Engel & Volkers, a global luxury real estate company, announced its expansion in North Carolina last Wednesday. There are now three new locations in the Carolina foothills: two in Morganton, one in Nebo.
Steve Leadbetter will lead the new locations, as well as Polly Leadbetter who will serve as managing brokers. The Leadbetters founded Lake James Real Estate in 2003 and now operate as Engel & Volkers Foothills.
Lake James Real Estate has been serving communities in the Carolina foothills since almost 20 years. They specialize in luxury homes, second homes, and lakefront properties.
Engel & Volkers Americas president and CEO Anthony Hitt says that the expansion was a response to current market conditions. The company currently has four North Carolina locations, including Asheville and Banner Elk, Cashiers as well as Charlotte and Raleigh.
“Home prices have risen significantly in the state over the past year.” Hitt said that home buyers are looking for destinations like the Carolina foothills, which offer a slower pace of living but have easy access to larger cities like Charlotte or Asheville.
The Leadbetters and their team say they will use Engel & Volkers’ resources and reach to expand their business in the Morganton and Marion, Nebo and Lake James markets.
Lake James is made up of the Leadbetters and real estate advisors Dianne Reihl and Lisa Griffin.
Polly Leadbetter stated that Engel & Volkers is well-known for its global network, which includes real estate advisors with rich local knowledge in all markets.
The Morganton and Nebo market have a small-town feel with scenic landscapes, cultural hubs and views of Lake James.
Pollu Leadbetter says the region has friendly residents and “Southern charm”.
Engel & Volkers’ partnership with us will allow us to gain the national and international exposure we have always wanted to bring to the area and our luxury properties, she stated.
Last November, Taso Takos, Keri Oleary, Keri O’Reilly, Cat Spender, and Skylar Santa Barba left The Agency, a rival brokerage, and joined Engel & Volkers to become real estate advisors. RealTrends ranked the real estate professionals among the top 1.49% in terms of sales volume. Tracy McLaughlin, a top real estate agent, left The Agency to join Engel & Volkers one month earlier.
Engel & Volkers was founded in Germany in 1977. There are currently 275 locations with over 6,200 real-estate advisors in the U.S., and 16,400 professionals in 34 other countries.