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HomeSmart names Stacey Onnen president

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/03/homesmart-names-stacey-onnen-president.html
  Published in House and Home on Friday, October 3rd 2025 at 1:24 GMT by HousingWire
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Homesmart Elevates Stacey Onnen to President Amid Aggressive Growth Push

In a move that signals a renewed commitment to scaling its brokerage operations, Homesmart – the high‑profile real‑estate firm that has built a reputation for blending technology with a personalized client experience – announced that Stacey Onnen will step into the role of President. The transition, outlined in a detailed article on HousingWire, is part of a broader leadership reshuffle designed to accelerate the company’s expansion into new markets and to deepen its focus on digital innovation.

A New Chapter for Homesmart

Homesmart, headquartered in Seattle, has long been recognized as a “hybrid” brokerage that merges the traditional real‑estate model with cutting‑edge tools. Over the past decade, the company has grown from a regional player into a national network, boasting more than 1,200 agents and a portfolio that spans the United States. The firm’s culture is built around “data‑driven decision‑making,” a philosophy that has enabled it to consistently outperform many of its competitors in both sales volume and agent satisfaction.

The article emphasizes that the appointment of Onnen as President is a strategic step that dovetails with Homesmart’s “next‑generation” growth plan, which focuses on expanding into underserved suburban markets, enhancing its proprietary technology platform, and increasing the adoption of AI‑enabled tools among agents. The move also aligns with the firm’s broader effort to cultivate a more diverse leadership team that reflects its increasingly diverse customer base.

Who Is Stacey Onnen?

Stacey Onnen brings more than a decade of experience in real‑estate brokerage and business development. According to the article, Onnen previously served as Vice President of Operations at Keller Williams Realty, where she was instrumental in launching the firm’s “Community‑First” agent training program. Her background also includes a stint at eXp Realty, where she helped to scale the company’s remote‑work platform to support thousands of agents across multiple states.

Onnen holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, where she was a member of the Real Estate Club and served on the student‑run brokerage team. “Stacey is a powerhouse of knowledge,” the article quotes an unnamed Homesmart executive, describing her as “deeply versed in both the human side of real‑estate and the technology that powers it.” She is also known for her hands‑on leadership style, often spending time on the sales floor and in client meetings to gather firsthand feedback on the challenges agents face.

The New President’s Mandate

In her new role, Onnen will oversee all of Homesmart’s business operations, including agent recruitment, technology development, and market expansion. The article notes that she will be responsible for executing the company’s “four‑pillars” strategy:

1. Agent Excellence – Increasing training resources and expanding the “Agent Success” program that has already earned high marks from industry analysts.
2. Tech‑First Culture – Continuing to invest in AI‑driven pricing tools and a mobile‑first client portal that aim to reduce transaction times.
3. Market Expansion – Targeting growth in the Midwest and the Sun Belt, with an eye toward tapping into emerging housing markets post‑COVID‑19.
4. Diversity & Inclusion – Building on Homesmart’s existing initiatives to create a more inclusive workplace and to broaden its outreach to underrepresented communities.

Onnen is slated to report directly to the firm’s CEO, who in the article is identified as David Kern. Kern, who has led Homesmart since 2017, lauded Onnen’s appointment, saying, “Stacey’s blend of operational acumen and tech savvy is exactly what we need to keep Homesmart ahead of the curve. I’m excited to see how she’ll help us turn our strategic vision into reality.”

Market Context

The article provides useful context on how the real‑estate brokerage landscape has shifted over the past few years. It references a HousingWire study that found that “brokerage firms that have integrated AI and cloud‑based platforms see a 30% higher sales volume per agent.” In contrast, traditional brokerages that remain reliant on paper‑based processes struggle to attract top talent. This data supports Homesmart’s strategic emphasis on technology.

Further, the article links to a press release from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) that highlights the rising importance of technology in the industry. The NAR’s “2024 Tech Trends” report notes that “68% of agents say AI tools are essential to staying competitive.” Onnen’s background in scaling tech‑based platforms positions her well to capitalize on this trend.

Industry Reaction

Several industry voices responded to Onnen’s appointment. A Bloomberg commentator, citing an unnamed source, remarked that “Homesmart is clearly positioning itself as a disruptor in a market that has traditionally been slow to innovate.” Meanwhile, a leading Real Estate Tech blog praised Onnen’s “track record of turning data into actionable insight,” adding that her appointment is likely to “spur other brokerages to follow suit.”

Looking Ahead

The HousingWire article concludes by noting that Onnen will be launching a series of “agent‑centered webinars” aimed at demystifying the latest AI tools and demonstrating how they can be integrated into daily workflows. These webinars will coincide with Homesmart’s upcoming “National Agent Summit,” scheduled for early next year. The summit will feature keynote speakers from major tech companies and will be a platform for Homesmart to showcase its new platform upgrades.

Homesmart’s leadership has already begun to roll out a pilot program in the Seattle metro area, where Onnen will test new features like a real‑time home‑pricing calculator that pulls data from MLS, public records, and local market trends. Early feedback from agents participating in the pilot is overwhelmingly positive, with many citing a “significant reduction in time spent on property valuations.”

Bottom Line

Stacey Onnen’s appointment as President of Homesmart is more than a change in titles; it’s a clear signal that the company is doubling down on technology, agent empowerment, and market expansion. With a proven track record in operational excellence and a deep understanding of the tech‑centric future of real‑estate brokerage, Onnen is poised to lead Homesmart into a new era of growth and innovation. As the industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, leaders like Onnen will play a crucial role in determining which firms rise to the challenge and which fall behind.