Anytime is a good time to venture into ownership, especially when that business opportunity brings together a powerful investment like real estate and an exclusive, entrepreneurial business model of supplemental income and benefits.
“It can feel like today’s economic trends are hurdles toward advancing a real estate career,” explained EXIT’s Co-Chair, Tami Bonnell in a recent statement. “Uncertainty is intimidating but there will always be ebbs and flows to real estate, just as there will always be a need for expertly trained professionals and brokerages. In fact, it’s more important now than ever before.”
Together we’re celebrating both new beginnings and fabulous expansions with these eight EXIT offices and their owners, who are showing how our brand is making it more accessible than ever to take the leap to start, or advance, a real estate career, regardless of market unpredictability.
EXIT Realty Premier Legacy located in Orlando, FL, opened under the ownership of Franchisees, Alena Rivera and Chandler Drew Williams. Alena began her real estate journey with one of the top brokers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area. After relocating to Florida a few years later, she joined EXIT as an agent before moving onto ownership and crossing paths with Chandler, a well-known real estate home and land investor in the area. Together they’re helping breathe new life into homes in need of tender love and care.
After 20 years as a paralegal, Franchisee, Michelle Greene knew she was called to help people and found the perfect opportunity to do that through real estate starting in 2017. She, along with her husband, Jeffrey Greene and daughter, Shelby Greene recently opened EXIT Coosa River Realty, named for a beloved place along the banks of their community in Lincoln, AL.
David Sobdar Chandio found EXIT in 2013 as a real estate professional, and after stepping away from the brand for seven years, he returned home to EXIT opening EXIT Realty Stars in Hicksville, NY. Since opening right at the end of 2024, he plans to focus his 25+ years of experience in the business on maximizing equity for homeowners and providing seamless transactions from start to finish.
Franchisee, Kevin Harris has continually and steadily expanded his franchise operation across the Canadian east coast, since joining the brand in 2018. Now with his third EXIT Realty Specialists office, he has grown from a solid presence in his beautiful Greystone House flagship location in Saint John, NB to the bustling market of Halifax, NS, and now back into New Brunswick again, this time bringing the EXIT difference to Miramichi.
Just shy of marking his three-year anniversary with EXIT, Franchisee, Ross Kilpatrick has become the owner of a total of five locations, the most recent EXIT Realty Anchor South office in Miramar Beach, FL. Since making the switch from another competitive brand in 2022, he opened the doors of his first office in Alabama and has since expanded his operations exponentially into the beautiful Florida panhandle.
In 2013 Eve Benton began her journey with EXIT as a real estate professional, serving communities both in Indiana as well as Illinois for over a decade before deciding to take her career to the next level. In 2025, she decided to step into her ownership era and opened the doors to her EXIT Infinity Realty office located in Chicago, IL.
One office quickly grew into two for Franchisee, Melanie Roussel who started as an agent with one of EXIT’s top Canadian offices in Ontario back in 2021. She quickly moved up to broker of record before hitting her own ownership stride in 2022 when she opened her first office in Rockland, ON. Her newest EXIT Results Realty, Brokerage will be opening soon in nearby Russell, ON.
It was time for a switch and to go her own way for Franchisee, Jordan Sonner who opened the doors to EXIT’s latest office in beautiful Hilo, HI in 2025. Having previously managed a brokerage of over 20 agents, she’s looking to build a culture of success and cooperation within her EXIT Realty Island Living office, located in the fiercely competitive Hawaiian real estate community.
“We’re so proud of our regional leaders and franchisees of these new offices, adding value to every community they serve!” Tami said.
Visit joinexitrealty.com or click here to read more about the many benefits of EXIT membership aimed at providing owners and associates with the knowledge and necessary tools to navigate and thrive through the constant flux of the housing landscape.
