Vanguard Snags Key Compass Agents in East Bay Expansion

Vanguard Properties, the largest independent brokerage in the Bay Area, has jumped feet first into the East Bay, snagging 23 agents in the Oakland/Berkeley market since January, according to a press release, with a new Oakland office opening this summer.

The expansion effort will be led by three former Compass higher-ups, who had all been Pacific Union leaders before Compass bought what had been the largest independent in the Bay Area in 2018.

Brent Thomson, former Compass COO who left for Berkshire Hathaway last year, is Vanguard’s new vice president of strategic growth. Pamela Hoffman, former branch manager at Compass’ Berkeley office, is Vanguard’s manager of Alameda County and will spearhead the new office, which is expected to be in the luxury enclave of Montclair and serve Oakland and Berkeley agents.

The Oakland office comes on the heels of a new Lafayette location that opened last year. Ellen Anderson, formerly Compass’ manager for Lafayette, Danville and Orinda, will serve as Vanguard’s manager of the Lafayette office and all of Contra Costa County.

The two new East Bay offices mark the largest expansion in the San Francisco-based company’s 37-year history, according to David Chol, Vanguard’s COO. Its sales volume growth of 72 percent in Lafayette in the fourth quarter of last year is what prompted the swift move into Oakland this year, he said, not specific market conditions in the city.

In fact, the market slow down has actually helped recruitment, he said.

“Because we are financially sound, we can grow when times are sluggish and take leaps of faith on agents who are willing to take the leap with us,” he said. “It’s during market downturns when we usually grow the most. Agents realize what they value most during tough times: reliability, close human connection, a positive culture and strong support from local leadership.”

Chol added that Vanguard does not have a recruiting department or send blanket recruitment emails. He said he went to more than 50 lunches, dinners and coffee dates to get to know each new East Bay agent one on one.

“The agents get a good laugh out of how well-fed I am as a result,” he said. “But that is who we are. We are an in-person business.”

Though the brokerage has lost some of its agents to other firms in recent months, overall it appears to have gained more than it lost. Between the two East Bay offices alone, there are 42 new Vanguard agents, many of whom said that being at an independent brokerage rather than a corporate or franchise agency is a major part of its appeal.

Amy Robeson was an East Bay agent at Pacific Union for 10 years before it was acquired by Compass and described her return to an independent brokerage as a revitalizing experience.

“Imagine if you woke up and had lost 15 pounds overnight,” she said via email. “The executive team and staff greet challenges with a positive, can-do attitude that syncs with mine.”

Not all the new recruits came from Compass. Chris Dubois was the sales manager for Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty’s Berkeley office for more than six years until he departed in January and said he came to Vanguard because of its “selective approach to growth.”

“They are looking for the right agents, not just warm bodies,” he said via email. “They are incredibly dedicated to providing tools, resources and leadership support that help move my business. This is especially impressive at a time when we’re seeing office closures, staff cuts and termination of resources among the larger corporate and corporate/franchise brokerages.”