Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-United Properties, which hung out its shingle in the local market three months ago, is relocating today from its temporary offices on Wrenwood Boulevard to the former Business First Bank corporate headquarters building at 8440 Jefferson Highway.
Berkshire Hathaway is leasing some 7,000-square-feet on the building’s first floor from the bank, which still owns the property but recently moved its headquarters to new offices in the historic 500 Laurel St. building downtown.
Real estate broker Jonathan Starns, who co-owns the local Berkshire Hathaway franchise with Chase Muller, says the new office space is in a prime location and will enable the firm to continue to grow.
Since opening in mid-May, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-United Properties has grown from 15 agents to 23.
“We haven’t had to recruit anyone,” Starns says. “They’ve all come to us. We get calls every day.”
Starns says business has thus far been brisk, particularly on the residential side, and shows no signs of slowing down. The firm is also beginning to grow its commercial business, which Starns says has been helped by the Berkshire Hathaway brand.
“Since becoming Berkshire Hathaway we are getting calls from out-of-state investors,” he says. “We’re also seeing a lot of new listings. They’re attracted to the brand and the name so it’s really exciting.”
The local Berkshire Hathaway firm was formed earlier this year after Donnie Jarreau broke up his 18-year-old firm, selling the commercial division to NAI/Latter & Blum and the residential real estate division to Starns and Muller.
—Stephanie Riegel
