framingham Office

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Jan. 10, 2019 – ERA Key Realty Services of Northbridge announced today that Framingham resident Robert M. Fontaine has joined its Framingham office as a Realtor.

Previously, he was a private investigator for NWI Investigative Group, Inc. in Woburn, as well as a national trainer of private investigator. He also served as a recruiter of private investigators. Before that, he served as a private investigator for Capital Investigating in Manchester, N.H.

Before becoming a private investigator, Rob was a senior field claims specialist for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Westborough. He also served in various claims-related positions at Prudential Property & Casualty Insurance Company in Westborough, including associate manager of casualty claims. During his insurance career, he was an annual quality service award winner.

“My expertise in negotiations and settlements will help me assist buyers and sellers with one of the most important financial decisions of their lifetime,” he said. “I will strive to provide an enjoyable experience to clients throughout the process.”

He took courses toward an MBA at Suffolk University, Boston, and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with minors in sociology and criminal justice from the University of New Hampshire, Durham. He is an assistant coach for Framingham Youth Baseball.

Rob is a sports enthusiast, who enjoys coaching and watching his son play hockey and baseball. He also enjoys golfing and boating with his wife and friends in MetroWest and the New Hampshire Lakes Region.

“ERA Key has an amazing team of recognized professionals working in a family environment,” Fontaine said. “I appreciate having an opportunity to join them.”

About ERA...