Brokerage Beat: News from Real, C21, The Agency, more 

Editor's note: The brokerage business is a busy one, with frequent moves, mergers and milestones. Here we highlight some of the latest activity among brokerages across the U.S.

Matt Lionetti departs The Agency for Real

Matt Lionetti, the Toronto-based agent who is best known for his social media presence and edgy humor, announced to his 65,000 Instagram followers this week that he is moving to The Real Brokerage. 

"I only ever do something if I'm all in, and I truly believe that Real is the future," Lionetti said in the post.

"I spent hours speaking with some of the most influential and well respected people in this industry, and one thing every conversation had in common was the mass amount of respect for Real and their leadership."

Lionetti said he hadn't planned to leave The Agency and was initially unsure about Real. "To be honest, when I first heard of Real I thought it was just another one of 'those' brokerages," he said. "I couldn't believe how wrong I was about the model and the vision."

He also said that Real's "amazing splits that allow you to net more, revenue share, stocks" and other benefits also played into the decision to move to the cloud-based brokerage.  

Two South Carolina firms join forces

Excel Real Estate, with offices across South Carolina in Columbia, Greenville and N. Charleston, is merging with Century 21 803 Realty, which serves the greater Columbia area.

Now operating as Century 21 Excel, the formerly unaffiliated brokerage will become part of a joint venture with Century 21 803 Realty. Combined, the firms will have more than 200 agents across six offices.

Excel, one of the largest Black-owned brokerages in South Carolina, was founded in 2014 by Candice McCuien and Kenny McCuien. The wife-and-husband duo will each now hold the title of executive vice president for Century 21 Excel. In addition to running her brokerage, Candice McCuien serves as the 2024 president-elect for the Central Carolina Realtors Association and is slated to lead the organization in 2025 — making her the first Black female president in the association's history.

She said the affiliation will help her agents expand their reach and gain access to resources that can improve their productivity.

Tim Williams, who owns 803 Realty, will take over ownership of Excel with the merger. 

Williams said the partnership is complementary, noting that "Candice and I have known each for a long time, and when we looked at how we both wanted to grow our presence in the state, we knew we could do more together."

The Agency launches fourth Long Island office

The Agency has announced its fourth office on Long Island, signifying the company's continued expansion across the greater New York metropolitan area.

The new office, The Agency Gold Coast Long Island, will be led by industry veterans Michael Smith and Donald Mastroianni.

Prior to joining The Agency, Smith was president and CEO of The SafeGuard Group where he managed over 400 residential transactions since 2017. He had also previously been a commodities trader for the New York Mercantile Exchange. Mastroianni had previously worked with Smith as CFO and COO of The SafeGuard Group.

Smith expressed enthusiasm for their partnership with The Agency and highlighted Long Island's Gold Coast as "an attractive location for buyers in search of a charming market that is in close proximity to the world's largest metropolis." 

The Agency's rapid global expansion positions it as one of the fastest-growing luxury boutique brokerages, the company said, noting that the brokerage had opened 27 new offices this year.

Veteran Austin broker joins @properties Christie's

Mary Anne McMahon, an Austin agent with over two decades of experience, has recently become a broker associate at the @properties Christie's International Real Estate Austin office. Since launching in September, the firm has grown to nearly 50 agents and expects a surge in volume to $500 million in the first quarter of 2024.

McMahon founded Posh Properties Group in 2009, scaling it to 10 agents. Her subsequent tenure at RE/MAX provided insights into evolving real estate technology, she said, adding that joining @properties Christie's International Real Estate will position her for continued success.

"This transition will enhance luxury real estate options for clients and developers in Austin while maintaining my original brand, Posh Properties Group," McMahon said.

Romeo Manzanilla, COO and principal of @properties Christie's, praised McMahon's "honest, personable and knowledgeable approach," foreseeing synergy between her Posh Properties Group and the firm's tech-driven, globally reputed platform.

@properties Christie's Austin is owned by Jerry Mooty Jr., backed by the Jerry Jones family, owners of the Dallas Cowboys. 

High-producing New Jersey agent joins Corcoran

Corcoran Infinity Properties, a Bergen County-area brokerage, has announced the addition of Roi Klipper to its Alpine, New Jersey office. Expressing enthusiasm about this move, Klipper highlighted the opportunity to merge his specialized skills with Corcoran's esteemed brand reputation. 

Klipper specializes in high-end new construction homes and has established a robust network of top-tier real estate developers. He achieved platinum-level status ($20 million-plus) in sales from the New Jersey Realtors, topping $46 million in 2022 while at Christies's International Real Estate, according to the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service (NJMLS). 

"Bringing on an agent of Roi's caliber speaks volumes to the power of the Corcoran brand, and I know that he will play a vital role in expanding our strong market presence within Bergen County," said David Arabia, broker/owner of Corcoran Infinity Properties.

Since launching in May 2023, Corcoran Infinity Properties has added over 20 agents, bringing its total agent count to over 70 agents across three New Jersey offices: Alpine, Cresskill and River Vale. 

BHGRE expands in Southern California 

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has welcomed Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Intelligence into its fold in Whittier, California, marking a significant expansion for the lifestyle real estate brand. 

The firm, founded in 2007 by Anthony Amodeo II, has served Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside County clients for more than 15 years. Amodeo is a second-generation real estate broker/owner with over three decades of expertise spanning commercial, residential, rentals and financing.

"I've spent my entire life in the Whittier area and was here to guide the company through some of the most turbulent times in the history of the real estate industry," Amodeo said in the announcement.

"Throughout it all, we've maintained not only our reputation but also our commitment to providing top-quality service," he added.

Strategically located within close proximity to downtown Los Angeles, the firm excels in marketing and managing diverse property portfolios.

eXp gains teams in Canada, expands luxury division

Two top teams have made the move to eXp Canada, and eXp Luxury announced launches in four countries.

Knighton Team

Knighton Real Estate Advisors Team, based in Grimsby, Ontario, and led by Chris Knighton, is bringing its 14 agents to eXp Canada. Knighton, who spent the past nine years with Keller Williams, has closed on $150 million in sales on 180 transactions in the past year, according to a news release. Prior to KW, Knighton launched and ran his own brokerage in Houston for nine years. 

Knighton noted that when he first considered switching firms, eXp Canada "would have been a step back for us," but he said the brokerage's recent "Canadian-centric growth is phenomenal," including advancements in technology and support. 

KelownaHomes Team

Also joining eXp Canada is Christine Boisseau, leader of KelownaHomes Team. Boisseau, an agent since 2007, was previously with Royal LePage for 10 years and now brings her all-woman team of three agents and one staff member to eXp. The team has closed more than $500 million (CAD) in sales since 2014. 

Boisseau said the move was prompted in part by eXp's cloud-based model, which would make it easier for the team to establish an international network. "As a team leader, my role is to provide the best tools and opportunities for those who trust me and partner with me, and eXp will allow me to do this to the best of my capacity so I can serve my team better and we can all, in turn, serve our clients better," Boisseau said.

eXp Luxury

In addition to growing in Canada, eXp is building out its luxury division across the globe. 

eXp Luxury, which launched in the U.S. just over a year ago in October 2022, has grown to 700 members across seven countries. The company added luxury divisions in Canada and Puerto Rico in 2023, and will now expand to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK.

"eXp Luxury represents our dedication to empowering elite real estate professionals with unparalleled tools and resources to enhance production and strengthen their individual brands while elevating their customer service offerings," said Michael Valdes, chief growth officer at eXp, adding that the expansion represents a "pivotal moment" in eXp's growth.