Brokerage Beat: News from ERA, Real, BHGRE 

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.

ERA Prime acquires GAP Realty, expands SE Michigan presence

ERA Prime Real Estate Group, a Detroit-based brokerage, has acquired GAP Realty Group in Southgate, Michigan. In addition to the Detroit metro area, ERA serves Farmington, Grand Blanc and Southgate. The team from GAP further expands the services offered in Southeast Michigan.

ERA Prime Realty Group was founded by Willie Ray III in 2017; the company affiliated with ERA in 2023. GAP Realty is the third brokerage Ray has acquired since joining ERA.

ERA Prime offers mortgage and title services in addition to real estate sales. The team can advise clients on loan origination, property staging and closing services. The group also handles investment properties and property management.

GAP Realty Group founder Alex Pandoff brings with him a group of 50 agents. Collectively, the team members speak eight languages. Group members will join ERA Prime's existing Southgate office. Pandoff will serve as associate broker for ERA Prime.

"I've worked in real estate for more than two decades with a continuous focus on going the extra mile for clients," Panoff said in a news release. This is "something that Willie and his team are also widely known for."

Door-to-door specialists RealD2D join Real Brokerage

The RealD2D team has joined the Real Brokerage. Agents at Utah-based RealD2D are specialists in door-to-door real estate sales.

RealD2D founder Duane Richins, a top-producing agent and coach, is bringing with him 40 agents who work across 13 states. Richins was a door-to-door alarm salesman and real estate investor before applying his expertise to real estate in 2016. In his first year, he sold 89 homes through door knocking, and he has consistently ranked among the top 1% of agents in Utah.

"Having knocked on over 100,000 doors and trained numerous rookies of the year, Duane is unmatched in building client relationships through direct engagement," Real Brokerage President Sharran Srivatsaa said in a news release. "Door-to-door real estate sales is about truly listening to homeowners' needs and helping them achieve their goals."

Over the past two years, the D2D team has sold nearly 500 homes, with a sales volume of $250 million. The company is based in Salt Lake City and has team members in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington state.

Real combines real estate, mortgage and closing services with the latest technology in its quest to simplify buying and selling for customers.

Mississippi Gulf brokerage joins Better Homes and Gardens

Expect Realty of D'Iberville, Mississippi, has affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. The newly named Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Expect Realty is led by a pair of Gulf Coast natives, co-owners Bryan David and Alicia Whitaker.

David is a retired U.S. Army Green Beret. The area has a large presence of both active-duty and retired military service members, and his experience gives the firm added insight to those clients' needs. Helping veterans navigate the VA mortgage process is a niche specialty for the firm.

Whitaker has served as Expect Realty's director of operations since 2019. She plays a key role in the training and support of agents.

Better Homes and Gardens' tools and resources were a prime attraction for David and Whitaker. In a news release, David said he is particularly interested in BHGRE's Be Better University, a learning platform for agents.

Leading Edge grows its presence in Tennessee

Leading Edge Real Estate Group this week completed a merger with Fayetteville, Tennessee-based Burt & Co. Southern Real Estate, building on its merger last year with Matlock Realty Group and 2022 partnership with United Real Estate.

The combined companies and 40 agents will operate as Leading Edge Real Estate Group.

"Our merger brings more than just a name change — it's an exciting opportunity for growth that will benefit everyone we serve. With the combined expertise and resources of our two teams, we are better equipped to help our clients navigate the complexities of today's real estate market," explained Melissa Burt, founder and owner of Burt & Co. Southern Real Estate.

Education pays: United agents cut personal debt, boost savings

Officials at United Real Estate shared  initial results for affiliates enrolled in its financial wellness program. Slightly more than 1,350 agents are enrolled, and at the 10-month mark, they have eliminated a total of $1.1 million in personal debt and boosted their savings by a total $1.7 million.

These United team members are using the Ramsey Solutions SmartDollar program, which United offers at no cost to its agents.

Bo Zivak, director of Business Development at Benchmark Realty, manages the program nationally. He spoke about the program in a news release: "Being part of the national SmartDollar rollout … has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career. I've seen firsthand the remarkable $2.8 million impact of this program on our agents' financial well-being. With more than $1.1 million in debt eliminated and $1.75 million added to savings, covering medical bills, credit card balances, and even paying off mortgages is within reach."

United Real Estate operates in 32 states with 159 offices and more than 21,000 agents. The company produced over 70,000 transactions and $27.8 billion in sales volume in 2023.

The Agency launches brokerage in Barcelona

The Agency is launching an office in Barcelona, Spain, expanding the firm's operations into one of Europe's most dynamic markets. The Agency Barcelona will be led by Managing Partners Josep Turró and Chi Wei Chin. The company is an international luxury brokerage and has seven offices in Europe, including locations in Spain, Portugal and The Netherlands. 

"Barcelona's allure, with its rich cultural heritage, beautiful beaches, and artistic vibrancy, makes it an exceptional location for our newest office," said Mauricio Umansky, Agency CEO and founder, in a news release. "We look forward to working with Josep Turró and Chi Wei Chin as we bring The Agency's distinctive brand of service to this exciting market."

The Agency has added 24 offices so far in 2024. The group now has more than 120 corporately owned and franchise offices across 12 countries.