By Chelsea Lameira

Former Keller Williams agents are pleased to join Coldwell Banker.

Although there has been some controversy and negative feedback around the acquisition of four Keller Williams offices by Coldwell Banker, several agents describe the transition from Keller Williams to Coldwell Banker as a positive experience.

Former Keller Williams agents Blake Golden, along with his team The Stryker Group, and Gene Biondi, recently became two of several additions to the Coldwell Banker family.

Biondi got his start in real estate at almost 50 years old after he quit the family business, a restaurant he had opened himself, to follow his dreams. Biondi studied architecture at the University of Chicago and it was his passion, so he decided to take a real estate class and got his license.

Although he found his real estate identity at Keller Williams, he is thrilled to call Coldwell Banker his new home.

“I could not believe the new Coldwell Banker.” Biondi said. “I was the most excited person in the world.” Biondi is very excited about all of the support that he is now getting from his new coworkers at Coldwell Banker, adding that the brokerage has made the transition as easy as possible and has been extremely supportive throughout his adjustment period.

“It’s been awesome, my broker Andy has been great,” said Biondi, adding that he is also happy to have increased Internet exposure and an improved market at Coldwell Banker.

While Biondi says that most of the Keller Williams agents hadn’t ever pictured themselves at Coldwell Banker, they are glad to be working in a supportive and enthusiastic environment.

Golden, a Chicago native and University of North Dakota graduate, and his team The Stryker Group, was with Keller Williams for about a year and a half. While he liked the network there, he says that his team is better off at Coldwell Banker. At Coldwell Banker, he and his team have access to more resources than they had at Keller Williams. He says the amount of resources at Coldwell Banker is similar to the plethora of resources at @properties.

In addition, a lot of familiar faces at Coldwell Banker have helped ease the transition for Golden and his team. “We kind of brought our Keller Williams family to Coldwell Banker, so it wasn’t like going from one place to a whole new one,” he said. “I was skeptical at first, but I kept an open mind.”

Like Biondi, Golden is a fan of the support that he and his team are now getting at Coldwell Banker, and while the acquisition was a surprise, Coldwell Banker is a good fit for him and his team.

“So far, everything has been very positive overall,” Golden said.