Baird & Warner has opened a new branch in Naples, Florida. Although the Chicago-based brokerage has conducted some business in Wisconsin and Indiana, the move represents its first office outside of Illinois.

The new office is located at 4851 Tamiami Trail North, in the heart of downtown Naples.

Vice President and Managing Broker Bill Coduto, who has served as managing broker of Baird & Warner’s Barrington, Illinois office for the past 15 years, will now lead both branches in an expanded role. He has procured multiple board memberships within the state of Florida, and a Baird & Warner press release states that agents may now do business in multiple Florida market, including Naples, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.

Coduto has also assembled a Naples team made up of both Florida agents and Illinois agents who spend the winter in Florida. The balance is meant to accommodate for each market’s busy season as well as ensure helpful dual-market knowledge for homebuyers and sellers.

“The idea to expand to Florida developed very organically, as, over the years — and especially during the pandemic — many of our Chicagoland-area clients wanted a change and were looking for a primary or second home in Florida,” Coduto in the press release. “At the same time, we recognized several of our agents were licensed in both states, so we wanted to provide them with the ability to grow their business and help clients in both locations.”

“Our expansion to Florida is a testament to the strength of our independence — it gives us the unique ability to grow and thrive in any type of real estate market and go where our clients need us,” concluded Steve Baird, president and CEO of Baird & Warner.