Growing Independent Brokerage Buys NAR President’s Business


Anthony Lamacchia, left, and Kevin Sears, right, pose for a photo at Lamacchia Realty's Worcester, Massachusetts office to sign closing documents for the sale of Sears Real Estate to Lamacchia on April 7, 2024. Photo courtesy of Lamacchia Realty

Massachusetts largest independent residential real estate brokerage – one that’s sought to make inroads into the New Hampshire Market, too – now owns the home base of National Association of Realtors President Kevin Sears. 

Lamacchia Realty’s purchase of Springfield, Massachusetts-based Sears Real Estate, announced by the company April 8, also brings its brand into the Pioneer Valley for the first time. Sears Real Estate has two offices and lists 14 agents on its website in addition to Kevin Sears, his brother and managing broker Brian and fellow broker Dan Rodriguez. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. 

Sears Real Estate was founded in 1971 by the Sears’ late father Paul J. Sears, a former Springfield city councilor and 2006 Massachusetts Realtor of the Year. 

“Sears Real Estate was founded and operated for over 50 years on not only helping buyers and sellers but more importantly being an involved and responsible member of the local community. Anthony [Lamacchia] and Lamacchia Realty live that every day,” Brian Sears said in a statement. “The Lamacchia Realty way of education and providing the necessary tools for their agents are two of the main reasons we have decided to join forces with Lamacchia Realty.” 

The acquisition had been mooted for “over a year,” but Kevin Sears’ sudden elevation to the NAR presidency in January following a blackmail attempt on ex-president Tracy Kidder “accelerated the timeline for this acquisition.” 

“Having first met Anthony in 2010, while I was president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, I realized how much we had in common. We both shared a passion for our families, our clients, being involved in our communities, understanding the importance of having a solid business plan and advocating for both our industry and the clients we serve,” Kevin Sears said in a statement. 

Lamacchia said it plans to use the acquisition to “dramatically” grow its presence in the Springfield area. 

The company had $1.78 billion in transaction volume last year across 3,500 transaction sides, according to RealTrends, making it the fourth-biggest brokerage by sales volume in the state and the biggest independent brokerage brand. 

The acquisition is Lamacchia’s fourth in Massachusetts in nine months as smaller brokerages have struggled to deal with withered sales pipelines.