The Herman Group of metro Denver has joined the national ERA chain of residential real estate brokerage firms, expanding ERA’s Colorado and Florida presences.

Based in Denver, Herman was launched in 2004 by Roger Herman and now is called ERA Herman Group Real Estate, the companies said Tuesday.

“I looked around at different franchise models, but I was looking for one that was looking forward, not backward, [so that’s why we picked ERA],” Herman said Tuesday.

Herman added that he expects his company’s affiliation with ERA to help improve its technology. “We’re high tech and high innovation,” he said.

ERA Franchise Systems LLC of Parsippany, N.J., was started in 1971 and now has a network of 2,600 offices with more than 30,000 brokers and agents worldwide. Each office is independently owned and operated.

The New Jersey-based franchisor already had six Colorado locations before adding The Herman Group — one each in Longmont, Pueblo, Alamosa and Grand Lake plus two in Colorado Springs.

ERA CEO Charlie Young said his company wants to have a major presence in metro Denver, and thinks joining with The Herman Group will help achieve that goal. “With Roger coming on, we instantly have over 550 agents in the Denver marketplace,” Young said.

ERA franchisees’ total investment, including franchise fees and royalties, recently ranged from $47,500 to $210,00, according to WorldFranchising.com.

The Herman Group has nine Colorado offices located mostly in metro Denver but also in Cañon City, Loveland, Pueblo and Colorado Springs, as well as South Florida offices in Miami Lakes, Aventura, Holly and West Palm Beach. The company has one Wyoming branch in Cheyenne.