Longtime Coldwell Banker agent Tim Elmes jumped over to Compass.
The Elmes Group, a six-agent team managed by Elmes’ daughter, Addison Ruff, joined the Compass office on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, according to a release.
Elmes has closed over $1.5 billion in sales over the past 25 years. He recently represented the seller of a $7 million spec home in Fort Lauderdale and the seller of a $9.5 million estate in the Lauderdale Harbours neighborhood. The latter set a record for the highest price per foot – $1,847 per square foot – when it closed in July.
So far this year, Elmes’ team has closed nearly $104 million in sales volume, he said.
He was with Coldwell Banker for at least 16 years, joining the brokerage when it acquired Wimbish-Riteway Realtors in 2003 and leaving for a few months to join Douglas Elliman.
Elmes said the decision to leave Coldwell Banker was very difficult, but that Compass’ in-house marketing assistance and technology — which includes an in-house platform that operates as a “vastly improved MLS” — led him to it.
Nancy Klock Corey, regional vice president of Coldwell Banker, said in a statement that it is “unfortunate when agents choose to leave, especially those we hold in such high esteem,” adding that “we wish Tim and his team the best and look forward to continuing our business relationship.”
The Elmes Group is one of the top real estate teams in Fort Lauderdale. Elmes’ daughter, Ruff, joined his team in 2015 and is responsible for managing its operations and sales, and providing support to the other agents in the team.
Compass has been growing in South Florida. It recently brought on the Liz Caldwell Team, including Michelle Dery, Karin Gillette and Nicole McKenney, at its Fort Lauderdale office. Cinthia Ane’ McGreevy and The Cinthia Ane’ team also joined Compass in Palm Beach County.