Buddy Norman, with nearly two decades of experience, tellsGlobeSt.com that the new group initially will have 1,000 brokers,all coming from Keller Williams' existing network of 75,000 agents."These agents did commercial deals with residential clients, butthey were under the radar from a national standpoint," he explains."We'll provide the tools, branding and training and brand thecommercial division separate from the residential."

Norman says he also will recruit commercial brokers from otherhouses. "We believe that once we roll out this division, we'll bean attractive home for agents at other firms," he says.

Norman says the move to commercial was driven by KellerWilliams' clients. He explains that as residential brokers forgedrelationships with home sellers and homebuyers, they learned theirclients also had business, investment properties and other types ofreal estate. Norman says Keller Williams' management tired ofseeing commercial business going to other firms and decided tobuild an in-house division to address that need.