Vickey Barron — one of the city’s top agents and a heavy hitter in new development brokerage — has left the Corcoran Group for Compass.
Barron, who joined Corcoran in June 2017, is best known for leading sales at a trio of Ralph Walker buildings that were converted into condominiums, including 100 Barclay, Stella Tower and Walker Tower, where she sold the record-breaking $51 million penthouse in 2014. At Corcoran, she was recently marketing the penthouse at Magnum Real Estate’s 100 Barclay, which is asking $59 million.
Barron did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but sources said she is not bringing any of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group’s listings to Compass.
Barron’s team — which includes daughters Teka Klopfenstein and Pacey Barron — ranked No. 2 on The Real Deal’s annual list of top agents last year, closing $286 million in sell-side deals in 2017.
In addition to Corcoran, Barron has been affiliated with several firms in recent years. She worked at Douglas Elliman from 2000 to 2011 and 2013 to 2017. In between stints at Elliman, she worked at CORE, where she first landed the assignment at Walker Tower.
“I enjoy Vickey as a person … she’s quite giving when it comes to her wish to share her educational platform with others,” Corcoran CEO Pam Liebman said of Barron’s move. “I think she’s hoping to expand this in her next venture.”
Attracting Barron is a coup for Compass — which has landed few big name agents in New York lately, though it has been recruiting heavily nationwide. Barron’s expertise could also bolster the firm’s fledgling new development division.
In addition to Barron, Compass said it brought on the mother-daughter team of Anne and Amanda Young from Brown Harris Stevens. It also hired CORE’s Heather McDonough and Henry Hershkowitz.
Though Compass has always recruited heavily, Barron’s move generated buzz in New York’s residential world, where agents are known to switch firms when the market is soft.
Compass’ newest recruits are also joining the firm amid its well-documented push to control 20 percent market share in 20 U.S. cities by 2020. Last year, it landed a $450 million funding round from SoftBank, which is rumored to be doubling down on its earlier investment.
Compass currently has 1,365 agents and eight offices in New York City, the firm said.
Last month, Compass told TRD it is on track to hit $35.6 billion in sales volume this year, up from $14.8 billion in 2017, thanks in part to a wave of acquisitions including Pacific Union International in San Francisco. Compass is also projecting $1 billion in 2018 revenue, a massive jump from $370 million in 2017.