$300M team aligns with Real to ‘do what we do best’ 

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 adds 37-agent team with plans for expansion

Clayton Coastal Group has joined The Real Brokerage, a move that brings 37 agents to the company and expands Real's presence in the Sunshine State.

The group is led by Matt Clayton, who closes about $50 million annually and is guiding his team toward $300 million in total closed sales this year, according to a news release. The group focuses on clients who are relocating, often from New York, and also serves buyers seeking a second home or vacation home.

Clayton is a relative real estate newcomer. He entered the industry on a full-time basis just two years ago, but has since grown his team from two agents to more than three dozen. The move to Real will support the team's expansion into New York, where it plans to serve all five boroughs.

Clayton said the cloud-based brokerage's national platform was a deciding factor in the move as he sought opportunities to grow his team even more.

"I've always believed that our opportunity is much bigger than one market," Clayton said. "Real gives us the platform and the freedom to build a national business while continuing to do what we do best: leverage social media to create relationships and take great care of our clients and our agents."

Longtime real estate pro expands job title at The Agency

The Agency has announced that Jeff Barnett, a longtime real estate professional based in California, will now serve as vice president and managing director of the luxury brokerage's Carmel office.

Barnett is adding the role to his existing responsibilities at The Agency, where he has overseen the firm's Los Gatos office in the same capacity since 2022.

Barnett first entered real estate in the late 1980s at Fox & Carskadon Real Estate. He joined Alain Pinel Realtors in the Bay Area in the early 1990s and remained there through the brokerage's merger with Compass in 2019, according to a news release.

Over the course of his career, Barnett has mentored hundreds of fellow real estate professionals and has embraced leadership roles at the National Association of Realtors and at the California Association of Realtors. He also often coaches new agents seeking to gain a foothold in the industry, according to a company announcement.

REMAX Gold welcomes 22-year agent back into the fold

Michelle Panizza has rejoined REMAX Gold 22 years after launching her real estate career.

Panizza first built her business at REMAX Gold before spending time with other firms. She has returned after gaining a broader perspective on the technology, infrastructure and support she wants and needs to support her clients and to tap into new opportunities for her business.

Over the course of her two-decade-long career, Panizza has worked with clients across various stages of homeownership, including first-time buyers, growing families, downsizers and people relocating for life changes. Her approach centers on understanding clients' goals and maintaining communication, availability and responsiveness throughout the transaction, according to a news release.

Panizza said her time at other brokerages gave her a basis for comparing different approaches to technology, infrastructure and brokerage support. But at REMAX Gold, "I found that what I had was what I was looking for the whole time."

Looking ahead, Panizza plans to develop new lead-generation strategies and make greater use of the brokerage's tech offerings, resources and brand support. Her goal is to maintain a personalized approach while managing multiple transactions.

Corcoran franchisee adds 6th office in Ontario

Corcoran Group franchisee Corcoran Horizon Realty has announced the opening of a new office in Oakville, Ontario, extending the brokerage's presence in the province and adding a location in the Regional Municipality of Halton.

Corcoran Horizon CEO Cliff Rego will lead the new office with Tom Karadza, who will serve as the location's branch managing partner. Karadza brings experience in corporate sales management and real estate, with his first brokerage launched in 2008, according to a news release.

In addition to Oakville, the new office will serve buyers and sellers in Burlington, Milton and Mississauga. It marks the brokerage's sixth Ontario location, joining existing offices in Kitchener, Cambridge, Hamilton, Toronto and Port Severn.

"Oakville has long been a market where discerning buyers expect more, more craftsmanship, more history, more attention to detail," Rego said. "This office gives our agents the platform to meet that expectation, while continuing to pair our white-glove service with the resources of a global brand."

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.