Address Realty appoints growth leader; SERHANT enters Texas 

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.

Address Realty appoints chief growth officer

Address Realty has named Eddie Sturgeon to serve as its chief growth officer, a move that adds a veteran real estate executive to the company as it expands its national brokerage and consumer platform.

Sturgeon brings more than 18 years of industry experience to his new position. Before joining the nationwide brokerage, he held growth leadership roles at REMAX and at Realty ONE Group, where he helped support the brand's expansion, according to a news release.

"What truly motivates me is the opportunity to help change people's lives for the better," Sturgeon said. "When I looked at what Address Realty is building, there was a checkmark across everything that matters. This is about giving real estate professionals the respect they want and deserve, along with the tools and opportunities they need to perform at the highest level."

Sturgeon will help lead Address Realty's national expansion strategy, which includes growing its brokerage footprint and supporting the rollout of AddressUSA.com, a consumer property search platform. The company said it plans to accelerate growth in 2026 by recruiting agents, team leaders and independent broker-owners seeking an alternative brokerage model.

SERHANT launches in Texas

SERHANT moved into Texas this week with simultaneous market launches in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. The brokerage, led by Founder and CEO Ryan Serhant, began expanding beyond its New York headquarters in 2023 and is now operating in 17 states.

The move comes just two months after the brokerage's push into California, where it opened in five major markets.

SERHANT Texas will be led by Managing Director and Broker of Record Susana Sarvis, a Houston-based real estate professional with over 17 years of industry experience. Before joining the company, Sarvis served as VP of brokerage operations at The Real Brokerage and held leadership roles at Compass and John Daugherty, Realtors, according to a news release.

SERHANT said this latest expansion gives it an immediate presence in several of Texas' luxury housing markets. Six independent brokerages — Truss Real Estate, Evoke Realty, CitiQuest Properties, MRA Realtors, KF Real Estate and Steele Portfolio Real Estate — are also joining SERHANT as part of the growth move. Agents affiliated with those indie firms will gain access to the company's proprietary AI platform, S.MPLE, along with its marketing and media resources.

"Texas is home to some of the most dynamic luxury markets in the country," Sarvis said. "I look forward to helping our agents elevate their businesses while delivering exceptional experiences for buyers and sellers across the state."

C21 expands NorCal footprint, opens in UAE

This week, Century 21 announced the addition of a Silicon Valley affiliate and the opening of its first office in the United Arab Emirates.

In California: Century 21 has expanded its presence in Northern California with the affiliation of Silicon Valley Alliance LLC, which will now operate as Century 21 Silicon Valley Group.

Founded in 2019 by Broker-Owner Jitu Choudhury, the Fremont-based brokerage serves clients across Silicon Valley, the Bay Area and Northern California. The firm specializes in commercial real estate, investment properties, multifamily assets and residential transactions, according to a news release.

Choudhury, who held leadership roles at technology, engineering and business development firms before entering real estate, said the affiliation will support the brokerage's growth strategy while expanding resources for agents and clients.

"The CENTURY 21 brand provides us with everything we were looking for in a strategic affiliation," Choudhury said. "Throughout my career, I have believed that success is built through innovation, strong relationships, and a commitment to serving others. The Century 21 brand shares those same values."

In the Middle East: Century 21 has launched in the United Arab Emirates with the opening of a Dubai office that will serve as the regional headquarters for the brand in the Middle East.

The operation will be led by Peter Matthews, group CEO of Century 21 UAE and India, with Alex Pearson serving as managing director of the Dubai office. The office launches with 30 affiliated agents and is expected to support the brand's expansion across the region and into India.

The move is part of Century 21's international growth strategy and reflects continued demand in Dubai's real estate market, according to a news release. The company said the new operation will provide buyers, sellers and investors with access to its global network while offering local market expertise.

"Establishing our regional headquarters here reflects both the scale of opportunity and the depth of demand we are seeing across our global network," Matthews said. "We are bringing together the trusted power of the Century 21 brand with deep local expertise, and that combination is built to deliver for clients on both sides of a transaction, wherever in the world they are."

Engel & Völkers opens First Coast shop

Engel & Völkers has expanded its Florida presence with the launch of a new shop serving Ponte Vedra Beach and the First Coast region.

The office will be led by luxury agents Nicholas Eklund and Joanie Heighes, who previously operated as Engel & Völkers Private Office advisors before their former shop affiliated with Christie's International Real Estate. This newest shop marks the first direct franchise with Engel & Völkers Americas in Florida, according to a news release.

Heighes said their return to the brand was "driven by the culture and the strength of its global network," adding: "The relationships we built through the Engel & Völkers Private Office network and the collaborative spirit of the brand are unmatched, and we're excited to reintroduce that experience to our clients and our community."

The shop will focus on the First Coast region's luxury housing market. Engel & Völkers said the launch is part of a broader strategy to pursue direct expansion opportunities in the Sunshine State.

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.