Agents & agencies

Barbara Cleary's Realty Guild in New Canaan earned Christie's Great Estates first runner-up honors for brokerage firms in markets of 275,000 and less in the inaugural Affiliate-of-the-Year awards presented at the Christie's global annual conference for 2010, held in Toronto. Christie's has more than 130 international affiliates, with more than 1,000 offices and 34,000 agents in 40 countries. The exclusive affiliate for New Canaan, Darien and Wilton, Cleary was recognized for innovative and integrated marketing, professionalism, marketing materials and market reports. Founded in 1986, Cleary's Realty Guild is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and its 10th year as a Christie's exclusive affiliate. Christie's Great Estates is a subsidiary of Christie's, the art and auction house.

Angel Dazzo in the Stamford office of Coldwell Banker had the highest overall production in her office in July, making her a Sales Associate of the Month. Dazzo, an associate broker who began her real estate career 24 years ago and has been a consistent top agent, has earned membership in the President's International Elite Circle. The Stamford resident holds the professional designations of GRI, Graduate, Realtors Institute, and CRS, Certified Residential Specialist, and is also a new construction and relocation specialist for both buyers and sellers. In the October issue of Westchester Magazine, she was named a 2010 "Five Star Best in Overall Satisfaction" real estate agent.

Dazzo was the founder in 2004 of the "Angels for Alzheimer's Cure," which has raised $300,000 for the Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association through fundraisers and the sale of the "Eating Italian" cookbook.

Joan Harakal, an associate broker in Coldwell Banker's Stamford office, achieved the highest closed-dollar volume in her office for July, earning her Sales Associate of the Month status. A real estate professional for 26 years, Harakal, who earned membership in the President's International Elite Circle, was the top agent in the Stamford Coldwell Banker office for 2009. The Stamford resident holds the designation of GRI, Graduate, Realtors Institute, and is a relocation specialist for sellers and buyers.

Kelly Associates in Darien has partnered with a leading mobile real estate technology provider to enable everyone to search local real estate at any time and from anywhere, right from a Blackberry, iPhone, Android G-1, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon mobile device. With just one touch of a button, there will be access to all the Multiple Listing Service information on homes for sale in the area. Text Kellyre to 87778, and the application wil be sent to a phone by text message.

This fall, Realtor boards and associations in Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, Westport, Weston and Wilton held a roundtable forum attended by some 25 candidates for state offices. Candidates addressed issues important to property owners and to Realtors. There are more than 9,000 Realtors in lower Fairfield County.

Susan Nova

Agents & Agencies reports on job changes and awards in the real estate business. Information may be submitted, on company letterhead, to: Susan Nova, Agents & Agencies, Greenwich Time, 1455 East Putnam Avenue, P.O. Box 9307, Old Greenwich, CT. 06870, or by e-mail to realestate@scni.com. Photographs cannot be returned.