Cindy Ambuehl and Robert Reffkin (Credit: Twitter and National Real Estate Investor)
Cindy Ambuehl, a top agent and partner at the Agency, has joined Compass, The Real Deal has learned.
The luxury residential broker is also bringing agents Nikki Magliarditi and her son, Zander Diamont. The team comprises the Cindy Ambuehl Group.
Ambuehl said she left the Beverly Hills-based Agency to join Compass because of the latter’s focus on technology and agent support.
“I invested four years at the Agency and I’m very proud of what we did there,” Ambuehl said. “This was a big decision for me.”
In an e-mailed statement, Agency co-founder Mauricio Umansky said he wishes Ambuehl the best, but appeared to take a dig at Compass.
“The Agency is focused on the success of agents rather than agents as numbers,” he added. “We remain true to our boutique approach while growing in strategic markets. The Agency offers the best tools for success as well as an unrivaled culture and will not engage in cutthroat recruiting tactics.”
The two firms have poached Los Angeles-based brokers from each other for the last couple of years. Umansky has been particularly critical of Compass’ tactics.
Ambuehl and her group will be based out of Compass’ Santa Monica office.
A former actress who once appeared on a “Seinfeld” episode, Ambuehl has been with the Agency since 2015, focusing on Westside properties. Her listings include a $16.9 million home in Santa Monica, as well as Formula One racer Jenson Button’s pad in Brentwood.
Recently, three agents have jumped ship from the Agency to Compass. Danny Brown, a residential broker specializing in the Westside, joined in late December. David Kelmenson, who the Agency had nabbed from Partners Trust, also joined Compass as an executive director. The brokerage also added Kerry Marsico, who operates in Downtown L.A., in the last few months.
Ambuehl’s departure also comes amid a legal scandal surrounding Umansky. Last week, he was hit with a second lawsuit alleging impropriety over a $70 million Malibu home flip deal from 2016. The suit names Umansky, and the Agency, as defendants.
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