The industry shuffle continues, with teams and brokers going independent or returning to their roots. Get the latest from HomeSmart, The Agency, and more.
Every day, Inman receives a flood of announcements about major teams and industry leaders moving from one company to another. That’s more than we can cover!
So here are some of the biggest announcements for the week of January 5th.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate: Oahu indie Refined Real Estate LLC joins BHGRE. Broker owners Eric Yamamoto and Dennis Noah Cassison will continue to lead the company, which will operate as Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Refined. Their areas of expertise include military relocation, new construction, and luxury goods.
Compass: Nearly eight years after leaving Compass, New York-based broker Lindsey Barton Barrett is returning to her roots. Barton Barrett has more than $2 billion in lifetime sales and leads the No. 1 small team in Brooklyn, specializing in the townhouse market and new development sales.
Compass CEO Robert Refkin congratulated the broker on her return, saying, “Her deep knowledge of the New York City market and proven expertise make her an exceptional partner.”
Going independent: Austin-based broker Casey Jorgenson is striking out on his own after 16 years at Keller Williams. Under KW, Jorgenson Group ranked as the second-largest team in Austin from 2019 to 2023, with $75 million in revenue in 2025. His company will operate as Jorgenson Real Estate.
HomeSmart: Industry veteran Phil Sexton has joined HomeSmart. Mr. Sexton has held several leadership roles at John Hall & Associates, Realty One Group, and eXp Realty and will lead the new real estate team NEXT. “Phil’s expertise is a testament to his commitment to uplifting agents, and we believe HomeSmart’s culture and community will only strengthen that foundation,” said HomeSmart President Stacey Onen.
Metro MLS: Metro MLS has named Chris Lambreau as its new chief executive officer. Mr. Lambreau has been interim CEO of the Milwaukee-based multiple listing service since April, when former CEO Chris Carrillo stepped down. Mr. Lambreau has nearly 30 years of experience in the MLS industry and joined Metro MLS in 2016 as Chief Information Officer.
The Agency: After three years at Douglas Elliman, John Stanaland is moving his team, The John Stanaland Group, to The Agency’s Corona del Mar office. The John Stanaland Group has six agents, including Mr. Stanaland’s son Tyler, who became famous for his role in the Netflix hit “Selling Sunset.”
Stanaland has lifetime sales of more than $4.5 billion and continues a 107-year family legacy in Orange County, California. “Honesty, integrity and unyielding tenacity have always been at the core of my business,” he said. “I chose to work with this innovative company because our agency embodies these principles.”
The Keyes Company: The Keyes Company has expanded its Hollywood, Florida office with the addition of Landmark IV Group, led by Janie and Amy Berman. Mother and daughter have built on a 45-year family real estate legacy to become two of South Florida’s top brokerages.
“Landmark IV Realty has operated on a foundation of honesty, honesty and good faith negotiation for decades, and we are deeply committed to providing the same exceptional service and meaningful support,” they said. “Our partnership with Keys continues to expand opportunities with more resources available for both clients and agents to succeed.”
Email Marian McPherson
