“i Want To Be With Goliath”: Why Bhgre Paracle’s Founders Bet Big On Brand Power

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Paracle has undergone a profound transformation since its founding in 2012 — scaling from a small local brokerage into a firm that closed 2024 with more than $750 million in sales volume, according to RealTrends Verified.

That success has been driven by co-owners Lucas Mudrey and Tony Hanson, whose leadership has helped expand Paracle’s reach across the Carolinas.

At a time when brokerages and agents are continually weighing their options, they recommitted to a long-term affiliation with BHGRE — signing an early 10-year renewal agreement that Mudrey said reflects the strength of the partnership and its role in scaling Paracle’s hybrid brokerage model.

When Charlotte, N.C.-based Paracle first considered aligning with a national franchise, it weighed several options.

Mudrey said the connection changed the company’s trajectory, and sparked, when a representative walked into Paracle’s then-tiny office carrying a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. “We realized that they weren’t taking our business over, but instead they were going to be a partner,” Mudrey said. “It really transcended the real estate transaction. We felt we’d be relevant 365 days a year, right into lifestyle and the trust factor, with [BHGRE].”

Hanson echoed the importance of brand strength in recruiting and retention — comparing national brand power to high-profile commercial collaborations.

“If you look at a typical real estate sign, they put [the brokerage name] in the smallest little corner of the sign,” he said. “Do you know how long it takes to infiltrate a zip code? How many years would it take for people to figure out who the ‘Tony Hansen Group’ is, powered by whoever? People wouldn’t even know who they are.

“People collaborate with a brand so they can actually have exposure with a name that people trust.”

Building a business beyond brokerage

Paracle’s growth hasn’t just been about branding.

After opening its doors in Charlotte, the company expanded its footprint through both recruiting and acquisitions.

In 2018, Paracle acquired Go Realty’s three North Carolina offices and its real estate school — laying the foundation for a robust in-house training and development pipeline that feeds the brokerage’s recruitment and retention engine.

Today, Paracle operates in multiple North and South Carolina markets, including Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Raleigh in North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head/Bluffton and Fort Mill/Rock Hill across the state line.

The firm has grown from about 32 agents at the time of its affiliation to more than 400 today, with each adviser benefiting from structured onboarding and coaching programs.

Mudrey and Hanson described Paracle’s model as “hybrid” — blending traditional brokerage operations with a significant internal investment in agent success.

“We also infuse about $500,000 into the company subsidized on a monthly basis,” Mudrey said, referencing company-supported programs, such as office space and resources that allow new agents with no local network to achieve strong performance. “You have first-year advisors with no sphere [who] aren’t even from this area who will close $10 million in sales.

“That’s really against what the typical agent would be doing, according to [National Association of Realtors] statistics. So, we’re really proud about that.”

Hanson emphasized that recruitment drives growth even when markets soften.

“We grew the last three years when the market’s been flat and kind of declining, where most people are losing market share,” he said. “We’ve been focused on recruiting and then driving more sales and closings to our advisors and getting their per-person production up.”

Setting sights on the future

With renewed brand affiliation in hand and strong momentum in place, Paracle’s leadership has big plans for 2026 and beyond.

The firm aims to add offices in new markets and pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions while building toward a goal of becoming one of the largest brokerages in the region by both agent count and sales volume.

Near-term, the leadership team has set a target of $3 billion in annual sales production.

For brokers and agents contemplating their own strategic crossroads, Mudrey and Hanson have clear advice — focus on share, not headlines, and align with partners who can help you seize it.

“With all the consolidation in the industry, you want to be with a large organization that has the capital to invest in technology — training people and ultimately dominating and taking market share,” said Hanson. “When you think of last year, with all the issues that took place as we’re growing, having [a parent company] fighting on behalf of us for NAR. That was a big win.

“I would always say I want to be with Goliath. I am a little David at times, but I would certainly like to be the Goliath.”