SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (November 1, 2007) — Last week, as Southern California reeled from the impact of rampant wildfires, Keller Williams Realty  leadership and associates in the area mobilized and initiated California Cares…The Power of One.  The program focused on ensuring the safety of all associates in the area, providing shelter and comfort to displaced families, and finally, getting back to business in a “smoky market.”

Spearheaded by Southern California Regional Director Belinda Barone, California Cares includes a training program designed to help associates tackle the already-slumping real estate market in Southern California, which has come to a stand still in the wake of the fires. More than 5,833 associates in 45 offices in the area are joining forces by focusing on training and committing to getting back to business.

Top-producing agents have come together to teach, inspire and answer questions throughout the regions. The training courses, offered at no cost to associates, dig deep into mindset, how the fires are effecting current transactions and answer any questions the associates may have. Barone also says that there will be a huge focus on lead generation — with compassion.

During difficult times, people unify most," says Barone. "Through California Cares we can give agents a direction and purpose to keep moving forward.”

Other components of California Cares include community outreach in the area, delivering clothes, house wares, and truckloads of other donated items to displaced families; fundraisers for Keller Williams Realty’s non-profit arm, KW Cares; and a weekly conference call with all regional leadership to keep the region working together to stay on track.

Chris Heller, operating principal of the Carmel Valley/ Del Mar office in San Diego, Calif., stresses that it is paramount to keep moving, despite market conditions and the natural disaster. “The best thing I can do for my associates, and the best thing we can do for each other, is stay productive.”

Tasha Manzano, team leader of the Carlsbad, Calif., market center says times like these remind her why she joined Keller Williams Realty. She says, "These are challenging times. But we are skilled people who have the capacity to rise to the occasion. The power of our vision, our values and our company will support us through this time."

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About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the fourth-largest real estate franchise operation in North America, with more than 650 offices and more than 77,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company’s agent-centric culture emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. Keller Williams Realty, which began franchising in 1990, places a high value on professional education, leading-edge technology and fostering its culture of caring. For more information, visit Keller Williams Realty online at (www.kw.com).