Realtor Foerg departs Surovell, joins Reinhart
Posted by mtkolar January 10, 2008 01:30AM
Categories: Commercial real estate

Dawn FoergAn apparent falling out at Edward Surovell Realtors has led to the departure of 20-year veteran and vice president Dawn Foerg for rival Charles Reinhart Co.
There are two versions of how the events unfolded:

Foerg said she was "terminated."

"We had different views of what the future might look like," she said.

Yet Edward Surovell, president of the firm bearing his name, said she left because of unspecified company policy issues.

"The reasons for the end of employment had to do with company policy," he said.

Foerg's last day at Surovell was Dec. 20, and she started at Reinhart on Jan. 2. She previously worked there from 1979-1987 when it was known as Caldwell and Reinhart, and her past work with Reinhart President Dave Lutton helped the move come together quickly.

She is residential sales manager of a new Ann Arbor office, where the company is planning to hire 25-30 agents as it narrows its strategy to focus on the still-healthy city market.

The location hasn't been determined yet for the office, which would be Reinhart's fourth in Ann Arbor. It will likely be located close to an existing office and serve the south and southwest markets of the city, Lutton said.

The new site would be Reinhart's eighth overall in the region.

Foerg will temporarily operate out of the company's headquarters on Green Road.

She doesn't expect Surovell clients to defect to Reinhart, because as general sales manager since 1996, she hasn't been actively involved in listing and selling homes recently.

Foerg had hired one agent as of last week: her son, Nate. He also had worked at Surovell.

Lutton said Reinhart sees opportunity within the city limits, as outlying areas continue to suffer in the slow economy.

"We think Ann Arbor is going to be the first place that improved performance occurs," Lutton said.

Reinhart and Surovell are among Ann Arbor's largest residential Realtors, and both are independent firms in a business dominated by franchises. Lutton said he has no plans to close any of Reinhart's offices.

Surovell, however, closed its Saline office at the end of September and shuttered its mortgage lending business in October. It now has eight offices and two satellite facilities.

Edward Surovell said he plans to fill Foerg's position in about a month.