William Raveis Real Estate Celebrates 50 Years In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — Bill Raveis, the founder, Chairman and CEO of the Southport-based William Raveis Real Estate empire, remembers the first house he sold.

"I sure do," Raveis told Patch. "It was a $39,000 house on Stratfield Road in Fairfield. I still have a picture of it in my office."

That sale was 50 years ago, when Raveis, then only 27 years old, started what has now become a $15 billion behemoth, with more than 140 offices in nine states, and 5,000 agents.

"I wanted to build a company and have a family legacy," Raveis said. "And now, we're the largest independent real estate agency in the Northeast and Florida."

On Thursday, the company celebrated its 5oth anniversary, with a small ceremony at its Post Road headquarters, where Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber read a proclamation in honor of Raveis and the company:

Friday, June 7, 2024, is "William Raveis Day" in Fairfield.

"A town is known by its neighborhoods, its homes and its people," Gerber said in a prepared statement. "There may be no more important business in a municipality than a local real estate office, where the realtors know the history and the streets, the beaches and the parks, the schools and the businesses. For 50 years, William Raveis Real Estate has offered that kind of intimate knowledge to both sellers and buyers, and has been a respected, integral part of the Town of Fairfield. I am proud to proclaim June 7, 2024 William Raveis Day."

Raveis started the company in 1974 in a rented office above the former Mercurio’s Market in downtown Fairfield.

He told Patch that he was born in Bridgeport, but a robbery there when he was young, in which he was stabbed in the chest, convinced him to move, settling in Fairfield where he has lived ever since.

"Fairfield is a great town to do business in," Raveis said.

When he started the business, Raveis had the then-radical idea to make the agents the customer, in essence to help them make money.

"I knew that if the agents make money, I'll make money," he said. "We reinvented the industry."

His sons, Chris and Ryan, are now co-presidents of the company, of which Raveis is very proud.

"It's a family business, not just my family, but everyone who works with us," he said. "We're not going anywhere."

Raveis added, "We are thrilled by William Raveis Day. It’s a very special feeling to have the town where I grew up and raised a family recognize our family business. We’ve beaten the odds, surviving eight recessions, to achieve this 50-year milestone. Success comes down to having great people to help you grow and innovate over the years. I’m grateful to all of them, and to the millions of people who have relied on us to provide exceptional real estate services for a half century."