Jay RobinsonChattanooga's top-selling real estate agent is joining the region's No. 1 real estate agency.
Jay Robinson, who heads a 10-member team that has sold more than $545 million of residential properties over the past two decades, said Tuesday he is joining Keller Williams Realty.
"The team approach has always been a staple of Keller Williams and what we do is exactly what Keller Williams does on a bigger scale," Robinson said. "This gives us an ability to have access to better networks and systems and simplify some of our operations and I think that will help boost our sales this year. It allows me to laser focus on customer service."
Robinson's team, which is relocating to Keller Williams' downtown office but will continue to operate under the Robinson Real Estate Inc., name, sold more than $45 million of homes in 2013.
Since Robinson began his Robinson Team in 1997, he has sold more than 2,000 homes and been the top sales agent of any agency in the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors.
"My focus has never been on being the No. 1 agent," Robinson said. "My focus has always been on solving problems. Ultimately, we broker change in people's lives."
A native of Chattanooga, Robinson worked as an agent in Little Rock, Ark., from 1988 to 1995 "before I saw the renaissance in Chattanooga and decided to return home."
After growing to the top agent for Crye-Leike Realtors of Chattanooga during a nine-year tenure with that agency, Robinson created Robinson Real Estate Inc. in April of 2008.
"Jay has been a strong agent for a long time and has a wonderful and successful business that should be a great addition for Keller Williams in this market," said Jennie Brockman, operating partner and franchisee owner for Keller Williams in Chattanooga.
Keller Williams operates three local offices with a total of more than 250 agents. Keller Williams entered the Chattanooga market in 2005 and Brockman joined in 2010 as a commercial agent. She has been operating partner since 2012.
Keller Williams has grown to Chattanooga's top-selling agency with sales last year of 2,880 homes, or $536.8 million in total sales. Keller William sales were up last year by 26 percent, which was better than the overall market gain of 16.8 percent in property taxes through local Realtors.
"We're happy what we offer with any agent," Brockman said. "We really are a different kind of company and we pride ourselves on being "agent-centric."
Keller Williams Realty, the largest real estate franchise in North America.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.