The Century 21 brand is expanding its footprint in upstate New York through the affiliation of Sharon Quataert Realty, a family-operated boutique brokerage in Rochester. The firm, now operating as CENTURY 21 APEX, brings four decades of local market experience to the global real estate network while gaining access to its technology, marketing, and training resources.
Founded in 2015 by lifelong real estate professional Sharon Quataert, the brokerage has built its reputation on deep community connections and family leadership. Quataert, first licensed at age 21, has worked in the Rochester market for 40 years, progressing from solo producer to team leader and eventually franchise broker/owner before establishing her independent firm. Her children, Brittany and Brad Quataert, joined the business bringing backgrounds in accounting and insurance respectively, creating a multi-generational leadership team.
The affiliation decision was driven by the Quataerts' desire to provide enhanced resources to both agents and clients while expanding their brokerage's reach beyond their established local reputation. "Affiliating with a 50-year-old, established brand offers tremendous opportunity for our business," said Sharon Quataert. "I want to create a legacy bigger than myself; I've been fortunate enough to have an impact on the real estate industry in Rochester in a micro sense, but I believe that the CENTURY 21 brand is the key that can allow me to do so on a more macro scale."
According to Mike Miedler, president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate LLC, the family values demonstrated by the Quataerts align with the brand's core identity. "Sharon and her children represent the ideal family unit in real estate; knowledgeable, ambitious, and person-focused," said Miedler. "They and their agents operate on the same ideals that Century 21 Real Estate does, so we know this match is right for both sides."
Despite joining a global network, CENTURY 21 APEX maintains its hyperlocal identity with the mantra "We aren't just serving Rochester, we're rooted here." The brokerage employs several Rochester natives with connections to local charities, community organizations, and schools, offering what they describe as community insight only possible from a true homegrown business. This local expertise has supported thousands of Monroe County residents with diverse real estate needs including estate sales, new construction, first-time home buying, luxury properties, and some commercial transactions.
The affiliation provides CENTURY 21 APEX agents with access to the brand's world-class technology, marketing systems, lead generation capabilities, and agent development programs available through century21.com. The brokerage also gains visibility through the Century 21 network's approximately 11,000 offices across 79 countries and territories, while maintaining its independent ownership and operation.
For the Rochester market, the affiliation represents the intersection of global brand resources with deeply embedded local expertise. Rochester serves as a significant upstate New York hub with multiple colleges and universities, major employers, and recreational access to Lake Ontario, the Genesee River, and Letchworth State Park. CENTURY 21 APEX is positioned to leverage both its community connections and the Century 21 brand's recognition, which according to a 2024 Brand Health Study conducted by Kantar Group Limited, represents the most recognized name in real estate based on consumer awareness.
The brokerage is actively seeking new independent sales professionals to join their growing team, offering both new and experienced agents the combination of local market knowledge and global brand support. For home buyers and sellers, the affiliation promises enhanced resources while maintaining the personalized, relationship-focused approach that has characterized the Quataert family business for years.
