E
ngel & Völkers, a high-end residential real estate brand based in Germany, is returning to Richmond after a seven-year absence. The global brand has expanded its franchise group in the DMV area, which includes D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia, and has added Richmond to its territory.

    Chris Herron, formerly with Keller Williams Realty's Midlothian office, will serve as managing broker for Engel & Völkers Richmond. He is joined by a team of agents from Keller Williams, including Tina Morris, Jessica Cox, Lindsay Miller, and Andrew Broocker, a 20-year agent who is a Richmond native.

    The group has set up shop at 3101 Ellwood Ave., filling a 3,000-square-foot space that previously housed Chasen Galleries. The office plans to open on July 17, with agents currently listing homes under the Engel & Völkers banner.

    Herron said the group signed a three-year lease for the space after considering other options in and around Carytown. "We had narrowed it down to Carytown as the spot we wanted to be," he said. "It fits the brand so well and how we like to present ourselves."

    Engel & Völkers was previously affiliated with Select Properties of Virginia from 2015 to 2018, but owner Doug Dorsey sold Select to SRMF and is now an agent with that brokerage.

    The DMV group behind Engel & Völkers' return includes Rick Foster, Travis Gray, Phil Di Ruggiero, and Tom Spier. Di Ruggiero said the group had been eyeing an expansion to Richmond and connected with Herron, who was also interested in joining the brand.

    "We've shared a lot of business both in terms of buyers and sellers from Northern Virginia moving down," Di Ruggiero said. "Richmond is a growing area for not only employment but quality of life."

    While known as a "luxury" real estate brand, Engel & Völkers' listings aren't defined by a particular price point. The brokerage operates on a split commission model and compensates agents based on production and level of support provided.

    Herron said the brand is committed to providing high-touch, human-interactive service to its clients. "It's not luxury from a price point perspective; it's luxury from the service that we're able to offer our clients," he said.

    The new office marks Engel & Völkers' second attempt at establishing itself in Richmond. Herron and Di Ruggiero are confident that the brand is here for the long haul this time, citing a strong support group and core team of advisors.