eXp launches global search platform; REMAX expands in SoCal
eXp’s LYVVE rolls out in nearly 30 countries. Plus, 50-year vet opens REMAX NEXUS; KW enters Uzbekistan; eXp moves into Romania, Netherlands; and more news.
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 rolls out international search platform
eXp has announced the launch of LYVVE, a new search platform that the brokerage said will bring "international connectivity" to real estate. LYVVE.com completed beta testing earlier this year and is now available to agents and consumers in nearly 30 countries.
The platform was created to provide an easier way to house hunt internationally. Users can search by region or property type within LYVVE, which supports different currencies and features a WhatsApp messaging function, the brokerage explained in a news release.
According to Felix Bravo, the eXp Realty International managing director who came up with the idea, LYVVE was created to address the changes in how people buy and sell property. "LYVVE brings agents and clients together in real time, making international home discovery simple and transparent," Bravo said, adding that the platform reflects "what modern real estate should look like."
"LYVVE solves three fundamental challenges in the industry: fragmentation, visibility, and accessibility," he added. "It brings everything together in one place: an effortless, unified, and borderless marketplace where opportunity moves as freely as information."
50-year industry vet launches REMAX brokerage
Steve Simonetti, an experienced agent who has spent the last 35 years of his more than five decades in real estate with REMAX, is spearheading a new firm under the brand's banner in Southern California. The brokerage, called REMAX NEXUS, is now operating in Redondo Beach with the goal of creating a "culture of winners," according to a REMAX blog post.
In his new role as broker/owner, Simonetti said he wants to mentor agents who are new to the industry within an environment that sets high ethical standards.
"A culture of winners is what I want to create, but the winners are the clients," he said in the blog post. "We understand that by only operating in the best interests of our clients, we become winners together. We become successful when they repeat, refer and continue with us."
Simonetti reiterated his forward-thinking approach, noting, "This is a longevity program — not a one-shot deal."
The technology available to Simonetti through the REMAX brand will be key to the firm's long-term success, he added. "All the latest AI tech tools and communications will only help better serve my brokerage's clients," Simonetti said. "Our business demands that we succeed by mentoring and training and helping them along the way of technology."
More brokerage news
Keller Williams has announced the launch of a new master franchise in Uzbekistan. The move marks KW's seventh expansion internationally in 2025 and comes near the end of what has been "a truly historic year of international growth" for the brand, Keller Williams Worldwide President William E. Soteroff said in a news release. Regional Operating Principal Arthur Yugai will lead the new master franchise, which is slated to open its first market center before the end of the year.
eXp is now operating in Romania and the Netherlands, growth that brings its total number of international expansions this year to seven following earlier launches in Peru, Ecuador, Turkey, Japan and South Korea. The brokerage also announced plans this week to expand into Luxembourg. Each new market was selected for its "agent potential, appetite for innovation, and clear alignment with eXp's platform," the brokerage said in a news release. "We're launching where there's already demand, leadership, and alignment with how we operate," said Adam Day, eXp's international expansion leader in Europe. "That's why these countries are seeing real traction from day one," Day added.
Oyler Hines of Coldwell Banker Realty has welcomed local industry veteran Laura Faz into the fold in Cincinnati. Faz, who previously led the JL Home Group at ERA Real Solutions Realty, has closed hundreds of millions in sales over the course of her 20+ years in real estate, according to a news release. Oyler Hines Co-founder Scott Oyler praised Faz's "client-first mindset, strategic vision, and unmatched experience," all of which he said make her "an extraordinary addition to our team and this next chapter of growth."
The Agency has announced that Ron Chaquica has joined the brokerage's office in La Jolla, California. Chaquica, who has over 26 years of experience in real estate and finance, has closed over $23 million in sales so far in 2025. With a background that includes land sales for hotels, condos and more, he brings an "extensive development knowledge," a large network of investors and "deep market expertise," according to a news release.