Great names in real estate have all but disappeared

(As seen in the 5/17/24 Ledger column)

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” So The Bard wrote.

Hunter Connelly, CEO of Parks announced by video to his agents this week they were joining Compass Real Estate, the No. 1 real estate firm in the country by sales volume.

In the video, he noted Parks is the No. 1 firm in Middle Tennessee “by sales volume” and that the new partnership would then have an almost 25% percent share of the Middle Tennessee real estate market.

He added the venture would take the “amazing culture and brand loyalty that we’ve built together across Middle Tennessee and amplify them with the strength and scope of the national Compass’s national network of industry leading technology.”

This is a big deal for Connelly and comes as no surprise from those who monitor the local real estate market as Bob Parks, who founded Bob Parks Realty in 1975, began an aggressive and successful expansion. He had 870 agents in 2019, it was reported, when he merged with Village real estate, a firm of nearly 300 agents led by Connelly. Shortly thereafter, that deal was negated with all apparently remaining friends.

The merger was resurrected in 2021, after Village had grown to 400 agents. In 2022, Parks acquired Pilkerton real estate. By then, the question was not if Parks would sell, but to whom and for how much?

The whom part of the puzzle was solved today as the No. 1 real estate firm in Middle Tennessee merged with a national firm the same as Zeitlin had done with Sotheby’s, Neal Clayton with Engel Voelkers, Larry Lipman with ReMax and Woodmont Realty Group with Berkshire Hathaway. Redfin started anew, Mark Spain hit with a big splash, and all share the market with eXp, Exit and others.

Many social media sites lament the growth of Nashville and the pains that go with it. The banks seem to have gone first with First American, Commerce Union, Third National and Nashville City Bank gone and, for the most part, forgotten. Many of the local law firms have followed their lead.

In real estate, there is no Shirley Zeitlin leading the way for women’s advancement at a time when women did not advance. Absorbed in all of these mergers is the personality of eccentric broker/ owners like the ball-juggling, tree-hugging, whale-saving, urban-loving Mark Deutschmann.

The late Fred Pilkerton, with his gentlemanly demeanor and dress, is gone, as is his late son Jimmy, who carried the company to new heights while training his agents more in mindfulness than real estate with a proper Southern accent that echoed his forefathers.

The glamorous and beautiful late Lura Bainbridge had more brains than looks but hid them until the time was right and they were needed. She was one of the most well-read people in Nashville. And there was the impish Jerry Fridrich, whose Vanderbilt basketball team played the first-ever game in Memorial Gymnasium.

The Woodmont Realty Group had their board meetings at the smoke-filled Joe’s Village Inn while quaffing beer after beer next to the pinball machines. So it goes.

Often, when courting a rival company’s Realtor, the Realtor is often reluctant, saying they fear their clients like their current firm more than the client likes them. The recruiter rebuts, “That does not matter, they will follow you wherever you go.” That is not always true.

Dan Minor, a real estate veteran, changed firms numerous times without ever leaving by choice. For Dan, who was with Parks before today, it all began in 1977 when Carriage Hills ceased operation, sending him to Prime Property 1, another company that closed.

At that point, Minor made a major shift, going with Carolyn Little Realty, which decided to purchase a ReMax franchise, which worked well for Minor since he received six leads before the ink dried on the franchisee contract. Fact is the ink never dried on the contract, and Carolyn Little eventually sold – before mergers began to be popular – to Rebecca Graham Realty, which then aligned with Hale Hooper’s Town and Country Realty, which ended up with Joel Riggs Better Homes and Garden. Dan dutifully followed along to all the firms.

Eventually, Sharon Langford became the managing broker for five Joel Riggs Better Homes and Garden offices and, when things changed there, the firm Sharon Langford and Associates was spawned. She eventually affiliated with Bob Parks Realty, and the firm had the name Sharon Langford, a division of Bob Parks Realty, before becoming Parks Properties, and later changing to Parks, where she has stayed until today. Now, it has merged with Compass.

Hunter Connelly is a graduate of the University of the South and negotiated several solid acquisitions along the way before adding this jewel to his crown.

McDonalds has sold more hamburgers than Rotier’s, Waxies and Brown’s Diner combined.

Richard Courtney is a licensed real estate broker with Fridrich & Clark Realty and can be reached at [email protected] .