Empire Real Estate

Eighteen Google ratings, every one of them a five. That's the headline number at Empire Real Estate, an independently owned Lawrence brokerage — and the asterisk is that the written reviews behind it all date to 2022 and 2023, with nothing added since. The firm describes itself as a team of consultants listing and selling residential, multi-family and commercial property across the Merrimack Valley and Essex County, with George Silva as Broker of Record, Greilyn Silva as President, and six named consultants. Its stated territory runs Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, Dracut, Andover and North Andover, Lowell, Chelmsford, Groveland, Ballardvale, and into Boston. The praise that accumulated is unusually person-centered. Clients writing about the brokerage overwhelmingly wrote about one broker by name, describing him as patient with questions and clear about what comes next in the process — the recurring theme is someone explaining the steps rather than rushing to a signature. Sellers described being walked through prep and listing; one long-standing client wrote about years of repeat work on investment property. It reads as a relationship practice, not a volume shop. What you can't tell from any of this is how the office runs today. The written history is dated, and a brokerage with six consultants means the person you're assigned matters more than the sign on the door — the reviews say a lot about one broker and comparatively little about the rest of the team. The site lists license #BB3301 for the firm. That's the company's own posting, not something checked against the state registry, so verify current standing for both the brokerage and your individual agent with Massachusetts before you sign a listing or buyer agreement. A sensible call if you're buying or selling in Lawrence and the surrounding Merrimack Valley towns, especially for multi-family property where local knowledge earns its keep. Ask which consultant would handle you, ask for their recent closings in your price range and town, and confirm the commission and listing terms in writing up front.