For the second straight year, agent Michael Zinicola’s EZ Referral Network has nabbed first place on the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals’ list of top teams.
Mike Zinicola
The Top LGBT+ Agent List, published Monday, shows that Zinicola’s team — which is based in Westlake, Ohio, and operates under the Keller Williams banner — did 1,081 sides and $208.9 million in volume in 2018. Though the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) actually publishes two different lists, one for sides and another for volume, the numbers from Zinicola’s team were high enough to land the top spot on both.
The Stephen Cooley Real Estate Group — a Keller Williams team based in Rock Hill, South Carolina — took the second place spot on both lists, with 716.5 sides and $156.2 million in volume.
Eponymously named teams run by Christina Griffin in Florida, Alex Tooke in Colorado and Shannon Foster-Boline’s in Tennessee, rounded out the top five teams by sides.
By volume, Ricado Rodriguez’s team in Massachusetts took third, followed by Jeff Anderson’s California team in fourth and Griffin’s group in fifth.
NAGLREP also awarded top spots for individual agents to Shirley Gary of Engel & Vӧlkers Buckhead and to Blair Myers of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Success. Both agents work in Georgia.
In total, the rankings — which are now in their second year — included a total of 119 agents and teams.
Jeff Berger
Jeff Berger, NAGLREP’s founder, told Inman that his organization uses real estate ranking firm Real Trends to come up with its lists. Agents who appear on the firm’s America’s Best list are also eligible for NAGLREP’s rankings.
In a statement, Real Trends president Steve Murray praised the agents on NAGLREP’s list, saying that they are part of an “esteemed group” that is “in the top 1.5 percent of all 1.4 million Realtors in the United States.”
Berger founded NAGLREP 12 years ago, and today the organization touts more than 2,500 members across 37 chapters. It describes itself as one of the country’s largest LGBT+ trade organizations.” Membership is open to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender agents, as well as straight allies, and any member regardless of orientation was eligible to appear in the newly announced rankings.
Zinicola’s team (which, prior to recent expansion, was listed under the name “EZ Sales Team”) took the top spots in 2018 as well.
Asked about the significance of the rankings for the industry, Berger pointed to the fact that the NAGLREP members on this year’s lists did a total of $3.7 billion in volume and nearly 8,000 sides.
“That’s a lot,” he continued. “It shows how significant the LGBT community is in the brokerage and real estate sales community.”
Berger also argued that LGBT agents may in some cases have come to real estate after facing adversity. The industry consequently offers them a place where they can “excel in their own world on their own terms,” meaning there are a lot of highly driven LGBT agents.
“I think the LGBT community at large has very often had to rise above some complicated times in life,” Berger told Inman. “And I think it’s made them strong. I think it’s made them persevere and I think it’s made them want to be winners. It’s made them very competitive.”
In a statement, Berger also praised the agents and teams who landed a top spot on this year’s lists.
“Shirley and Blair, along with Michael and his team,” Berger said, “produced at such high levels and are setting an incredible standard.”
NAGLREP’s top 10 teams by sides:
1. The EZ Referral Network, led by Michael Zinicola
Keller Williams Realty
Westlake, Ohio
Sides: 1,081
2. The Stephen Cooley Real Estate Group, led by Stephen Cooley
Keller Williams Realty
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Sides: 716.5
3. The Griffin Group, led by Christina Griffin
Keller Williams Realty
Tampa, Florida
Sides: 564
4. The Alex Tooke Team, led by Alex Tooke
The Peak Properties Group
Aurora, Colorado
Sides: 281
5. Shannon Foster-Boline Group, led by Shannon Foster-Boline
Realty Executives Associates
Knoxville, Tennessee
Sides: 251
6. Anderson Real Estate Group, led by Jeff Anderson
Keller Williams Realty
Long Beach, California
Sides: 212
7. Bouma Group, led by Martin Bouma and Brian Bouma-Quinn
Keller Williams Realty
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Sides: 205.3
8. Don Callahan Real Estate Group, Don Callahan
Keller Williams Realty
Savannah, Georgia
Sides: 176.3
9. Team Curtis Mellon, Curtis Mellon and Mike Federau
RE/MAX Anchor Realty
Punta Gorda, Florida
Sides: 163.0
10. Lisa Phair & Associates, led by Lisa Phair
Coldwell Banker West Shell
West Chester, Ohio
Sides: 147.4
NAGLREP’s top 10 teams by volume:
1. The EZ Referral Network, led by Michael Zinicola
Keller Williams Realty
Westlake, Ohio
$208.9 million
2. The Stephen Cooley Real Estate Group, led by Stephen Cooley
Keller Williams Realty
Rock Hill, South Carolina
$156.2 million
3. Ricardo Rodriguez & Associates, led by Ricardo Rodriguez
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage New England
Boston, Massachusetts
$134 million
4. Anderson Real Estate Group, led by Jeff Anderson
Keller Williams Realty
Long Beach, California
$127.5 million
5. The Griffin Group, led by Christina Griffin
Keller Williams Realty
Tampa, Florida
$123.3 million
6. Heller Coley Reed Team, led by Jamie Coley
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Bethesda, Maryland
$114 million
7. Ames Group Chicago, led by Jennifer Ames
Engel & Vӧlkers Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
$111.4 million
8. The Alex Tooke Team, led by Alex Tooke
The Peak Properties Group
Aurora, Colorado
$104.9 million
9. Brady Sandahl Real Estate Group, Brady Sandahl
Keller Williams Realty
Palm Springs, California
$87.4 million
10. Bouma Group, led by Martin Bouma and Brian Bouma-Quinn
Keller Williams Realty
Ann Arbor, Michigan
$83.6 million
