The familiar Lang McLaughry Real Estate signs are a thing of the past.
The South Burlington residential and commercial real estate company, which was Vermont's largest, has merged with the smaller Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty based in New Hampshire.
The company has also acquired a real estate firm based in Manchester, Vermont Country Properties Sotheby’s International Realty.
The new company, called Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty, has 23 offices and more than 220 sales agents in two states.
Lang McLaughry CEO Staige Davis will lead the new firm.
Davis says 98 percent of prospective real estate buyers begin their search online and the Sotheby’s affiliation provides access to the internationally known company’s marketing power, including its web and social media presence.
According to Davis the average value of properties sold by both Sotheby’s and Lang McLaughry in Vermont is similar, but the merger and acquisition gives the new company greater coverage geographically.
Davis says he expects Vermont’s housing market to improve this year, but within the state there are many small markets, often tied to job growth in an area.
