Highland Partners Expands to Montclair

Just two and a half years after it took over operation of the real estate office in the center of Piedmont, is raising its banner over a second office in partnership with Better Homes & Gardens Mason-McDuffie—this time at 2077 Mountain Blvd. in Montclair.

Highland Partners started in 2008 with six agents, but has quickly grown to 25, reaching the capacity of the Piedmont office. The move into Montclair will bring 52 more agents into the company's fold.

Managing Partner Heidi Marchesotti said Highland Partners wants to expand to 100 or 150 agents, though she wouldn't put a timeline on reaching that total, saying it would happen "as soon as naturally possible."

Marchesotti credits Highland Partners' success amidst a major downturn in the real estate market to having the right attitude for the time. Even when it means helping a client to downsize or get through a short sale, she said, selling homes can "still be fun and really really rewarding."

"It's a conversation I like to have with agents—when a market goes down ... it doesn't have to be bad."

Per agent, Highland Partners is the highest producing of Mason McDuffie's 40 offices, according to Marchesotti.

"We hope to mirror that in Montclair," she said.

Highland Partners has marketed itself as a high-end boutique agency and will be applying that luxury stamp to the Montclair office—which has been part of Mason-McDuffie since the 1970s—with a complete renovation of the space and a repositioning of the business, she said.

Marchesotti said Highland Partners would continue to specialize in selling homes in Piedmont, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Orinda, Lafayette, and Danville.