Movers: Compass adds to headcount after Avenue 8 closure

The fallout from Avenue 8 shuttering its brokerage operation this summer has created growth opportunities for others.

Compass and Douglas Elliman are the most recent firms to report padding their local offices in Southern California with former Avenue 8 agents.

The San Francisco-based company said in June it planned to close its brokerage business to focus on building its artificial intelligence-backed tool for agents called Sidekick. The tech aims to help agents save time by handling tasks such as creating listing descriptions, parsing through MLS data and analyzing spreadsheets.

Avenue 8 counted 164 agents and nine brokers in California, The Real Deal reported at the time of the company’s about face.

Compass made out big, adding more than 10 former Avenue 8 agents to its Southern California offices. Among the additions are Team Ludwick, helmed by Joanne Ludwick and Wick Ludwick, to the Brentwood office and Kevin Towner’s team to Compass Beverly Hills.

Other former Avenue 8 agents that made the move to Compass include Adrian Ceja, Jane Rowley, Alexis Hilton, James Stevens, Joseph Landry, Rolan Meyer and Bruce Tweten.

Elsewhere, Douglas Elliman said former Avenue 8 agent Rick Torres joined its Beverly Hills outpost.

➤ The Jeff Davidson Group jumped from Compass to The Agency. The team, which has sold more than $750 million since inception, is led by Jeff Davidson. It also includes Matt Merrill, Jesus “JP” Perina Jr., Benjamin “Chip” Romero and John Erickson. The group works with clients in academia, sports and entertainment, resort development and corporate.

➤ The Beverly Hills Estates nabbed two new agents. Business partners Anthony Barillo and James Mather came from Compass, with a focus on West Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica and Venice. The two have closed more than $500 million in sales throughout their careers in California and New York. Among their closings last month was representing the sellers of 8521 Hollywood Boulevard ($4.2 million) and 4254 Wilkinson Avenue (just under $5 million), in addition to representing the buyer in the sale of 1812 Bel Air Road ($4.9 million).

➤ Realtor Aaron Lawrence is now with Nourmand & Associates, with a focus on Santa Monica, Westwood, Brentwood, Culver City and Mar Vista. Lawrence, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, previously worked as a musician and music producer.

➤ Nourmand & Associates added Shane Miller to its team. Miller joined to cover Hollywood Hills, the Sunset Strip, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

➤ Realtor Lisa Gagliardi is now at Nourmand & Associates, after previously serving as a client service manager for a fintech company. Gagliardi’s focus is on West L.A., Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood and Hancock Park among other parts of the greater Los Angeles region.

➤ Cameron Somers jumped to Nourmand & Associates after working in the mortgage lending business with his parents. Somers’ areas of focus include Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Hollywood.

➤ Compass saw a raft of agents return to the brokerage. That includes Ashmat Delawari, who rejoined the Hollywood office from Side, with $23.5 million in sales last year. Ashleigh Rader is back at the Pasadena office from The Agency after generating $18 million in sales last year. There’s also Lisa-Maree Carter who rejoined Compass Malibu from Pinnacle, with $16 million in sales last year, and Deborah Reid made her way back to Compass Palm Springs from Bennion Deville Homes, with sales last year of $498,000.

➤ Fransisco Vizcarra and his team are now with Compass’ Glendora office, after departing from NextHome.

➤ Douglas Elliman added several agents to its Southern California offices. They include the Laguna Niguel office’s newest agent Staci Toporek, who joined from Bullock Russell Real Estate Services and is now part of the Potok Group. The new agent to the Beverly Hills office is Mia Phillips, who was previously in the hospitality industry before obtaining her license. Also, actor Shawn Ryan, a Bosch brand ambassador, joined the brokerage’s Brentwood office.

➤ Nestor Aguilar left Compass to join Coldwell Banker Realty as an affiliate agent in the Calabasas office. Aguilar’s areas of focus are Los Angeles and Ventura County.

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