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Calling itself “a brokerage built by brokers” that’s “boutique but mighty,” the leadership team of The Agency Bainbridge Island prides itself on the “underdog philosophy” that reverses the trend of big box brands taking over market share from smaller indies and boutique brokerage models.
Led by managing partners Mark Middleton and Suzy Legier and managing directors Holley Carlson and Kristina Jennings, the brokerage combines their decades of experience with a philosophy that prioritizes personalized support and exceptional service.
Middleton is known as the region’s preeminent waterfront property expert and currently holds numerous all-time sale price records. Legier specializes in interior design and is a Master Home Stager with hundreds of staged homes in her portfolio.
Carlson has built her 25-year career on the principles of mentorship, collaboration and client-centric service. Jennings offers experience as a top-producing agent and a certification in Global Luxury, along with a client-focused approach to her leadership role.
Names and titles: Mark Middleton and Suzy Legier, Managing partners and owners; Holley Carlson and Kristina Jennings: Managing directors
Experience: Leadership team includes Mark Middleton with 18 years of real estate experience; Suzy Legier, an interior designer and professional home stager with 20 years of experience; Holley Carlson with 25+ years of real estate experience and Kristina Jennings with 10 years of residential real estate experience.
Location: Port Townsend, Washington
Brokerage name: The Agency Port Townsend
Rankings:
- Middleton is rated No. 1 for total sales volume in Kitsap County (2024) and No. 1 for total sales volume on Bainbridge Island, Washington (2024) and No. 28 of all brokers in Washington State via RealTrends
- Carlson was ranked No. 2 in the state of Washington for all licensed brokers in 2023 by prior brokerage
Team size: 12 real estate brokers licensed in the new The Agency Port Townsend brokerage
Sales volume: $172,968,000 for both offices owned by Mark Middleton and Suzy Legier (Bainbridge Island and Port Townsend combined)
Awards:
- Jennings has earned multiple International President’s Circle awards, reflecting her top-tier performance year after year. She has also earned the Top Team award (2016–2020), Excellence in Marketing Award (2021), Rock Star Award (2022), and was voted Most Inspirational and Best Customer Service by her peers in 2023.
- Middleton has been recognized among RealTrend’s America’s Best and Washington’s Best Real Estate professionals for a decade running.
How did you choose your brokerage?
We chose to align with The Agency brand because our desire was to have boutique offices in select cities throughout the Kitsap and Jefferson Counties where professional, positive and collaborative brokers can come together to bring a brand that embodies their entrepreneurial spirit. No other brand embodies the “all for one and one for all” philosophy quite like The Agency.
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
Hope is not a strategy, and luck doesn’t equate to creating success. The key is to approach your business with a CEO mindset, treating it like a true business through strategic planning, understanding your client profiles, investing in meaningful relationships and staying ahead of market trends. Both passion and resilience will persevere over anything else.
What’s your top tip for freshly licensed brokers?
Aligning with a mentor who reflects your personal and professional values is an invaluable step in your career. Learning from their experience can help you cultivate a steady, sustainable flow of business that lasts a lifetime. You get farther working with the “we” than the “me.”
