RE/MAX Accord Opens its New Rockford Office

RE/MAX Accord welcomed in 2008 by opening its new office at 7062 Walton St., Rockford, Ill., on Jan. 2. The office is located adjacent to the intersection of East State Street and Perryville Road, one of the busiest intersections in the Rockford metro area.

The new office marks a major expansion into the Rockford market for RE/MAX Accord, which is operated by broker/owners Debbie Maxvold and Terry White. The firm’s other office is Bloomingdale, Ill., in the western suburbs of Chicago.

The major reason for the move to Rockford, according to Maxvold, is the ongoing working relationship between RE/MAX Accord and Hallmark Homes, a Rockford-based homebuilder with six active developments, four in Loves Park, Ill., and one each in Rockford and Roscoe, Ill. Several more are slated to open later this year. RE/MAX Accord handles the marketing of all Hallmark Homes communities.

A second reason for the expansion, she reports, is the growing connection between the Rockford and Chicago markets.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen more and more people who work in the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago moving to the Rockford area because they then can buy a lot more home for their money,” says Maxvold.

“We expect that trend to continue for a couple of reasons. More employers are locating along the I-90 corridor west of the Fox River, and Metra rail service will connect Rockford to downtown Chicago, probably within four to five years,” she said.

The new RE/MAX Accord office will offer 12 privates suites for agents who want to base their operations there, as well as telecommuting facilities for other agents who prefer to have their main offices at home.

“Agents working from home is an important trend in our business, and we’ve designed our office to accommodate it,” said White. The new office features state-of-the art technology and workspace design, and it is already home to five agents and a two-person support staff. White and Maxvold say they will share the managerial duties at the new office so that each spends considerable time in Rockford.

“We view the timing of this move as quite favorable because the Rockford area has shown real resilience in the face of the housing market slowdown compared to many other areas,” said White. “A key reason seems to be the affordability factor. Unlike many other places, homes in Rockford are still priced within reach of the average family.”