Norfolk property management firm promotes president, principal broker

John Chandler has been promoted to president and principal broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Property Management, the Norfolk-based real estate firm announced Wednesday.

Chandler was previously director of facilities and compliance for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty and chief operating officer of the property management division, according to his LinkedIn profile. He succeeds his sister-in-law, Lisa Chandler, who announced her retirement in October 2023.

“We are thrilled to announce John’s well-deserved promotion to president and principal broker. His experience and leadership and unwavering dedication to excellence will propel our company’s progress,” J. Van Rose Jr., Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne’s executive chairman of the board, said in a statement.

Chandler helped coordinate the 2019 merger of Rose & Womble Realty with Chandler Realty and Chandler Property Management and the 2023 merger of Rose & Womble Realty, Rose & Womble Chandler Property Management and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The combined firm is backed by TowneBank and is part of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway luxury real estate franchise network. Its property management portfolio has more than 2,700 units and 16 property managers in Eastern Virginia, according to a news release.

Chandler entered the real estate industry after 23 years in the U.S. Navy, which he retired from as a captain. In 2005, he joined the real estate firm his mother founded in 1974, Nancy Chandler Associates, as chief operating officer. In 2017, the firm rebranded as Chandler Realty.

In 2019, Chandler became director of facilities and compliance for Rose & Womble Realty and chief operating officer of Rose & Womble and Chandler Property Management, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Chandler holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Military Institute and a master’s degree in national security strategy from the National War College. He serves on the Real Estate Information Network’s board of directors, which governs the multiple listing service for the Hampton Roads region.