Luxury boutique brokerage Brown Harris Stevens (BHS) announced on Thursday the grand opening of its new Rhinebeck, New York, storefront location at 18 Garden St., which is scheduled for June 16.
The company also announced that associate broker Lisa Fountain will be the office’s executive director of sales. Fountain will lead agent recruitment and serve as a liaison to the community. The office will be the brokerage’s second in the Hudson Valley.
“We are designing this new space to welcome agents, our clients and the community at large who can feel free to stop in for a chat, a coffee, or to strategize a property purchase, sale or rental,” Fountain said in a statement. “As a member of the 12-person executive committee for the Village of Rhinebeck committed to crafting a comprehensive plan for our community, I am excited to assist in further enriching our town through BHS’ engaged involvement.”
Fountain has been working in real estate for 10 years in both Manhattan and the Hudson Valley. Prior to her real estate career, Fountain worked as a civil law and government enforcement attorney, and has degrees from Columbia University and Tulane Law School. She lives in Rhinebeck with her partner, Mallory Leitner.
“Brown Harris Stevens continually seeks to expand our reach to underserved markets with strong communities,” the brokerage’s CEO Bess Freedman said in a statement. “We are thrilled to begin serving this vibrant village that is brimming with arts, culture and cuisine against the backdrop of historic homes and stunning architecture.”
In a previous interview with Inman, Freedman noted she was excited about the brokerage’s move to Rhinebeck because of its artsy culture, great restaurants, and, admittedly, because she has family in the area.
The brokerage’s other Hudson Valley office, led by Nancy Felcetto, is in the town of Hudson, New York, about 25 miles north of Rhinebeck.
BHS is the largest privately held real estate brokerage on the East Coast, a press release says, with 2,500 agents and more than 50 offices across New York City, the Hamptons, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, South Florida and New Jersey.