By Andrew Wood
We are excited to announce the opening of our new regional office in Hartford County, Connecticut. The opening greatly expands our presence in the state while bringing the global Sotheby’s International Realty brand and its luxury real estate services into the Hartford market area.
The brokerage’s address at 45 East Main Street in Avon, Conn., was strategically selected to provide a central foothold and easy accessibility within Hartford County’s Farmington Valley region. The new facility is currently under construction and set to open in July, with business operations already underway in the area through a temporary office space. When completed, the permanent brick and mortar office will be outfitted with all the state-of-the-art technological features the company is known for in its other locations.
The preeminent luxury real estate brand returns to Hartford
The firm previously operated in Hartford County with local offices from 2005 to 2007 at a time when the Sotheby’s International Realty brand had only just introduced its new worldwide affiliate network model, with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty being one of the first firms to join the luxury real estate network in 2005. The company made the decision to contract its presence as the market headed for the downturn that began in 2008.
Since that time, we have experienced tremendous growth. In 2009, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty expanded into Westchester County, N.Y., where it does business as Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, and soon after expanded into Litchfield County, Conn. In 2014, the firm established operations in Berkshire County, Mass. Today the company manages a $4.2-billion portfolio with more than 1,000 sales associates in 27 brokerages, which ranks the company as one of the largest affiliates in the network and the 34th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States according to RISMedia. Globally, the Sotheby’s International Realty brand has become a prestigious worldwide real estate referral network consisting of 950 offices throughout 69 countries and territories on six continents.
Seasoned expert to oversee new office
The brokerage manager for the new office will be Alex Ohlandt, previously a top-producing sales associate and multi-year Gold Award-winning agent with the real estate brokerage firm Houlihan Lawrence in Westchester County, N.Y. Prior to entering real estate, Ohlandt enjoyed a 15-year career on Wall Street, working with Citigroup and Morgan Stanley.
“Finding the right person for this role was a challenge. With his significant real estate expertise and passion for the business, combined with his deep knowledge of the area, Alex is a natural fit,” said Kristine Newell, regional manager for Litchfield County, the Berkshires, and now Hartford County, where she will offer additional support. “Alex’s success in the competitive worlds of both Wall Street and real estate are a testament to his unwavering commitment to his clients, who appreciate his integrity, enthusiasm and professionalism, along with his attention to detail and tireless work ethic.”
Ohlandt and his wife, Cristin, who was born and raised in West Hartford, were frequent visitors to the region over their 15-year marriage. When the opportunity presented itself to lead William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty’s Hartford County office, he decided the timing was perfect to relocate his family to the area they know and love so well.
