Realtor Donna Ruffino has made a major move from top producing sales associate to owner of a major real estate franchise. Now a member of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. (WREA), Weichert Realtors®  - Ruffino Real Estate, located 406 West Hartford Street in Milford, is the ninth WREA office to open in Pennsylvania. The company is one of more than 500 Weichert® franchised and company owned offices in 37 states, with nearly 18,000 sales associates. Ruffino has named Gregory Vannatta as Broker of Record. Together with a professional sales team, the company serves the communities of Milford, Dingmans Ferry, Matamoras, Shohola, Lackawaxen, Greeley, Lords Valley, Mill Rift and Westfall.

"This partnership enables me to show other people how to do what I do, to come from where I came -- and succeed." In additional to mentoring, she pointed to the systems, tools, training and outreach that attracted her to the franchise company. An already successful up-the-ranks real estate professional, Ruffino said that "being part of an organized team affords me the ability to prosper on my own, while benefiting from outstanding support."

In addition to the traditional residential and commercial menu of services "now greatly enhanced by being a Weichert office," she said, her company is also uniquely qualified to specialize in new construction homes, house/lot packages, builder spec homes, resale homes, lakefront properties, vacant land, acreage and farms. They also work with first-time home buyers and are able to assist buyers with various $0 down-payment or low down-payment government programs.

A long time resident and mother of two sons, Ruffino has an impressive background that began in 1995. She started out selling house/lot packages for builders, then went into general real estate and began breaking records, including "Top Rookie" in her first year and "Top Producer" in her second. Maintaining the top Realtor position in the real estate community, Ruffino was instrumental in opening and establishing a successful local branch office for a major agency, following which she made two acclaimed career moves with other companies before going out on her own and franchising.

"The community is going to realize great service from the Weichert Realtors® Ruffino Real Estate team."