SOUTH BAY DIGS | Digital Edition Online

144 DIGS.NET | 12.14.2018 A D B | T H E A G E N C Y T he fact that the South Bay includes a large swath of properties— not all luxury—is another plus. Umansky Benton points out: "We are a luxury firm, but one of the things that people don't realize is that we actually have a lot of business in the $1-million dollar range." She points to her current roster of listings, for example, which includes properties ranging from $400,000 to $6 million. And listings go beyond residential homes, with investment properties, vacation rentals, resort real estate and commercial properties part of the mix. "ere's a lot of business to be had here," she declares, "and I think it's a really good thing to bring in our way of doing business." Key to e Agency's success is its culture. "We call ourselves a family," Umansky Benton says. "We love each other. We support each other. We collaborate. We talk to each other." is "rising tide liing all boats" concept is based on the idea that an organization—and the individuals within it—will reach greater heights working together, versus functioning as a lone-wolf outfit, where individuals work as solo operators or within small, cloistered groups. "ere's an expectation of excellence," says Regan, who lauds the firm for its access to high-net-worth clients throughout the world. at, along with e Agency's robust internal communication network, enables an invaluable sharing of information among agents at the firm–particularly when it comes to off-market listings. Calling on others within the company, no matter how seasoned or high profile, to work together or share ideas is encouraged. "You've got people like James [Harris] and David [Parnes] from Million Dollar Listing collaborating with people who have been in the industry for only a couple of years," Umansky Benton points out. ese are not just feel-good measures, but rationally self-interested initiatives that have added up to phenomenal business success. "It benefits the client in so many different ways," Umansky Benton adds. "You're not only getting one agent. You're getting the support of all the agents in e Agency." e concept can work particularly well in real estate, where collaborating agents get benefits beyond just increasing visibili for their listings. "It breeds an environment of people really enjoying each other's company and support," says Umansky Benton, pointing out the solitary nature of real estate: "You're by yourself. You're out there, you're trying to find a listing, you're trying to get a deal going. Sometimes it feels really lonely." e Agency's annual anniversary par has become quite the soirée, with agents and invitees flying in from everywhere to attend. Every year, attendance swells. While the growth of the company is dynamic, says Umansky Benton, it is also carefully metered: "ere's only so many places you can expand to at one time without expanding too quickly and ruining the feeling of the company." is means keeping the feel of the company intact. A peek at e Agency's website reveals an ever-growing page of agents and brokers, along with their headshots—a broad range of expressive, mostly black and white, images that signal a departure from tamer, traditional agent shots. ere are leather jackets and big grins, sleek suits and glamorous sling that indicate that at e Agency, self-expression is in. "We tend to try to do things differently," points out Umansky Benton. "We don't want to be one of the masses, or just another real estate firm. We want to stand out. We want to change things." (clockwise from top le) South Bay team members, from le to right—Kristin Regan, Courtney Lingle, Allie Lutz, Sharon Umansky Benton; currently listed by e Agency, 32012 Cape Point Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes; Mauricio Umansky and Sharon Umansky Benton; e Agency anniversary par.

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