Rhea Simms, chair of the board of Lewith & Freeman Real Estate, said there is nothing more gratifying than finding the right home for clients and helping them make home ownership a reality.
And Lewith & Freeman has done just that — celebrating 100 years of serving Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“Celebrating our 100th year serving the buyers and sellers of Northeastern Pennsylvania is an extraordinary moment for all of us at Lewith & Freeman,” said Virginia S. Rose, Lewith & Freeman CEO. “We are proud to recognize our company’s growth and the achievements of Lewith & Freeman’s talented Realtors.
“We thank our clients and our communities for the confidence they place in us. As we look to the future with steadfast commitment, we will continue to provide elevated service, innovative technology and collaboration of sales, training and business development to ensure our Realtors meet the changing needs of today’s clients.
“We are honored to be the leading real estate choice for generations of families, their friends and the businesses of Northeastern PA.”
In July, Lewith & Freeman held an outdoor event celebrating 100 years connecting buyers and sellers, following all CDC and local guidelines.
“The event was a way for us to celebrate our skilled professionals.” said Rhea Simms, Chair of the Board at Lewith & Freeman. “They have reacted quickly to the evolving real estate market and helped the home and business owners in NEPA buy or sell what is in most cases the single most important asset of their lifetime.
“We are humbled by the community support for the past 100 years and look forward to continuing L&F’s journey with the best Realtors in the business. The key to our strength is our independent status and ability to change rapidly to our Realtor and client needs along with market conditions.”
Company history
The original business was opened in 1921 by Ed Lewith & Martin Freeman and later owned by nephew Robert Casper.
The firm changed direction in 1986, under the helm of a new family and current owners Rhea Simms and her daughters Virginia Rose, Margaret Simms and Emma Kluger.
In 1986, Rhea Simms and Virginia Rose had a mutual goal to grow the business, from a one-office and eight-agent company into the market leader it has become.
Lewith & Freeman has grown to be a household name across the region and now has 110 Realtors and seven offices serving all regions of NEPA, including Clarks Summit, Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley/Honesdale, Wilkes-Barre, Back Mountain, Drums, Kingston, Hazleton and Mountain Top.
The current owners credit the company’s success to the talented Realtors that provide residential, commercial, land and industrial real estate services to their regional communities throughout the decades. L&F’s business platform attracts unrivaled talent and has the highest percentage of top selling Realtors in the region.
Rose commented,“This synergy is exemplified by L&F‘s recent expansion into new markets and the addition of 10-plus agents in 2021.“
A solid team
As the largest independently owned and operated Real Estate Company in NEPA, Lewith & Freeman has sold more homes in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton and surrounding area than any other real estate company, representing buyers and sellers through hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions.
“Our Realtors’ high standards of service is the key to success,” Rose said. “We take great pride the top Realtors in the region choose L&F. We are led by a dynamic executive team, experienced administration and the finest support staff allowing our Realtors to focus on their clients and grow their business.”
Rose said L&F’s Realtor professionals are well respected locally and nationally for their service and innovation. Year after year they are voted the best by the readers of the Times Leader, Dallas Post and Abington Journal and more. They have won countless awards from the GWB Chamber of Commerce and national level recognition from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Luxury Portfolio and RealTrends.
Rose and Simms said adaptation is essential to any company’s success, especially in a fast-paced real estate market. They recognized the value of a strong digital footprint more than a decade ago. They invested in a full digital marketing strategy, including the creation of HomeFinder on Lewith-Freeman.com.
Lewith & Freeman has listed and sold more homes in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area than any other real estate company – representing buyers and sellers in millions of dollars of transactions.
“Real Estate is always exciting,” Rose said. “It is the single most important asset most people own in a lifetime. In addition to the financial benefit and security home ownership provides, most home owners experience immeasurable personal enjoyment, memory building and peace of mind.
“Our growth and success is a direct result of Lewith & Freeman’s talented sales team. It is their hard work, commitment to customer satisfaction and skillful approach to new technology that has made the difference.”
Lewith-Freeman.com was recently awarded the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s 2020-2021 Website Quality Certificate for meeting rigorous standards in website excellence. Lewith-Freeman.com is a leading digital platform with engagement from both local and national buyers and sellers. L&F has invested heavily in their platform to create predictive analytics to connect buyers to their dream home virtually with just a few clicks.
Lewith & Freeman has local, national and international affiliations with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a global network of 500-plus independent real estate companies with 3,500 offices and 120,000 associates in 50 countries. With this luxury component, Luxury Portfolio International®, homes get marketing and exposure all over the world. Lewith & Freeman is a participating member of Military On the Move offering discounted services to those who have served and active members of the United States armed forces
