The Agency, the luxury real estate brokerage backed by billionaire Mauricio Umansky, has appointed Jim Lonergan as Senior Vice President of Midwest and South Central expansion. Lonergan joins from Anywhere Real Estate, where he spent years managing franchise growth strategy and development across multiple regions.
In his new role, Lonergan oversees The Agency's expansion into the Midwest and South Central United States, plus Canada. This hire signals The Agency's aggressive push beyond its California stronghold into markets where luxury real estate remains fragmented and ripe for consolidation.
Lonergan brings two decades of real estate franchise experience. At Anywhere Real Estate, he managed growth for brands including Century 21, ERA, and Coldwell Banker. His track record centers on recruiting agents, establishing regional infrastructure, and scaling operations into new territories. That operational expertise now targets markets where The Agency has limited presence but sees demand from high-net-worth buyers relocating from coastal hubs.
The Agency operates as a brokerage model rather than pure franchise, giving Lonergan direct control over hiring and office setup instead of franchisee recruitment. This structure demands different execution than his Anywhere Real Estate background but offers clearer brand control and tighter agent standards. The brokerage currently maintains offices in California, New York, Miami, and a handful of secondary markets. Midwest and South Central markets represent white space in its footprint.
For The Agency, the hire reflects Umansky's broader vision to build a national luxury brand rivaling Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. The brokerage has raised significant capital to fund expansion and agent recruitment. Lonergan's appointment suggests boots-on-the-ground scaling beyond the company's current coastal base. Markets like Dallas, Houston, Austin, Chicago, and Atlanta represent major transaction volumes in the luxury segment that The Agency currently abandons to local and regional competitors.
For agents in Midwest and South Central markets, The Agency's expansion means new recruiting efforts. The brokerage offers higher commission splits than traditional franchises and positions itself as a technology-forward, service-focused alternative. Agents currently with Coldwell Banker or ERA franchises may see The Agency as an upgrade option if Lonergan's team executes the expansion effectively.
For luxury buyers and sellers in these regions, expanded Agency presence means additional choice in brokerage representation. The Agency emphasizes digital marketing, international connectivity through Umansky's connections, and a modern brokerage culture that appeals to younger, affluent clients. Competition for luxury deals typically heightens when new national brands enter regional markets, which can benefit consumers through better service and lower commissions.
Lonergan's hiring also strengthens The Agency's bench. Building a national brokerage requires deep operational talent beyond Umansky's celebrity real estate persona. Lonergan's experience recruiting and training agents in multiple regional markets addresses that gap.
The Agency has not specified a launch timeline for individual Midwest or South Central markets, nor announced specific office locations or initial agent hiring targets. Expect announcements over the next six to twelve months as Lonergan establishes regional leadership and builds out operations.