Compass Houston High-Rise Agent moves to Douglas Elliman

High-rise specialist Tommy Kanarellis is the fifth notable Compass agent to leave the company’s Houston office over the past six weeks.

In an internal email obtained by The Real Deal, Douglas Elliman Houston’s senior executive sales manager James Horne, who also left Compass in May, wrote that Kanarellis would continue to specialize in new high-rise developments sales and resales, but also hitting the slopes of Aspen, CO.

“He will be expanding his business to Aspen, overseeing a variety of new development projects,” Horne wrote. “In addition to surpassing $48 million in sales in 2021, he has been responsible in originating over $400 million in new development projects over the past three years.”

Kanrellis’ departure came on Sept. 14 —ironically the same day that Compass held its annual Impact Day in Houston, a company event held to inspire the firm’s rank-and-file agents.

“I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity that has been created for me by Stephen Kotler, James Horne, Ed Foran and the entire team at Douglas Elliman,” Kanarellis told TRD. “ I’m looking forward to working with everyone to continue building the new development pipeline here in Houston while expanding my business to the Aspen market.”

There is a lot of overlap between the Houston and Aspen markets, Kanarellis said, where many well-heeled Houstonians have second homes.

Kanellis also said that he would be taking the account for London House, the latest luxury high-rise project from Houston developer Randall Davis, with him to Douglas Elliman.

Kanellis, who previously handled sales for Davis’ The Marlowe in downtown Houston, said his team booked $48 million in sales volume at Compass in 2021.

“He’s known in town for doing a ton of off-market deals,” Houston real estate agent from an unrelated firm told TRD on condition that they not be named.

Another source familiar with Kanarellis’ move said that all of his team members are staying at Compass.