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Marin County’s No. 1 agent, one of the top agents in the state of California and the entire U.S., has become the latest in a series of agents to boomerang to their former brokerages after making a switch.
That’s right — Tracy McLaughlin, who left The Agency for Engel & Völkers in October 2022, has returned to The Agency once again, both McLaughlin and The Agency confirmed to Inman.
McLaughlin was ranked the No. 18 agent in California by sales volume with $233.1 million netted in 2022, according to RealTrends’ latest America’s Best rankings. She’s also continued to be the top agent in Marin County every year since 2005.
Tracy McLaughlin | The Agency
McLaughlin has always been a fan of The Agency brand and the brokerage’s founder Mauricio Umansky, she clarified to Inman on a call. She left back in October because of issues that surrounded the launching of her business in Aspen with the brand, she said. The Agency has had an office in Aspen since 2019.
“I’ve always loved The Agency brand,” McLaughlin said. “I only left The Agency because of a logistical situation with Aspen … it had to do with reasons around opening in Aspen.”
Once those issues were resolved, however, McLaughlin was thrilled to return to The Agency.
“I really missed the brand, so I came back to The Agency for the brand. I love Mauricio. I like how supportive and entrepreneurial he is, in terms of ‘Hey, you think of an idea, I’m behind you, let’s go do this. Of course I’ll open an office here for you, of course I’ll do that for you.'”
“Mauricio has just a really easy-going, entrepreneurial spirit like I do,” she added.
When McLaughlin announced her departure from Engel & Völkers last year, she also announced a partnership with her daughter, Whitney McLaughlin. At that time, the younger McLaughlin joined Engel & Völkers as a real estate adviser in Aspen with the idea that the mother-daughter duo could assist clients across both markets.
Now, McLaughlin said Whitney and her other daughter, Grace McLaughlin, will join her team at The Agency, both of whom will operate out of Aspen and Marin County.
Mauricio Umansky
“We’re thrilled to have Tracy back home at The Agency,” Mauricio Umansky, founder and CEO of The Agency, said in a statement emailed to Inman. “We warmly welcome her back into the fold, knowing that her exceptional skills and remarkable track record will elevate our brokerage to even greater heights.
“Tracy’s decision to come back speaks volumes about the collaborative and dynamic environment we foster at our agency. Together, we will continue to redefine excellence in the real estate industry.”
McLaughlin added that after she made the switch to Engel & Völkers, she had a hard time letting go of The Agency completely.
“I still wore The Agency hat every single day after I left,” she said. “When I was in London, there was somebody in Hyde Park on a horse in November, and this guy said to me, ‘The Agency, oh The Agency — we love The Agency!’ So, it’s a worldwide brand, everywhere I wear my hat, people talk to me about The Agency, and it’s a reflection of [Umansky].
“So I missed that, and we were able to clear up the logistical issues about opening up in Aspen under the brand and it all worked out.”
Prior to joining The Agency in 2019, McLaughlin co-owned Pacific Union International with ex-husband Mark McLaughlin, which they acquired in 2009. Pacific Union International was then acquired by Compass in 2018, and Tracy McLaughlin briefly joined Compass at that time before switching to The Agency.
RealTrends first reported McLaughlin’s move on Wednesday.
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