RE/MAX Edge in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood continues to grow and expand, especially in light of its recent merger with RE/MAX NorthCoast, an established brokerage in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. The merger will strengthen the brokerage’s position in the Chicago real estate market.

RE/MAX Edge, owned and managed by broker/owner Mark Zipperer will remain at its office located at 3843 N. Broadway Ave. Zipperer, who has owned this office since 2005 and has more than eight years experience in the housing industry, will continue to run this office.

Not only will the merger create a stronger real estate brokerage, but, the consolidation will also result in lower overhead costs and increased profitability and productivity for the newly expanded office.

The move became official in late March when the agents of RE/MAX NorthCoast moved into the RE/MAX Edge office. Connie Abels, the former broker/owner of RE/MAX NorthCoast, also made the move, and is working at RE/MAX Edge as a broker associate. She will also serve as a mentor to her fellow agents in the office. Abels comes with extensive experience having owned and managed a real estate office since 1987.

“After nearly 25 years of owning and managing a real estate office, I am looking forward to being able to do the part of real estate that I enjoy most, listing, marketing and selling real estate, plus having some free time to pursue other passions,” Abels said in a statement.

The merger brings 30 new listings and six new agents to RE/MAX Edge, strengthening the already successful brokerage. With this infusion of new agents, the office is expected to notch $50 million in sales volume in 2011.

“I’m very excited to work with Connie,” Zipperer said in a statement. “She and her team have a phenomenal reputation for serving clients on the North Side of the city.”

Both Zipperer and Abels say that the merger will make RE/MAX Edge an even stronger force in the Chicago real estate market. The office’s agents will serve an area stretching from downtown Chicago through suburban Evanston.

“This merger will allow RE/MAX Edge to continue to expand its operations and market share in the city of Chicago,” Zipperer said. “Most importantly, it will allow us to prepare for the recovery of the housing market over the next few years.”