The Mottola Group and founder Stephen Mottola have joined Long & Foster.
Landing the Mottola group is expected to solidify, Long and Foster’s No. 2 sales ranking in the state. Motolla had been affiliated with Patterson-Schwartz, which has the No. 1 position.
Sales teams have become a bigger part of the residential real estate scene and the ability to attract these groups can quickly boost market share.
According to Long and Foster, The Mottola Group is ranked as one of the top real estate teams in the country by The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends, Inc.
According to the ranking, the firm accounted for $87 million in closed transactions and ranked among the top 115 firms. Updated information from the Mottola Group indicated the team accounted for $105.7 million in closed transactions or 250 units in 2013.
The team will work under the Long & Foster brand at the company’s Greenville, Del., office. Long & Foster earlier signed the Levy-Wilson team, another sizable sales group.
“I’ve known Stephen for nearly 30 years, having worked with him as both a competitor and a colleague, and I’m thrilled to welcome him and his team to the Long & Foster family,” said Gary Scott, president of Long & Foster Real Estate. “At Long & Foster, we strive to bring together the best professionals in the real estate business—all in an effort to help our clients accomplish their homeownership dreams—and I’m confident that with Stephen and The Mottola Group now a key part of our company and R.T. leading the charge, we’ll find further success in the business.”
Both Scott and Long & Foster Greenville officer manager R.T. Christopher are former Patterson-Schwartz executives. Scott says Long and Foster’s goal is to gain the No. 1 ranking in the market.
Mottola has a team of 23 licensed agents. The firm specializes in general residential and luxury properties, as well as new construction homes, and providing remodeling and interior design advice.
The firm serves the Delaware market, including the area’s resorts and beaches, as well as the Pennsylvania markets of Chester County, Delaware County and Philadelphia. The Mottola Group works with people in the shore communities of Stone Harbor and Avalon, N.J.
“The Mottola Group is well known and well respected in our community, and having worked with Stephen for much of my career, I know that he and his team will make a great addition to our Long & Foster family here in Greenville,” said Christopher, who joined Long & Foster in December 2012.
“Long & Foster is known for its unparalleled customer service and exceptional real estate professionals, and all of us at The Mottola Group are excited to join a firm that’s known for helping home buyers and sellers to accomplish their dreams,” Mottola said. “We’re ready to take advantage of all that Long & Foster has to offer, including its exclusive affiliation with Christie’s International Real Estate, and we’re certain our clients will benefit tremendously from the additional training, marketing and technology support we’ll gain through Long & Foster.”
Mottola, who’s worked in real estate for more than 25 years, is a lifetime member of the New Castle County Board of Realtors’ “Million Dollar Sales Club.” He is an active member of his community and volunteers on several boards, including St. Francis Hospital, as mentor at East Side Charter School, and Friends of Wilmington Parks (Brandywine Park).
According to a Long and Foster release, Mottola maintains strong relationships with area businesses and government agencies within the community, which have supported his instrumental contribution in the redevelopment of the Riverfront Wilmington area. He also manages and designs all marketing and sales efforts for the Pointe constructed by Pettinaro Construction.
Long & Foster, based in northern Virginia, is the nation’s largest privately held real estate firm.
