Brokerage Beat: News from Real, The Agency, Christie's, Realty ONE
Mega team moves from eXp to Real; The Agency lands in Oahu; Christie's International Real Estate expands in Switzerland; Realty ONE launches in Greece.
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. and globally.
$300M eXp team joins Real
A top-producing "mega team" has moved from eXp to The Real Brokerage.
PREMIERE Group, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, was founded by David Keener in 2017. Described as a "brokerage within a brokerage," the team offers a cloud-based model, low splits and revenue sharing, according to a news release.
In 2023, PREMIERE closed more than $300 million in sales volume, making it the top-ranking mega team at eXp last year, the release noted.
"Dave's decision to bring PREMIERE to Real is a monumental testament to the Real model and what our company offers top teams," Real President Sharran Srivatsaa said.
"PREMIERE was built to be a different kind of brokerage team, so this was not a move we entered lightly," Keener said. "After looking at a lot of models, Real is the only brokerage ideally set up for teams," he added.
PREMIERE began its expansion beyond North Carolina in 2021 after affiliating with eXp. It has since grown to 250 agents across 20 states including the entire East Coast, Texas and California, with the goal of covering all 50 states by the end of 2025.
The Agency lands in Oahu
Global luxury firm The Agency has opened its second office in Hawaii.
The new office is on the island of Oahu and will be led by industry veteran and Oahu native Brad Kaneshiro. Kaneshiro was previously principal broker at List Sotheby's International Realty Hawaii.
"We are excited to launch our new office on Oahu, a significant step in The Agency's ongoing expansion throughout Hawaii," said Founder and CEO Mauricio Umansky. "Brad Kaneshiro's unparalleled expertise in this market stands as a true authority, and we have full confidence in his ability to impeccably steward The Agency's esteemed brand and uphold our distinctive culture in this flourishing market."
Kaneshiro said The Agency was "a perfect fit" for the island. "We are thrilled to introduce the collaborative culture and world-class service of The Agency to our diverse community here in Oahu," he added.
The Agency made its debut in Hawaii in 2021 when it opened an office in Maui, and this past November, reached a milestone when it opened its 100th office. The firm has been growing rapidly in the past year, launching 29 new offices in 2023.
Christie's International expands in Switzerland
Christie's International Real Estate has expanded into the ski resort town of Verbier, Switzerland.
The expansion is the result of a partnership with Switzerland-based SPG One, a Christie's affiliate, and Besson Immobilier SA, an established Verbier real estate firm. Besson Immobilier was founded in 1979 and specializes in luxury properties.
Adding Verbier was a strategic addition for SPG One, allowing the firm to increase exposure for its brand and the Christie's brand as it looks to expand to other Swiss resort towns.
"The concept is to combine the strength of the SPG One brand in Switzerland with the unique expertise of local agencies and the worldwide network of Christie's International Real Estate," said Maxime Dubus, managing director of SPG One.
"With the experience and talent of the Besson team, supported by Christie's International Real Estate, the world's leading luxury real estate brand, SPG One and Besson Immobilier will offer an experience well beyond what's currently available in Verbier," Dubus added.
Realty ONE launches in Greece
Realty ONE Group International has expanded into a 20th country in just 20 months with the addition of an office in Greece, its first new global franchise of the year. The company also added offices in Belize and Argentina in the second half of 2023.
Odysseus Demetriades will lead Realty ONE operations in Greece and convert his existing firm to the global brand, according to a press release. Demetriades has 25 years of real estate and insurance experience and was previously a board member at IKEA.
"Realty ONE Group, a rapidly growing force in real estate, is set to revolutionize the Greek market," said Demetriades in the news release. "Expect an impactful partnership creating value through a network of offices and ambitious real estate professionals."
Realty ONE has more than 19,000 real estate professionals in more than 400 locations in 49 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and 20 countries, according to the company.