Engel & Völkers North Georgia Mountains Office Transitions to Local Ownership Through LH Group Partnership

Engel & Völkers Atlanta and North Georgia Mountains has completed a strategic shareholder transition with LH Group, a North Georgia-based real estate team specializing in mountain homes, lakefront properties, and developer services. The leadership realignment establishes LH Group as the new majority shareholders and license partners of the North Georgia Mountains office, transitioning the operation to local ownership and management.

Christa Huffstickler, founder and CEO of Engel & Völkers Atlanta & North Georgia Mountains, will maintain shareholder status and provide ongoing support to ensure synergy between the North Georgia Mountains office and the broader Engel & Völkers network. The Engel & Völkers brand continues to demonstrate market strength, outperforming the overall real estate market by 6% in 2024 according to E&V Americas 2024 Transactions data. This transition represents the next phase of expansion and community engagement as North Georgia solidifies its position as one of the Southeast's premier destinations for second homes and investment properties.

This shareholder transition reflects our firm's continued growth and strategic alignment across our entire Engel & Völkers network, said Huffstickler. Together with the team at LH Group, this newly formed leadership structure will strengthen our regional presence and reinforce our shared mission of delivering exceptional service and maintaining the high standards of excellence synonymous with Engel & Völkers.

LH Group brings 22 years of collective real estate experience through partners Linda Baker and Heather Foresman. Since launching their team in 2022, Baker and Foresman have consistently achieved recognition as the No. 1 Small Team in Northeast Georgia and have earned global distinction, ranking as the No. 8 Top Producing Team worldwide within the Engel & Völkers network. The team serves clients across Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, maintaining a personalized, community-focused approach that has accelerated growth in the North Georgia Mountains region.

The Engel & Völkers Americas network demonstrates strong internal collaboration, with more than one in-network referral closing daily and 450 in-network referrals completed last year alone. As a result of their partnership with Engel & Völkers, LH Group has achieved membership in the brand's prestigious Private Office program, representing the highest level of service in luxury real estate and a client-first approach. Additional information about Engel & Völkers Atlanta and North Georgia Mountains is available at https://www.evatlanta.com/ and https://www.evrealestate.com/en/shops/northgeorgiamountains.

Our goal is to strengthen the foothold of the now independently owned Engel & Völkers North Georgia Mountains shop by creating a more community-oriented culture, said Baker. We want to expand brand visibility through local engagement while continuing to support our advisors with hands-on leadership and strategic growth initiatives.

The North Georgia Mountains market continues to exceed expectations, with more than 25 sales exceeding $3 million in the past year according to Northeast Georgia MLS data. The region's limited competition, scenic landscapes, and accessibility within a single day's drive from Florida position the market for sustained growth. This shareholder transition represents a strategic move to capitalize on these market conditions while strengthening local community ties and maintaining the luxury service standards that have defined Engel & Völkers' global reputation since its founding in Hamburg, Germany in 1977.