Highland Real Estate

What Highland Real Estate does

Highland Real Estate (operating as Highland Group at Compass) is a privately held, family-led residential real estate brokerage founded in the mid-1980s (with firmographic data referencing 1977) and headquartered at 75 Crest Avenue, Winthrop, Massachusetts, with a secondary location at 126 Newbury St., Boston. The firm serves buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords of single-family homes, condominiums, multi-family properties, and select commercial real estate across Winthrop, Revere, East Boston, South Boston, and broader North Shore / Greater Boston communities. Core offerings include buyer representation, seller representation, and rental transaction services, supplemented by Compass Concierge (pre-sale home preparation), Compass Coming Soon (pre-MLS marketing), Matterport virtual tours, a Federal-Rate-data-backed mortgage calculator, and quarterly housing market reports for the firm's primary submarkets.

The team of approximately 9 people is led by Owner/Broker Jim Polino and Partner/Office Manager Elizabeth Polino, and includes experienced agents such as Jonathan Polino (18 years), Sharon Tallent (30 years), Virginia Brown (34+ years), David Tallent, Kenny Kelleher, and Erica Maccini, supported by an administrative assistant handling social media and email marketing. Technology is built on the Compass platform, which provides MLS distribution, marketing tools, and buyer network exposure; the firm operates its own consumer-facing website (highlandre.com) with property search and saved-search functionality.

Revenue is generated exclusively via real estate commissions on closed transactions — buyer-side commissions, seller-side commissions, and rental commissions — with rates not publicly disclosed and negotiated per client (typical Massachusetts residential commissions range 4-6%). The firm operates a sales-led, direct-agent go-to-market with field-based agents managing transactions end-to-end and supplementing core brokerage with ancillary service referrals (attorneys, mortgage, insurance, inspection). In 2025, the firm rebranded from "Highland Real Estate" to "Highland Group at Compass," formalizing its affiliation as a Compass-affiliated team to access additional marketing and distribution infrastructure.

Name

Highland Real Estate

Legal name

Highland Real Estate

Website

https://highlandre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Highland Real Estate (Highland Group at Compass) is a family-led residential real estate brokerage serving buyers, sellers, and renters in Winthrop and Greater Boston, Massachusetts, through agent-led transaction services and the Compass platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winthrop

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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 - Buyer Representation: Commissions earned on transactions where the firm represents buyers in purchasing residential or commercial properties
2. Real Estate Commission - Seller Representation: Commissions earned on transactions where the firm represents sellers in listing and selling properties
3. Rental Commissions: Commissions from rental transactions including tenant representation and landlord representation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Highland Real Estate (operating as Highland Group at Compass) is a full-service residential real estate brokerage serving the Greater Boston area, including Winthrop, Revere, East Boston, and South Boston. The firm provides buyer representation, seller representation, and rental services through a team of licensed agents supported by the Compass platform's MLS distribution, marketing tools, and transaction infrastructure.

Product overview

Highland Group at Compass is a full-service residential real estate brokerage operating in the Boston metro area, with a primary focus on Winthrop, Revere, East Boston, and South Boston communities. The firm operates as part of the Compass real estate platform, offering buyers, sellers, and renters a comprehensive suite of services including MLS property search, Compass Concierge (home preparation/value maximization program), and Compass Coming Soon (pre-market listing program). The company provides complementary tools including virtual tours (with Matterport integration), mortgage calculators (powered by Federal Reserve data), and quarterly housing market reports. With a 40-year history and a team of agents including Jim Polino (Owner/Broker), Jonathan Polino (Sales Associate), Sharon Tallent, David Tallent, Virginia Brown, Kenny Kelleher, and Erica Maccini, the firm serves clients ranging from first-time homebuyers to experienced investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buyer Representation Services Full-service buyer-side real estate representation helping individuals find, evaluate, and purchase residential and commercial properties in the Greater Boston area, including customized property searches, financing pre-approval assistance, scheduling appointments, and full transaction management through closing.
• Seller Representation Services Full-service listing and seller-side representation for homeowners marketing single-family homes, condominiums, and multi-family properties in the Greater Boston area, encompassing pricing guidance, MLS distribution, marketing support including virtual tours and professional photography, showing management, and negotiation through closing.
• Rental Representation Services Tenant representation and landlord representation services assisting clients with rental property searches and tenant placement in the Winthrop and Greater Boston market.
• Compass Concierge Program Home preparation program that helps sellers maximize property value before listing, offering hassle-free renovations and improvements to sell homes faster and at higher prices.
• Compass Coming Soon Program Pre-market listing program allowing sellers to showcase upcoming properties before full MLS exposure, helping attract buyers early in the process.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully sold property during challenging November timeframe at above-expected price

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CompasscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHighland Group operates as an affiliated team under Compass, a national real estate brokerage platform. Compass provides technology infrastructure, MLS distribution, marketing tools, and brand support. The firm rebranded from Highland Real Estate to Highland Group at Compass.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coldwell Banker Real Estate: Large national residential brokerage franchise with deep presence in Greater Boston and New England. Competes directly with Highland for buyer and seller mandates in the same submarkets.
• RE/MAX: Large global real estate franchise with strong agent-base model in Greater Boston. Operates the same residential brokerage business as Highland and competes for the same buyer and seller pool.
• Century 21 Real Estate: Global residential brokerage franchise with strong suburban Boston coverage including Revere and East Boston. Directly comparable agent-led brokerage model serving the same homeowner segments.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: National residential brokerage franchise with active Boston-area operations. Competes directly with Highland for premium listings and agent talent in the Greater Boston region.
• Douglas Elliman: Residential brokerage with expanded Boston-area operations. Competes with Highland for agent talent and listings in the broader New England luxury and metro residential market.
• Keller Williams Realty: Largest real estate franchise in the US by agent count with significant Greater Boston presence. Competes with Highland via agent-led teams delivering residential brokerage services in the same zip codes.
• Compass: Highland's affiliated parent platform. Compass is a national residential brokerage that provides technology, MLS distribution, and brand infrastructure to affiliated teams like Highland Group at Compass.
• Sotheby's International Realty: Luxury-leaning national brokerage brand operating in Boston. Competes in adjacent segments and on properties above Highland's typical ticket size but serves the same Greater Boston seller pool.

Emerging players

• Redfin: Tech-enabled residential brokerage active across Massachusetts including East Boston and South Boston. Competes with Highland via lower-fee model but for overlapping buyer and seller leads in the same submarkets.

Direct peers

• William Raveis Real Estate: Family-founded New England regional brokerage serving Greater Boston and North Shore. Closest geographic and operating-model peer to Highland with a similar multi-generational, relationship-led approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/highlandrehomes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Highland745
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandGroupatCompass
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-real-estate
• Instagraminstagram.com/highland_group_at_compass

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Highland Real Estate