NEW ORLEANS — Beginning this week, real estate agent Chris Smith has moved his brokerage affiliation from Latter & Blum to Keller Williams New Orleans.
According to data from the Gulf South Real Estate Information Network, the 20-year real estate veteran and owner of Chris Smith Homes was New Orleans’ No. 1 agent by volume and units in 2022 and over the last 12 months. He’s served about 150 families every year for the last 15 years, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate transactions.
Smith said he was drawn to make a move because of Keller Williams’ New Orleans culture and tech.
“Keller Williams has awakened me to a culture of tremendous kindness and collective strength,” said Smith. “Their mission is focused on lifting everyone up and helping them reach their fullest potential. This isn’t just shared in words but is recognized as a way of life. The cutting-edge tools, bounty of resources, and outstanding support are off the charts. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
While more common in other markets, it’s considered unusual for a performer of Smith’s scale in the New Orleans area to move his real estate business from one agency to another. Smith’s team members Jean McPhee and Thomas Flatley will move with him.
Founded in New Orleans more than a century ago, Latter & Blum has expanded dramatically since Robert Merrick purchased it in the mid-1980s. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, the company has moved into several neighboring states and has become a major force throughout the Gulf South. In 2020, it further expanded its greater New Orleans footprint by acquiring competitor Gardner Realtors. Now run by Lacey Merrick Conway, the company claims more than 3,000 agents in 32 offices.
Keller Williams New Orleans, meanwhile, is affiliated with the country’s largest real estate franchise, which says it is involved in one out of every five home sales in the United States. Since 1998, KW New Orleans has transacted billions of dollars of real estate. It is owned and operated by Jeffrey Doussan Jr. and, with the addition of Smith, claims 125 agents.
Doussan said he’s delighted to welcome his newest team member.
“Chris is the embodiment of true, real estate excellence,” he said. “His consistent production of $60 million annual sales for the past decade is a testament to his unparalleled skills and dedication to his clients. We’re thrilled that he has decided to move to the next chapter of his career with KW New Orleans.”
Smith shares Doussan’s enthusiasm for the new partnership.
“The team at Keller Williams New Orleans has all the fundamentals of excellent leadership: innovation, a strong vision for the future and solid inner values built on inspiring others and excellent communication,” he said. “I feel confident that, with their support, I will grow professionally and personally.”
