A quarter-century is a long time to spend in the real estate business.
Thirty-four years is even longer. That’s how long Larry Holen and Frank Wehrstein have been at it, respectively. And with nearly 60 years between them, it’s safe to say they’ve learned a thing or two.
Two months ago, Holen officially merged Pioneer Real Estate with Wehrstein’s Dickerson & Nieman Realtors, bringing 20 agents with him.
Holen started Pioneer Real Estate nearly 20 years ago as the real estate arm for a local developer.
“We were involved in development projects, subdivisions, new construction, subsidized housing, and we were involved in office space,” Holen said. “We did that for about six or seven years.”
Holen later broke away from the development side of the business and grew Pioneer into an independent agency with a property management division, running it with his wife, Julie, for nearly 15 years.
Holen said he explored opportunities to join a franchise or national firm before he and Wehrstein started talking about how their industry experience would allow them to create a “one-stop shop” for real estate in Rockford and northern Illinois.