Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, July 26, 1994                 TAG: 9407260283
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: By MYLENE MANGALINDAN, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   62 lines

STRIKING A REAL DEAL ON AUG. 1, ROSE & KRUETH MERGES WITH JEANNE WEST & ASSOCIATES. THE DEAL WILL PUT THE NEW COMPANY INTO HAMPTON ROADS' TOP FOUR.

   You could call the merger the result of divine guidance.
   J. Van Rose, president of Rose & Krueth Realty Corp., had been looking for 
a Beach office for two years. Jeanne West, owner of Jeanne West & Associates, 
which specializes in prime beach-area properties, had been looking to get back
into the daily buying and selling side of the business.
   Each shared his and her quest with the pastor of First Baptist Church in 
Norfolk - who recognized a good pairing when he saw one. After an introduction
from the pastor, a 15-minute phone call and a few meetings, the principals of 
the two residential real estate firms decided to merge their companies.
   The resulting company, which will operate as Rose and Krueth, will be among
the four largest real estate brokerages in Hampton Roads.
   Rose & Krueth specializes in the sales of existing-home sales and new 
homes. Jeanne West & Associates specialized in resales.
   The timing of the merger, Van Rose said, couldn't be better. Three of his 
agents are waiting to move to a Beach office and two more are joining the 
company soon, he said.
   Rose & Krueth now operates five offices with 200 agents and 35 people on 
staff. Jeanne West & Associates, which opened in 1986, has 13 agents. The 
merger, which took only about three weeks to plan, will become final Aug. 1.
   Jim Rose, CEO of the 21-year-old firm, thinks the merger with West will 
raise his company in the next year from its No. 4 ranking in sales in South 
Hampton Roads to a spot in the top three. More important, says his son, Van, 
the merger will give his residential real estate company a stronger presence 
in beachfront property sales.
   ``Our objective is have an influence in the beach area,'' Van Rose said.
   West's agency has been strongest in areas where Rose & Krueth have been 
weak. That includes the Virginia Beach neighborhoods of Hilltop to the beach, 
Middle Plantation and Great Neck.
   West was attracted to Rose & Krueth because of its services for both agents
and clients, the firm's reputation and its innovation in terms of 
profit-sharing, a program called Career Alliance.
   The program allows the top 20 percent of sales agents in each office to 
participate in management decisions. They also share a portion of a particular
office's sales profits as opposed to that of the entire firm. This allows 
agents to see the results of their own work.
   West described the new commission structure as ``innovative.''
   ``It's not run in the antiquated way real estate offices are traditionally 
run,'' she said.  ``We're in an age that requires new programs to help agents 
and help them in their jobs.''
   Rose agrees: ``If the entire company is thinking about profitability, 
agents become more involved with making the office work.'' 

ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
          MYLENE MANGALINDAN/STAFF
          Looking forward to the Aug. 1 merger of their companies, and a 
          larger share of business at the beachfront: J. Van. Rose, of Rose & 
          Kreuth, and Jeanne West of Jeanne West & Associates.
          

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