Real adds 172 agents in Michigan; SERHANT enters Boston 

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.

Real snaps up Detroit indie

Jim Shaffer, a real estate leader based in Michigan, and his 172-agent independent brokerage Good Company have joined Real Brokerage through its Private Label program. The move, which includes Shaffer's 40-agent team, expands Real's footprint in the Detroit metro area.

Founded in 2020 by Shaffer and his sister, Gina Jones, the Royal Oak-based Good Company has grown by supporting individual agents and team-based business models, according to a news release. In 2025, the brokerage closed about 1,900 home sales totaling $500 million in volume.

The increasing challenges facing independent brokerages and Shaffer's desire to align with a platform that supports growth while preserving culture were key drivers in the firm's decision to align with Real. "As I began following Real, what the company stands for really resonated with us," Shaffer said. "From the start, Real felt like home."

Tamir Poleg, Real's chairman and CEO, praised Shaffer for building "an exceptional brokerage rooted in culture, growth and agent success."

"His decision to join through our Private Label program highlights the value we provide to independent brokerages looking to scale while staying true to who they are," Poleg added.

SERHANT now operating in all major East Coast cities

SERHANT has entered the Boston market in a move that completes its expansion into the East Coast's largest cities. The launch begins with more than 30 agents whose teams have collectively generated over $500 million in closed sales over the past year.

SERHANT's Boston office is the first of several market expansions that the company has planned for 2026, according to a news release.

The move is a "homecoming" of sorts for Founder and CEO Ryan Serhant, who was raised in Topsfield, Massachusetts. "Boston is where my real entrepreneurial story began," Serhant said, adding that the city's luxury market is ready for a platform built for the future.

The firm's Massachusetts operations will be led by Christopher J. Delaney, who will serve as managing director. Delaney, a 32-year Boston real estate veteran, was most recently a regional director for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Delaney's move to SERHANT "is the most exciting opportunity I've seen to combine experience, technology, and innovation to reshape how real estate is done," he said. "Boston's luxury market is ready for an innovative brokerage that brings next-generation tools, media, and AI to support both agents and clients."

Minnesota firms merge in bid to 'go farther together'

Pemberton Real Estate has merged with AJ Pettersen's Advisory Realty Group, a move that expands Pemberton's scale and positions it as one of the largest independent residential brokerages in Minnesota.

The merger adds one of the state's top-producing teams and significantly broadens Pemberton's market presence in the region, with over 275 agents serving clients in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The firm now expects its annual sales volume to exceed $1.2 billion.

Last year, Pettersen and the Advisory Realty Group closed nearly 600 transactions totaling over $230 million in sales volume, according to a news release. Pettersen joins just a few months after Pemberton left eXp Realty so that it could operate completely independently. Through this merger, the company said it can "remain founder-led and locally controlled" as the brokerage industry moves toward further consolidation.

"AJ is one of the most respected leaders in our marketplace and someone I align with deeply in values, ethics, and leadership philosophy," Pemberton Founder and CEO Parker Pemberton said.

"By coming together, we believe we can build something greater, something that truly puts agents first and raises the standard for our industry," he added. "We both agree we can go farther together."

More brokerage news

Portside Real Estate Group has welcomed Peter Blake as its new associate broker in Maine. Blake — a 20-year industry veteran who brings experience in land sales, new construction, condos and luxury properties — said in a news release that he was drawn to Portside's culture, networking opportunities and agent support. "It's the kind of place where collaboration is encouraged, and everyone is invested in helping each other succeed," he added.

eXp is setting ambitious goals in Romania, a country it entered late last year. In the next three years, eXp Romania aims to reach 15% of the nation's market share and have 1,000 agents — and it hopes to exceed 30% market share in the years that follow. More than 30 agents have already signed up to join eXp in Romania, an indication of "strong demand" for eXp's model, the brokerage said in a news release. "We expect to become the number one brand in Romania within three years in all categories, in terms of number of agents, number of transactions, sales value, and commissions generated," added Andrei Marinescu, director of eXp Romania.

Michael Saunders & Company has announced that three-decade industry veteran Joe Wogoman will serve as branch manager of the Florida firm's Sanibel office. Wogoman was most recently the president and managing director of Realty Masters & Associates and previously held senior leadership roles at Real, Bennion Deville Homes and Coast Homes Real Estate. Wogoman "understands what it takes to support agents, strengthen relationships, and lead a market with intention," and he brings a leadership style that "aligns exceptionally well with our culture and standards of excellence," Michael Saunders & Company President Drayton Saunders said in a news release.

Editor's note: AI was used in the initial drafting of this content, which was then thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked and revised by a Real Estate News editor.