Combination creates universal automation and translation of commercial real estate lifecycle across methodologies and borders.
HOUSTON and LONDON— November 29, 2006—Two leading providers of software solutions to the commercial real estate industry, Houston-based Realm Business Solutions and Circle Software of London, today announced the merging of their respective firms into one global entity.
“This powerful combination of people, markets and technology will immediately provide the commercial real estate community with an unprecedented offering of market-proven products that from dirt to disposition fully automate the real estate lifecycle. Now our customers can use the predominant methodologies and languages employed in their marketplace to create data which is transparent enough to be consumed in the global market” says Mark Kingston, president and CEO of Realm Business Solutions.
The plan, he explains, is to evolve the current product suite as well as develop additional products that will further connect the industry in terms of workflow, data, languages and procedures, which in turn will provide the industry with unimaginable productivity and access to transactions and markets.
According to Jeffrey D. Fisher, a professor at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business who uses ARGUS in his textbooks and courses, "the merger of Realm with Circle will result in more standardized appraisal reports facilitating cross-border comparisons of commercial real estate investments on a consistent basis."
Based in London, Circle Software was founded in 1990 by Adrian Katz, a designated member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Circle’s flagship product is Visual Investor, a property and portfolio valuation software program that is the current industry standard in the UK and is broadly used in many countries within continental Europe and the Asia Pacific region where the UK capitalization approach is employed. Circle also produces and markets Circle Developer, the worldwide standard for development appraisals.
“The combination of Realm’s products with those offered by Circle provides a comprehensive and powerful suite of solutions that bridges the gaps and enables highly efficient data integration and exchange across multiple markets,” says Katz. “This is a powerful and important event. Our clients will see great benefits from the emergence of a truly global real estate partner.”
Realm’s flagship product, ARGUS, is the industry standard among those countries and companies that employ the discounted cash flow (DCF) methodology to value real estate assets. Pioneered and made popular in the US, DCF methodology is quickly gaining the endorsement of many international standards organizations and universities. Realm’s product suite also includes popular tools for property management, portfolio management and budgeting, automated leasing, business intelligence and collaboration and workflow management.
“Our newly integrated development team will be working tirelessly to meet and exceed the product roadmap currently in place for both Realm and Circle’s products,” notes Kingston. “This complements our strategy to connect platforms, people and processes. The industry is calling out for global transparency and interoperability among its players, and we intend to answer the call.”
This transaction was completed with assistance from Realm’s private equity partners, Insight Venture Partners and Lightyear Capital. Sparring Partners served as advisor to Circle Software.
All Realm and Circle products including ARGUS, DYNA, BUDGET, CTI, INSIGHT, LEASE, Circle Developer, Circle Budget, Circle Multiview, Visual Investor and Circle Data Center will continue to be developed and supported by the organization’s new global team. The combined company will now have offices in the following cities: London, Houston, Vancouver, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Dallas, Tokyo and Princeton. Additionally Realm and Circle have partners and a presence in South Africa, Korea and China
Media Contacts
Global Media Contact:
Jennifer Brenner Andrade
Vice President of Marketing
Realm Business Solutions
Tel: 1-713-341-3630
jandrade@realm.com
EMEA Media Contact:
Claudia Wieninger MBA
Sales & Marketing Manager
Circle Software
Tel: (UK Local) 08456 440 440 (International. +44 20 8906 4059)
claudiaw@argussoftware.com
About Realm Business Solutions
Realm Business Solutions, Inc. provides software and services that enable its customers to better manage the financial and operational performance of their real estate portfolios. More than 8,000 of the industry's leading owners, managers, financial institutions and REITs trust Realm solutions to improve the visibility and flow of information throughout their critical business processes. Realm is the developer of such industry standard products as ARGUS, BUDGET, CTI, DYNA, INSIGHT and LEASE.
Visit Realm's website to learn more about these solutions: www.realm.com |
About Circle Software
Circle Software Ltd specializes in the creation of dedicated software programs for investors, developers, agents, brokers, managers, owners and operators of virtually all types of portfolio and property transactions, valuations and analysis. The company places great emphasis on its renowned support and training services that ensures clients gain the maximum benefit from its product range including VisualInvestor, VisualDeveloper, CircleDeveloper, CircleMultiview, CircleBudget, CircleDataCenter and CircleConnect.
Further information can be found on the website www.argussoftware.com |
|
