Lamacchia Realty Acquires Weichert Realtors – Briotti Group

Lamacchia Realty has acquired Weichert Realtors – Briotti Group, expanding its Connecticut presence with new offices in Waterbury and Wolcott, the company announced Wednesday. The deal brings broker-owner Stephen Briotti and 24 agents under the Lamacchia banner as the firm continues an acquisition-driven growth strategy across New England. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Briotti Group, a long-time Weichert franchise, focuses on the purchase and sale of single-family homes and income properties in the Greater Waterbury area. The firm is known for its knowledge of local neighborhoods, schools and pricing trends, according to the announcement.

The acquisition gives Lamacchia Realty four Connecticut offices: its existing Southington and Milford locations, plus the newly added Waterbury and Wolcott branches. Lamacchia Realty first entered Connecticut in November 2022 when 15 agents joined from another brokerage along with regional sales managers Beth Byrd and Gina Shumilla.

“I’m very excited and grateful to have Stephen and all of his wonderful agents now a part of us here at Lamacchia Realty,” owner and founder Anthony Lamacchia said in the announcement. “After three and a half years of being in Connecticut, I’ve finally found an acquisition with a great company that will help us grow our market share in central Connecticut.”

Briotti has been licensed since 1978 and opened his own office in Wolcott in 1995. After affiliating with a national franchise and opening a second office in 1999, he grew the business to more than 80 agents at the height of the market, serving “thousands of clients,” according to the company.

“After seeing how the real estate business has evolved over the last 30 years, I want simply the best for my agents,” Briotti said. “Aligning our future goals with Lamacchia Realty … agents will hone their skills and use the proven systems and strategies to sustain growth in their careers.”

The Waterbury office agents joining Lamacchia Realty include Arlene Nuzzo, Bonnie Crafa, Carlo Bettini, Cynthia N. Laurie, Deon Robinson, Dot Dorso, Lee Palmieri, Liz Faustino, Mark Poveromo, Mercedes Baus, Rick Zappone, Theresa Gorman, William James Walton Sr. and Patsy O’Connell. The Wolcott roster includes Charlie Leogrande, Cheryl Grabowski, Claire Julien, Dayanara Chacon, Fernando Barreiro, Lisa James, Maria Vilar, Mary Lou Smail, Michelle Lee Byrne and Tino Rebelo.

Byrd, now a regional sales manager with Lamacchia Realty in Connecticut, said bringing in a local incumbent team with deep ties should accelerate the company’s share gains in New Haven County and central Connecticut.

“This partnership not only strengthens our presence in the region, but also enhances our ability to deliver greater resources, broader exposure and results for both our agents and the clients we serve,” Byrd said.

Gaining market share in smaller metros

This is Lamacchia Realty’s 13th acquisition in New England over the past two and a half years, according to the company. Recent deals have included brokerages in Massachusetts and Rhode Island markets such as Milford, East Providence, Newburyport, Amesbury, Shrewsbury, Pittsfield, Dalton, Easton, Auburn, Springfield, Falmouth, Fall River and Seekonk.

Lamacchia Realty said this deal shows that it is continuing to use roll-ups of established local firms to gain market share in smaller metros. For independent broker-owners in New England and Connecticut, it underscores ongoing consolidation pressure and the availability of regional acquirers. For agents in central Connecticut, the move could mean more marketing, tech and lead generation resources wrapped around an existing local brand and client base.

Lamacchia Realty said it will launch an aggressive marketing push in the Waterbury and Wolcott areas in the coming weeks, including billboards, social media, postcards, newspaper and TV advertising. The firm said operations will remain “business as usual” for clients while Lamacchia’s management integrates its lead products, services, training and technology with the incoming team.

In 2024, Lamacchia Realty closed 4,632 transaction sides for a total sales volume of $2.53 billion according to RealTrends Verified data. This earned the firm the No. 106 and No, 96 rankings in the country for sides and volume, respectively, in the 2025 RealTrends Verified Rankings.

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