First Team Real Estate

What First Team Real Estate does

First Team Real Estate is a privately held, full-service independent residential real estate brokerage headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The firm operates a network of more than 2,200 sales associates across 62+ office locations spanning five western U.S. states — California, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona — and ranks as the #1 Independent Brokerage for Closed Transactions in Southern California. Founded more than 50 years ago and led by CEO Michele Harrington, FirstTeam generates revenue through traditional real estate commissions on residential and luxury property transactions, supplemented by property management, referral services (mortgage/title/escrow/home warranty), and a concierge pre-sale prep service.

The company's service portfolio spans core residential brokerage (property search, listings, home valuation), luxury services (Luxury Homes sub-brand, international exposure through Luxury Portfolio International and LeadingRE, and the FirstTeam Exclusives pre-market program), and seller-side support (First Impressions Concierge). Its digital platform is built on the Luxury Presence website framework with integrated MLS data systems, property search, and CRM functionality. Strategic alliances — most notably the partnership with Brown Harris Stevens and founding membership in the Leading Real Estate Network — extend its reach into luxury and international buyer pools, while the FirstTeam Advantage program recruits and supports independent agents.

FirstTeam's go-to-market is a traditional field-sales / agent-network model: buyers and sellers transact through dedicated local agents, with corporate offices providing back-office support, marketing, and technology infrastructure. The business model is commission-based with rates negotiated per transaction, producing transactional, lumpy revenue tied to housing-market volume and average sale prices. Geographic and product expansion (into Washington state, deeper luxury exposure, pre-market and concierge programs) is positioned by leadership as part of a stated 'billion-dollar growth strategy.'

Name

First Team Real Estate

Legal name

FirstTeam Real Estate

Website

https://firstteam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

First Team Real Estate is a privately held independent real estate brokerage operating 62+ offices and 2,200+ agents across five western U.S. states, delivering residential and luxury brokerage services to individual buyers and sellers through a commission-based, agent-network model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes) (BPAJAAAA)

Keywords

• Residential real estate brokerage
• Luxury property services
• Home buying and selling
• Property management services
• Relocation assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Commission: Traditional real estate brokerage commission model where agents earn commissions on completed home sales and purchases. Revenue is generated through transaction fees based on property sale prices.
2. Luxury Property Services: Specialized services for high-value properties including international exposure, luxury portfolio marketing, and exclusive pre-market programs.
3. Property Management: Property management services for residential properties including tenant management and maintenance coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FirstTeam Real Estate is a full-service residential real estate brokerage providing buying, selling, and luxury property services across California, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. The company operates through a network of 2,200+ sales associates across 53+ office locations, offering property search, home valuation, pre-market exclusive listings, concierge services, property management, mortgage/title/escrow referrals, and relocation assistance.

Product overview

First Team Real Estate operates as a full-service real estate brokerage offering a comprehensive platform of residential and luxury property services. The core offering centers on the Our Listings property search platform, complemented by geographic Market Presence coverage across California, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. The product portfolio includes specialized luxury services under the Luxury Homes sub-brand, the FirstTeam® Exclusives pre-market program for early access listings, and Home Valuation and First Impressions Concierge add-on modules for sellers. Additional services include International Exposure and Luxury Portfolio International for global marketing, Property Management for ongoing ownership support, Mortgage/Title/Escrow referral services, and Relocation assistance. The company also operates an Agent Careers/FirstTeam® Advantage program recruiting and supporting real estate professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Impressions Concierge: Concierge service for home selling
• FirstTeam Exclusives
• FirstTeam Advantage
• Powerful Women In Real Estate

Products and services

• Residential Real Estate Brokerage Services
• Luxury Homes Services
• FirstTeam® Exclusives
• Property Management Services
• Mortgage / Title / Escrow Referral Services
• Relocation Services
• International Exposure Program

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 Independent Brokerage for Closed Transactions in Southern California
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brown Harris StevenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership bringing together FirstTeam's Southern California dominance with Brown Harris Stevens' luxury real estate expertise. This collaboration enhances service capabilities for high-value property transactions and expands market reach for luxury clientele.
• Leading Real Estate Network (LeadingRE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFounding member of LeadingRE, providing global real estate network connectivity and international property exposure through the Luxury Portfolio International program.
• Luxury Portfolio InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational luxury real estate network providing exposure for high-value properties to global affluent buyer audience.
• Fidelity National Home WarrantyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome warranty services provider offered as part of FirstTeam's comprehensive real estate transaction services.
• First American Home WarrantyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome warranty services offered to FirstTeam clients as part of property transaction support services.
• First American Natural Hazard DisclosuresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProperty disclosure services integrated into FirstTeam's transaction workflow.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Redfin: Redfin is a technology-driven residential brokerage and portal that competes with FirstTeam for both consumer mind-share and agent talent, particularly in California. Its integrated search-to-close experience is a benchmark for digital brokerage capabilities.
• Sotheby's International Realty: Sotheby's International Realty is a global luxury-focused residential brokerage that competes directly with FirstTeam's luxury portfolio in Southern California and Arizona. Its affiliated brokerage LIV Sotheby's is even named as a previous employer of FirstTeam's Washington Broker of Record.
• eXp World Holdings: eXp Realty operates a cloud-based, commission-split brokerage model with a national agent network that competes head-to-head with FirstTeam for agents and listings. Its agent equity program and low-overhead model put pressure on traditional multi-office independents.
• The Agency: The Agency is a luxury-leaning independent brokerage with California roots that competes directly with FirstTeam's luxury portfolio and pre-market programs. Its brand-led, design-forward approach targets the same high-net-worth segments in Southern California.
• HomeSmart International: HomeSmart is a large independent brokerage operating on a 100% commission model with national reach that competes with FirstTeam for both agents and consumers. Its tech platform and aggressive commission structure make it a relevant comparable.
• Realty ONE Group: Realty ONE Group is a fast-growing, tech-enabled independent brokerage with a franchise model that competes for agents across the Western U.S., including markets where FirstTeam operates. Its "ONE" brand and agent-centric model target the same recruiting pool.
• Compass: Compass is a large, tech-forward residential brokerage competing directly with FirstTeam across California and other U.S. markets. It targets similar buyer/seller and agent segments with an emphasis on proprietary technology, agent tools, and a luxury-leaning brand.

Emerging players

• Side: Side is a brokerage platform that powers independent and boutique real estate brands with back-office, technology, and agent support. While not a direct consumer-facing competitor, it represents an alternative operating model that could appeal to agents leaving traditional brokerages like FirstTeam.

Broad incumbents

• Coldwell Banker: Coldwell Banker is an established national real estate franchise with deep California presence, including luxury and entry-level segments overlapping with FirstTeam. It offers broader geographic reach and brand recognition as a franchised incumbent.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a large national residential brokerage franchise competing across price tiers and geographies that overlap with FirstTeam. It leverages a powerful consumer brand and broad franchise network for both agents and listings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/firstteamre
• Facebookfacebook.com/10838277172
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-team-real-estate
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstteamre
• TikToktiktok.com/@firstteamre
• Xx.com/FirstTeamRE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Team Real Estate