Teams on the Move: Compass, eXp, Elliman land new teams
Instagram-favorite Upstate Curious moves to Compass, eXp lands 129-member Kevo Properties team, Giles Group joins Elliman, Compass teams form partnership.
Editor's note: Here we highlight top agent teams that have joined new brokerages or formed partnerships as they look to grow their business.
Austin-based Giles Group moves to Douglas Elliman Realty
Douglas Elliman Realty announced this week that the four-person Giles Group of Austin has been recruited to help bolster the firm's presence in the Texas capital.
Led by Wade Giles, the team also includes Arion Crenshaw, Jessica Philpot and Colton Reid.
According to Elliman, the Giles Group currently boasts $30 million in active listings across the Austin region. Giles himself, who has over $325 million in transactions under his belt, was the top agent in the high-demand 78704 ZIP code, which includes the Travis Heights, Zilker and Bouldin Creek neighborhoods, among others.
Giles, who is also an avid equestrian, said in a statement that he "couldn't be more excited" to be a part of Elliman's growth in Texas.
eXp scores 129-agent Kevo Properties team
Steve Burris, along with his 129-agent Kevo Properties team, has joined eXp Realty, the brokerage announced in April. In 2022, the team closed over 2,500 sales with a value of $487 million.
According to Burris, who is based in Oklahoma City, the move made sense from both a logistical and financial perspective, especially after running an independent team for the last 13 years.
"I line up with what Glenn believes in — agents. We spend a lot of time training and educating people," he said in the announcement.
Burris also believes that the traditional brokerage model can be demoralizing and financially risky for new agents, highlighting the fact that in his first year in business, he owed brokerage fees despite having sold only three houses.
"I don't care how [brokerages] look, they are all the same and do everything the same. It's a numbers game. There's a big chance you will leave, so they don't spend time on you," Burris said.
By moving to eXp, Burris said that he can focus more on recruiting, training and coaching.
Hudson Valley-focused Upstate Curious team joins Compass
The Upstate Curious team, which covers an 11-county territory across upstate New York, has officially joined Compass, the team announced to its 50,000 followers on Instagram.
"Get ready to see the power of a $1+ billion investment in a platform that's kind of mind boggling for us as agents," Upstate Curious CEO and founder Megan Brenn-White said in the post, highlighting several key reasons why she moved her team away from Keller Williams to the Compass flag. "As a client, you won't even see all the ways it's helping us help you, but your experience will be different."
The brokerage may be best known for its posts of whimsical, highly-designed A-frames and cabins throughout the Hudson Valley and Catskills, and they will continue their focus on sharing aspirational homes on social media, Brenn-White said. Founded in 2019, Upstate Curious has brokered over $250 million in deals, according to the team's website.
New York and Miami luxury teams form partnership
In an effort to bolster sales and client networks in both New York and Miami, two Compass teams have come together to announce a new partnership.
The Charlie Attias Team, led by Charlie Attias and Fabienne Lecole and based in Manhattan's posh Upper East Side, along with Miami's M Group, which is led by Mathieu Rochette and Matt Crane, have teamed up to share skills, expertise and contacts, which includes "a broad international and local client base in the thousands," according to a news release.
Combined, the two firms have closed $5 billion in sales, the announcement said.
In addition to experience in two of the hottest U.S. real estate markets, both teams claim to boast an expansive international client base. Members of the Charlie Attias Team speak eight languages; their diversity and ability to communicate with clients in their native language gives his team a "unique advantage in the industry and reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional service to our clients around the world," said Attias.