BELLINGHAM, Wash., Nov. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eXp Realty®, the most agent-centric™ real estate brokerage on the planet and the core subsidiary of AGNT, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGNT), today announced that Florida’s 1st Choice Realty, an independent brokerage founded by Rene and Dana Carpena in Greater Tampa Bay, has joined the company and is now operating as 1st Choice Collective. The organization recorded more than 325 transactions and $60 million in sales volume in 2025, with more than 2,000 transactions and $470 million in documented sales volume since 2021.
The Carpenas joined eXp in September 2026, with more than 70 agents and support staff participating in the transition. The move supports their plans to expand across Florida and into additional states while retaining their organization’s identity and agent relationships.
“Independent brokerage owners invest years in building their businesses and earning their agents’ trust. They need a path to growth that respects that investment,” said Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty. “Rene and Dana have built a successful organization, and our platform gives them the infrastructure to enter additional markets while focusing their time on their agents and clients.”
The decision followed several years of evaluating growth opportunities. The Carpenas had declined franchise, partnership, and acquisition approaches, citing differences in branding and culture and their desire to continue owning and leading their business.
“We weren’t looking for another company to teach us how to be Florida’s 1st Choice,” said Rene Carpena, co-founder of 1st Choice Collective. “What we needed was scale.”
Rene had already experienced the costs of independent expansion after obtaining his North Carolina broker’s license and opening a small office there.
Through eXp’s existing brokerage infrastructure, the Carpenas can develop their organization in additional states without establishing a separate independent brokerage operation in each market. Since joining, they have sponsored agents in Georgia and Illinois and are developing a New Jersey team with approximately four agents.
The transition gives their agents access to eXp’s technology, education, and professional network, while reducing the founders’ daily involvement in brokerage compliance and contract reviews. Rene and Dana are directing more of their time toward mentorship, agent development, and expansion.
The Carpenas envision growing 1st Choice Collective across multiple markets, with opportunities for agents and leaders to develop businesses of their own.
About AGNT, Inc. (AGNT)
Built by Agents. Built for Agents. AGNT, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGNT) is the global parent company of eXp Realty®, the most agent-centric™ real estate brokerage on the planet, NextHome, Inc., an award-winning national real estate franchise, FrameVR.io, a virtual collaboration platform, and SUCCESS® Enterprises, a leading personal development and media brand for entrepreneurs. Together, the AGNT platform provides a world-class multi-model operating system empowering independent agents, franchise owners, and team leaders across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and South Africa. As a publicly traded company, AGNT prioritizes transparency, innovation, and long-term value for agents, franchise owners, staff, and shareholders.
Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the Company’s and its management’s current expectations, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could impact actual results materially. These statements include, but are not limited to, eXp Realty’s market position, agent and team performance, and ability to attract and retain top-producing agents in competitive housing markets. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include real estate market fluctuations, changes in agent retention or recruitment, competitive pressures, regulatory changes, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. We do not undertake any obligation to update these statements except as required by law.
