We’re excited to announce that industry veteran Jeff Barnett has stepped into the role of Managing Director of The Agency’s Carmel office, expanding on his leadership of the brokerage’s Los Gatos office, which he has led since 2022.
Barnett brings nearly four decades of real estate experience to the new role. His career began in the late 1980s at Fox & Carskadon Real Estate, and in 1991 he joined Alain Pinel Realtors as one of its founding sales agents. There, his sharp market instincts quickly made him a standout performer — even as the brokerage’s top agent, he created and taught the company’s Masters program for new agents. In 1995, he transitioned into leadership as Vice President and Manager of Alain Pinel’s Los Gatos office. When Alain Pinel Realtors merged with Compass in 2019, Barnett continued to lead his team under the new brand before joining The Agency in 2022 to open our Los Gatos office.
Barnett’s contributions to the industry have been widely recognized: he was inducted into the National Association of Realtors Hall of Fame in 2011, received the Director for Life award from the California Association of Realtors in 2016, and has twice been named Realtor of the Year by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. He remains an active member of both CAR and NAR, and has mentored hundreds of agents throughout his career.
At the core of Barnett’s leadership philosophy is a people-first approach. He is known for building office cultures where agents feel supported, coached, and set up to thrive — a mindset he now brings to The Agency’s Carmel office alongside his continued leadership in Los Gatos.
“Jeff’s track record speaks volumes, but what truly sets him apart is his commitment to the people he works with,” said Rainy Austin, President of The Agency. “He has a natural ability to connect to agents of all experience levels and help them grow. We’re thrilled to have him leading our Carmel agents and teams.”
Kudos to Jeff on this exciting new role!
