Fresh off their RealTrends Verified ranking of No. 1 brokerage by transaction sides, eXp Realty, and the core subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. today announced the appointment of Leo Pareja as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately. He succeeds Glenn Sanford, who will now fully dedicate his efforts to his position as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of eXp World Holdings.

In an exclusive interview with HousingWire, Pareja talked about the future of eXp. “We’re the clear, dominant player now. We proved our theory, so it’s not a theory anymore. Our growth is proof of concept,” said Pareja. “I think we’re just getting warmed up, and I’m excited to continue to build on the collaborative opportunity that we offer. We’re doubling down.”

Pareja said that his “obsession is operational excellence and a frictionless experience to allow entrepreneurs to build a successful business.”

According to a release, in his previous role as Chief Strategy Officer, Pareja was instrumental in solidifying eXp Realty’s standing in the competitive real estate marketplace. His visionary leadership and remarkable track record has greatly enriched the company’s value proposition to its agents. For example the successful launches of strategic initiatives like eXp Exclusives, Revenos and significant enhancements to eXp Solutions.

On the future, Pareja said, “I explain it as 1.0, which is, we built the model and the opportunity. We’ve arrived, and we’re more than a cool, different model. We’re a model that tried, tested and proven. So, 2.0 is focused on the fact that we will continue to innovate to provide even more value. We will pour into helping agents and teams grow, whether they want to go from 200 to 500 deals, grow a mega team that’s in multiple markets or something else. We are a nationwide, scalable model without boundaries.”

eXp Realty was recently recognized in the top spot in five categories on the coveted RealTrends Verified brokerage rankings report: Transaction Sides, 5 Year Top Movers (Sides), 5 Year Top Movers (Volume), Best Brokerages and Public Independent. The company also moved up to No. 3 in two categories: Volume and Billionaires’ Club.

“Leo’s innovative and recognized industry leadership has elevated our agent-value proposition by reshaping referrals and lead-generation,” said Sanford. “His deep industry experience and influence on our community have been profound, and I trust that under his direction, eXp Realty will further fortify its competitive advantage and deliver unparalleled value to our agents, further cementing our position as a ground-breaking leader in the real estate industry.”

Having joined eXp Realty in 2022, Pareja brings over two decades of real estate experience, highlighted by numerous accolades including recognition in RealTrends The Thousand report, topping the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals’ (NAHREP) Top 250 list, and being named a 30 under 30 agent by Realtor® Magazine. His entrepreneurial spirit is evidenced by his co-founding of one of the largest private lending companies on the U.S. East Coast and a rapidly growing MLS technology vendor. He has also played significant roles in the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, serving as the founding president of the Metro D.C. chapter and later as the national president.

“As we step into this new chapter at eXp Realty, I am honored to lead a company that has always placed innovation and agent success at the forefront of its mission,” said Pareja in a statement. “Together, we will not only continue to redefine the real estate landscape through technology and unparalleled agent support but also empower every member of our community to achieve their full potential.”