S
erhant is expanding its presence in the Hudson Valley, a region that has seen skyrocketing demand for homes during the pandemic. The brokerage is setting up shop with a 10-person team led by Jake Garay and Blake Michaud, who previously worked at a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise. This team closed around $80 million in sales over the last year.

    Garay credits Serhant's disruptor approach as a major draw for the team, which left behind a traditional brokerage model that they deemed "broken." The Hudson Valley is seen as an attractive market due to the flow of clients from New York City. Garay and Michaud also cover Westchester and Fairfield counties in Connecticut.

    Serhant's expansion into the Hudson Valley comes after demand for homes surged during the pandemic, driving up prices and reducing inventory. Prices have remained elevated, but Garay notes that more luxury listings are accumulating, making it a more negotiable market.

    This marks Serhant's official entry into the upstate New York market, although the firm has previously sold properties in the region through partnerships. The brokerage is also expanding its presence in New Jersey with two new teams and now has 700 agents across eight states. However, some competitors have pushed back against Serhant's expansion, suing the firm for allegedly stealing clients and information.