As is, Guardian Management's SVN franchise includes sevenoffices in SoCal and one in Phoenix that are operating withapproximately 200 brokers. Brenneke says Osbrink will play a keyrole in the company's effort "to build on the existing Sperry VanNess market share in Southern California and Arizona whileexpanding [its] presence in Oregon and other key US markets."

"It's different [from what I was doing at G&E] from thestandpoint that I'm a principal here; the fact that I could getinvolved in a number of different ways was intriguing," Osbrinktells GlobeSt.com. "My primary focus will be to look internally atwhat we have right now, stabilize the core business and then lookat growth opportunities."In July, when GlobeSt.com first reportedon the acquisition, Guardian Management was exclusively an ownerand manager of 130 apartment properties in seven states thatheretofore only provided brokerage services to its apartmentclients, and only on a limited basis. The acquisition was aboutdiversification, Brenneke told GlobeSt.com.

"Our play is essentially to take the time here with the marketslow, while the velocity is slow, to improve systems and proceduresand get some recruiting done; we are going to do a lot ofrecruiting," Brenneke told GlobeSt.com. "We are going to hire thebest talent we can at all levels for all property types and breathenew life into this thing and really energize it."