The Keyes Company entered the Sarasota market with the affiliation of Signature Premier Properties Sarasota and Florida SunCoast Real Estate. With these additions, the Miami-based brokerage will operate its first Sarasota office at 1433 Main St.   

“We are thrilled to welcome these two best-in-class real estate firms to the Keyes family,” President Christina Pappas said in a press release. “Signature Premier Properties Sarasota and Florida SunCoast Real Estate enable us to make an impactful debut in a pivotal market that continues to experience incredible growth and demand. Both firms share our commitment to personal, hands-on service and the belief that connection and community is at the heart of real estate.” 

Signature Premier is an affiliate of New York-based Signature Premier Properties, a Long Island brokerage co-owned by Peter Morris and Kathleen Viard. The Sarasota office has 60 agents, including numerous New York transplants with relationships in both markets. Signature’s Kathy Curd will serve as sales manager of the new Keyes Sarasota office. 

“Keyes is the perfect partner to allow us to build upon our momentum since launching the Sarasota brokerage a few years ago,” Viard said. “The Sarasota market continues to see the New York relocation activity that started during the pandemic. Our New York roots and relationships help our agents produce optimal results for their clients.” 

Founded in 2016, Florida SunCoast Real Estate is co-owned by Barry and Sherry Grooms, who have a combined 50 years of industry experience. 

Barry Grooms is a past President of Florida Realtors®, while Sherry Grooms has held numerous industry leadership positions, including president of the Manatee Association of Realtors® and network president of the Women’s Council of Realtors®.   

With Florida SunCoast’s affiliation, Barry Grooms will become Keyes’ Southwest Florida regional manager. In this capacity, he will help Keyes find additional merger opportunities; the brokerage is currently in active negotiations with other Southwest Florida firms. 

“Like Keyes, we are a family-owned brokerage that puts people first,” Grooms said. “We were attracted to Keyes due to its unmatched reputation earned over nearly a century of service, market-leading technology, support for agents and community impact.”