Agent Migration: The Standard Branches Out; Nyfeler Comes Home

In this week’s Agent Migration column, we take a look at a new brand from Joshua Vernon and Zach De Bernardi, and check in on a North Texas real estate legend in Kelly Nyfeler. Did you make a big move? Contact Joshua Baethge.

De Bernardi Creates New Standard

Real Estate agent Zach De Bernardi recently formed The Standard, a Dallas-based brokerage that is rapidly expanding across Texas.

“We both felt like it was time to start a firm that has the agent’s best interest in mind versus being a profit center for the people that own the large brokerages,” Joshua Vernon, a partner in the firm, said.

The Standard’s flagship location is on Henderson Avenue.  Its team already includes 16 agents who will market commercial and residential properties, as well as select industrial projects. In addition to Dallas, the company has established a virtual presence in Tyler, Texas, and is about to complete its first Austin transaction. According to Vernon, The Standard intends to open physical locations in Austin, Houston, and East Texas by year’s end. While that may seem ambitious, Vernon believes that the company will do it by empowering its agents to succeed.

“Looking out for our agents’ best interests is going to make them work harder and smarter,” he said.

A Happy Return

Kelly Nyfeler recently returned to Coldwell Banker as an associate broker.

“It’s a very sound company — the oldest residential brokerage in the country — and it’s not going anywhere,” Nyfeler said. “I know a lot of people have kind of jumped ship to the new start-up companies, but I think there’s something to be said for a well-known name that has a good reputation. I could not be happier.”

Before returning to Coldwell Banker, Nyfeler helped turn around the Briggs-Freeman Sotheby’s Uptown office. During her 18-month tenure, she doubled the number of agents and implemented changes that dramatically improved the bottom line. However, despite this success, she was eager to get back into sales and return to her roots.

Nyfeler said she’s been impressed with Coldwell Banker’s recent work, and was blown away by what they were now offering agents. Of particular interest to her was the company’s new listing concierge service, which will be unveiled soon.

“It’s unbelievable what the agents get,” she said. “It’s gong to be pretty hard to compete with in the industry,”

As a long-time Dallas resident, Nyfeler said that her biggest strength might be the knowledge she has of the various neighborhoods around town. She loves following where the interesting projects are going up, and has an eye for the next up-and-coming area. She encourages clients to buy into areas where they can get good equity.

“My specialty is trying to find the next cool place to buy, and to buy at a good price,” Nyfeler said. “Because that’s what everyone really wants- to get the best deal and live in the best neighborhood.”