Brokerage Beat: News from eXp, Anywhere brands, KW, Corcoran, 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.

eXp nabs top TX firm, adds first co-sponsored team in Canada

eXp expanded in Texas and Canada this week with the addition of two large teams.

In the Lone Star state, the international brokerage welcomed the arrival of twin brothers Shane and Clint Neal, who lead a team of nearly 100 people — including 80 agents — in San Antonio.

The brothers' Neal & Neal Team ended 2024 with $338 million in sales volume. After aligning with Keller Williams for the past 15 years, moving to eXp presented a growth opportunity.

"We've reached a point where we need a platform that can scale with us," Clint said in a press release. "eXp gives us the flexibility, innovation, and global reach to take things to the next level, for our agents and for ourselves." eXp "takes everything we're doing and supercharges it," added Shane. 

Further north in Edmonton, Alberta, eXp announced its first co-sponsorship in Canada with the arrival of John Rota and his Müve Team. The 46-agent group, which had $303 million (CAD) in sales last year, will have eXp's James Knull as its primary sponsor and Justin Havre as its co-sponsor.

In a press release, Rota said he felt "the timing was finally right" to join eXp after being "intrigued" by the brokerage's business model for several years. "The systems, tools, and scale of eXp's model give us the edge to grow without sacrificing what makes us different — our relationships, our service, and our culture," he added.

A trio of M&As for Anywhere brands

Austin: ERA Experts has joined forces with Sprout Realty, founded by Cody Cooper in 2017. The firm will now operate as Sprout Realty ERA Powered.

Together, ERA Experts and Sprout Realty had over $738 million in sales volume and more than 1,500 transactions in 2024.

Cooper will continue leading his 80-agent team with help from Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner Barrett Tilson. In a press release, Cooper said the partnership was "driven by the opportunity to elevate our brand and expand our reach, both locally and globally." ERA Experts will provide technological and operational support to assist Sprout Realty's expansion efforts, the company said.

Matt Menard, broker/owner of ERA Experts, said he was "very interested in creating scale to rapidly expand our reach in the Austin market and beyond" in the wake of his firm's affiliation with ERA Real Estate late last year.

Middle Tennessee: Shelbyville-based Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Heritage Group announced its acquisition of Advantage Realty Partners in Manchester. The move follows BHGRE Heritage Group's merger with Baker & Cole Properties in November 2024. 

A.R. Properties was founded in 2007 by Lora and Mitch Umbarger. Lora will remain the brand's principal broker and Mitch will dive into real estate sales, according to a press release. Lora said the move wasn't "just about expanding" but about "evolving together."

"It is an opportunity for the agents to grow — personally and professionally," she added.

The partnership is part of BHGRE Heritage Group's goal of achieving "a broader footprint without sacrificing local insight," said Melissa Sterling, the firm's principal broker and owner.

Central New Jersey: Century 21 Solid Gold Realty has merged with Gloria Zastko, Realtors. The firm, which has operated independently since its launch in 1991, will now do business as Century 21 Gloria Zastko Realty. The addition of the 29-agent team brings C21's Central New Jersey agent total to 166.

Andrew Zastko, broker/owner of Gloria Zastko, Realtors, said the merger was "a long time in the making." His team is "excited about the opportunities for professional growth and collaboration that this merger presents," and he believes they "will be better equipped to serve their clients" with support from C21's resources and training programs.

KW adds Arkansas team, introduces new training program

Keller Williams Market Pro Realty has announced the addition of Curtis Realty Group in Arkansas. With its 31 agents and eight staff members, Curtis Realty Group amassed $91.9 million in sales volume last year with 295 units sold.

Mike Duley, KW Market Pro Realty's operating principal, praised the formerly independent team's "remarkable results, passion for client success, and dedication to helping people find the right properties" in a press release.

Brian Curtis, owner and CEO of Curtis Realty, said the affiliation "amplifies our ability to serve our clients at the highest level," while his team remains "committed to earning our clients' trust, ensuring their comfort, and securing top value for their home sales."

KW's coaching division, KW MAPS Coaching, also announced this week that Michael Maher, a best-selling author, speaker and creator of the Referral Mastery System, will lead a new set of courses.

Event Mastery, a lead-generation training program, will launch on June 3, with other offerings rolling out this summer. Maher praised KW as "the best real estate training and coaching company" and said his goal is to help its agents "become more referrable and to help them get more referrals."

More brokerage news

Coldwell Banker Realty nabbed a $2 billion team in Northern California with the addition of the Joe Velasco Group, a firm focused on Silicon Valley and the Peninsula that was previously aligned with a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices affiliate. Led by Joe Velasco since its founding in 2011, the team had over $180 million in sales volume last year. "Joe and his team exemplify the types of teams and agents we're dedicated to serving every day," said Kamini Lane, Coldwell Banker president and CEO.

Brown Harris Stevens has welcomed real estate veteran Frederick Warburg Peters into the fold in New York City. Peters has amassed a lifetime sales volume of more than $1 billion since entering the industry in 1980. He founded Warburg Realty in 1991 and sold the firm 30 years later to Coldwell Banker. In a press release, Peters said BHS President Hall Willkie has been "a peer and a good friend for decades," and it was an "easy" decision to join the team.

Corcoran Infinity Properties has opened a new office in Ridgewood, New Jersey, its fourth in Bergen County. It will be led by David Arabia, Corcoran Infinity Properties' broker/owner. "Launching our Ridgewood office is an exciting and strategic step," Arabia said, noting that the firm is "planting our flag in one of Bergen County's prime locales." The Ridgewood office will seek to serve buyers who "value the blend of tranquility, upscale amenities, and proximity to New York City," according to a press release. The brokerage, founded in 1994, affiliated with Corcoran two years ago.