Barrington Realty Company Merges With RE/MAX Of Barrington

Barrington Realty Company, of Barrington, Ill., one of the oldest and most respected real estate brokerages in northwest Cook County, has merged with RE/MAX of Barrington. The merger took effect Oct. 22.

The combined organization will be headquartered at 306 Northwest Hwy., the long-time main office of RE/MAX of Barrington. Paul Wells, who joined RE/MAX of Barrington in 1987, will remain broker/owner of the firm.

As a result of the merger, RE/MAX expects to significantly increase its leadership position in the Barrington market where it already holds the No. 1 ranking, according to Wells.

"Barrington Realty has been an outstanding firm known for its productivity and integrity,” said Wells. “We are thrilled to have them on our RE/MAX of Barrington team. We believe the combined organization will offer an unsurpassed level of service.”

Mary Williams and Carolyn McGregor, the two principals of Barrington Realty, will remain active in the newly merged firm. Williams’ father, Herb Walbaum, founded Barrington Realty in 1950, and the firm had been at its current location in the historic Robertson Building, 145 W. Main St., since 1974. That building, erected in 1890, has been acquired by the Village of Barrington and will play a central role in the planned redevelopment of downtown Barrington.

"Our roots in the community are very deep, and by merging with Paul Wells’ office, we are in a position to grow even stronger,” said Williams. “We have always admired the way Paul runs his organization, and we recognize the value and the resources that come with the RE/MAX brand, both in our local market and around the world.”

Williams has been a licensed real estate professional for 22 years, while McGregor has been in the business for 30 years.

"What Mary and I are doing,” said McGregor, “is closing the doors of our old office but keeping the doors of our real estate careers very much open. We are just stepping away from the management aspect of the business so that we can focus more on our work with clients, which is the part of this business we both enjoy most. Helping people buy and sell homes can be wonderfully rewarding work.”