Mackey closing offices, rejoining C.J. Brown

Marge Mackey, who operates one of the largest real estate firms in metro Baton Rouge, is closing her Coldwell Banker Mackey business and rejoining C.J. Brown. Mackey hasn’t set a closing date for her office. “I decided instead of staying on as an owner/broker, to go back to my passion, which is listing and selling houses,” says Mackey. Mackey, 80, says she’s been working a long time and wanted “time to play a little bit.” Mackey, who started with C.J. Brown in 1971 as an assistant to her husband Ralph, opened her own real estate company in 1975. The office became a Coldwell Banker franchise in 1983 and has grown to 160 licensed agents. Another factor in Mackey’s decision to close is the franchise with Coldwell Banker is up and renewal would mean a 10-year commitment. “It was a good time to make a change,” says Mackey. C.J. Brown is not purchasing Mackey’s business, but the company is inviting agents from her firm to join the staff. A number of agents have taken up C.J. Brown’s offer. Coldwell Banker Mackey agents in Livingston and Ascension parishes have decided to open independent offices. Mackey says she thinks the local real estate market is “rising” heading into 2011. —Timothy Boone