Anderson says the firm does not base its licensing choices on a potential partner's strengths in one property type or another but rather on the quality of its brokers and agents. "We always look at their roster of agents. The strength of any company is based on the agents," he says.

He says the firm that recently joined SVN in Chicago is located in the Loop and focuses on office product, with very little industrial. A firm it added north of Seattle, on the other hand, primarily handles industrial product. "If they're not strong in one product type or another, we can help them build their teams. What matters is the level of commitment they've shown to their business," he says.

Anderson reports SVN is adding about 30 to 40 firms per year to its practice, but says the company has managed to maintain strict qualifications for entry. "We are very selective," he declares. "We had one owner tell us it was harder to get into SVN than to get into military intelligence. We're that stringent."

According to Anderson, the firm, which has about 150 offices, seeks to break into the ranks of the top 10 brokerages within two to three years. It is looking to enter Dallas, Houston and Miami and increase its presence in Central New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic markets like Washington, DC. It is also seeking additional international opportunities. Anderson emphasizes that established foreign relationships would play a large role in its decisions about which firms to license under the SVN banner.