Founded in 1957 by Howard Hanna and Anne Freyvogel Hanna, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has grown from a single office in Pittsburgh into the largest family-owned and operated real estate brokerage in the United States. The company has maintained its family-driven culture across three generations, with current president and CEO Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV playing a central role in its long-term stability and growth.

Today, the firm is an integrated real estate services provider, offering brokerage, mortgage, insurance, title and relocation services under one umbrella. With a network of hundreds of offices across 16 states, Howard Hanna combines national scale with strong regional brands such as Allen Tate Realtors and The F.C. Tucker Company. And it has been on a growth trajectory, acquiring multiple brokerages and expanding into New York City in 2025 and into Philadelphia in early 2026. 

Hoby Hanna has become a leading voice on the topic of private listings, staking out a “middle ground” with HannaList, which makes listings available internally to its agents while abiding by the rules of local multiple listing services.

Geographic expansion will likely remain a key priority for Howard Hanna. Acquisitions in adjacent markets, specifically in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest and Southeast, allow its brands to scale. Recent moves into markets like Philadelphia show a focus on partnerships and acquisitions in high-value regions. These expansions typically come with the rollout of its full-service platform. 

Ongoing investments in technology, including property search, virtual showing and integrated marketing tools, position Howard Hanna to remain competitive as the industry shifts toward tech-forward and service-integrated brokerage models.

Howard Hanna is a real estate services organization under the broader Hanna Family of Companies umbrella. Its structure includes multiple business branches including residential brokerage, commercial real estate, mortgage lending, insurance, title and escrow services, and property management. 

Its property management branch, for example, represents more than 4,000 units across five states including single-family detached investors, multifamily, short-term, storage facilities and commercial. 

The organization also includes regional and specialty brokerage brands that keep their market identities while benefitting from a bigger pool of resources and shared infrastructure. This allows Howard Hanna to compete in diverse markets and adapt to regional dynamics.