Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is planting its flag in Alabama, announcing on Wednesday a partnership with ARC Realty and Capstone Realty that brings 875 agents across 12 offices in Birmingham, Montgomery and Huntsville into its network. The two Alabama firms will keep their own leadership and team cultures intact even as they tap into the resources of a much larger national operation.
The deal was reported by AL.com, and marks Howard Hanna's formal entrance into the Alabama market. Pennsylvania-based Howard Hanna describes itself as the nation's largest independently owned and operated real estate brokerage, according to the company's announcement. ARC Realty and Capstone Realty together generated $2.8 billion in sales volume across roughly 6,000 transactions in 2025, the announcement states.
Howard Hanna CEO Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV said the two Alabama brokerages stood out because of their leadership, relationships and results. “That's exactly the kind of foundation we look for as Howard Hanna continues to grow,” he said, according to the company's release, adding that ARC and Capstone have exceptional businesses, strong leadership, deep local relationships and a track record of success.
A Partnership Built on an Earlier Alabama Merger
ARC Realty and Capstone Realty aren't new to combining forces. The two firms joined together in 2022, a move the company's announcement says established them as the No. 1 brokerage in the Greater Alabama MLS. At the time, the Huntsville Business Journal reported the combined entity as the largest independent real estate brokerage in Alabama, supporting more than 600 agents across 10 offices.
That 2022 arrangement was designed to give both firms greater economies of scale for tools and services, new avenues for sharing ideas, and more security for future growth, the Huntsville outlet reported. ARC Realty is based in central Alabama and led by CEO Beau Bevis, while Capstone Realty is headquartered in north Alabama under CEO Darrin Hasley. Capstone itself traces back to 2009, when it was founded in Huntsville under the direction of veteran agent Diane Hasley, according to LeadingRE. The two brands have continued operating separately even while sharing leadership, personnel, tools and technology, LeadingRE notes.
What Local Leaders Are Saying
Bevis described the new partnership with Howard Hanna as “about elevating what we’ve built” and said keeping local leadership and regional relationships intact was essential. He added that Howard Hanna brings tools, technology and national scale that will empower agents on the ground.
Hasley struck a similar note, saying the deal will give agents greater resources as they move forward. He added that he is confident in the next chapter with Howard Hanna and is looking forward to watching agents grow their businesses in new ways.
Part of a Broader Expansion Push
The Alabama deal lands amid a run of acquisitions for Howard Hanna. In July, the company entered a strategic partnership with Portside Real Estate Group, bringing more than 225 agents and 12 offices into its network while retaining local leadership, according to Real Estate News. The outlet reported that the company has said its strategy centers on thoughtful, disciplined growth by acquiring established regional firms with compatible cultures and strong community ties.
Howard Hanna has also pushed into other new markets recently. The company entered Georgia in August through its acquisition of Coastal Properties and later acquired Manhattan-based Elegran Real Estate, though the financial terms of that deal were not disclosed, according to HousingWire. The outlet reported that Howard Hanna is continuing to explore acquisition and partnership opportunities as it builds out its national presence.
Howard Hanna's own materials describe different footprints for its national network: the company's Alabama announcement cites infrastructure spanning 19 states, while Howard Hanna's website separately refers to a 15-state footprint. The company's press materials also point to Alabama's broader economic momentum, noting the state attracted a record $14.6 billion in new and expanding industry investment in 2025.
Howard Hanna isn't the only national brand chasing Southern growth through local partnerships. In September, RE/MAX Town & Country announced a strategic partnership with Linhart Realty Group that created a network spanning six states, including Alabama, according to RISMedia. That combined network comprises roughly 42 offices and 775 professionals, the trade publication reported — a scale comparable to, though smaller than, the Alabama footprint Howard Hanna is now adding through ARC and Capstone.
