The Agency, a boutique brokerage that specializes in luxury real estate, has opened a new franchise office for the Outaouais region. The announcement was made Wednesday. This is the 13th Canadian office of the firm.
“Our strategic expansion in Canada was unprecedented as we continue the feed the demand around world for a luxury brand such as The Agency,” Jim Ramsay (executive vice president of franchise sales at The Agency) stated in a prepared statement.
The new office will join an existing network of over 70 offices in the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and Canada. This includes franchise and corporate offices.
Five new offices were opened by the Agency in the first quarter 2023. The brokerage launched a new franchise on Mallorca last week. On Monday, it launched a new Bay Shore office in Long Island, expanding its presence in Long Island.
The Outaouais partnership will allow the firm to access The Agency’s leadership and marketing, public relations, technology, and training. Maxime Damour, John M. Faratro will manage the office.
“Our partners Maxime M. Faratro and John M. Faratro, are the perfect pair to lead our efforts as incredible stewards for our unique brand and culture in the region,” said Mauricio Umansky, the Agency CEO and founder.
Damour’s real estate career spans 13 year and he was previously a realty agent at The Agency Ottawa. According to the statement, he specializes in pre-construction leasing and sales, as well as an understanding of the local market. He has also worked for Blue Panda Realty and other real estate companies.
Damour stated that “With its natural beauty, close proximity to Ottawa, it’s poised for The Agency to be a perfect match for The Agency’s white-glove service and world-class brand.”
Faratro has over three decades of experience in both the entrepreneurial and real estate space. He was previously the managing partner of The Agency Montreal, where his involvement in major commercial real estate transactions and development projects totaled more than $150 million.
In 2010, he also founded Struktur Real Estate Developments. Faratro also founded Struktur Real Estate Developments in 2010.
Faratro also served in other roles, including as an agency executive officer (AEO), and as a member of Organisme d’autoreglementation de courtage immobilier Quebec (OACIQ), a real-estate self-regulatory organisation — and the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board, and of the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers [QPAREB].
He said, “It’s exciting being a part of The Agency’s growth in Canada as our new Outaouais office opens,”
The Agency was ranked 21 in the 2022 RealTrends 500 rankings with a total sales volume exceeding $9 billion in 2021. It has closed more than $57 Billion in real estate transactions since 2011.
The Agency laid off approximately 4% of its staff in February, or less than 15 of its employees.

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