MEMBERSHIP FAQ

Elite 25℠ Austin represents the best of Austin’s Luxury Residential Real Estate Agents. Elite 25℠ is an organization founded by Stewart Title in 1994, which later came under the operation of Gracy Title after the two companies merged in July 2008. Elite 25℠ is now owned and operated by Elite 25℠ Austin, LLC, beginning in the 2011 membership year. Tony Trungale is the managing director of Elite 25℠ Austin LLC. Elite 25℠ owns the nationally service-marked (SM) for exclusive use of Elite 25℠ Austin, LLC and their assigns annually. The real estate agents who are selected as Elite 25℠ members sell luxury homes in the greater Austin area. Selection for the current year’s group begins in February and the “Elite 25℠ Year” runs from March to the following February (12 months total). To see our current members, please visit www.elite25austin.com/meet-the-members.

There are three main ways in which being a member of Elite 25℠ is beneficial to a real estate agent. First, Elite 25℠ provides a networking and an educational arena for top-producing agents. Elite 25℠ Austin LLC hosts monthly catered luncheons featuring monthly speakers that aid in informing the Elite 25℠ membership of marketing trends, legislation, current issues, and pertinent education issues affecting membership and luxury real estate in Central Texas.

Members also use these monthly luncheons to update one another on their new own listings and luxury opportunities not yet on the MLS. Second, being in Elite 25℠ is invaluable marketing for its members. Elite 25℠ Austin, LLC coordinates all advertising and events for Elite 25℠ as a group, which enhances the exposure of its members. Past groups have regularly advertised in such publications as Austin Way, ReFine, Austin City Limits Live, Austin Monthly, Luxe, Performing Arts Programs, Tribeza, Performing Arts Programs and the Austin Business Journal, to name a few. Past group events include: Loretta Lynn, “Blondie”, "Steve Miller Band", “The Go Go’s” concerts with VIP access at Austin City Limits Live, March of Dimes, March for Babies and Austin Food & Wine Festival. Members are also featured on their own website (www.elite25austin.com) with regular updates and announcements on Twitter and Instagram (@elite25austin) and Facebook (Elite25Austin).

Finally, membership in the Elite 25℠ is a symbol of status and success in the Austin community, and inclusion in the group immediately raises an agent’s profile among potential home buyers and sellers.

Dues for 2024 membership are $4,000.00 per agent per year and must be paid by check or credit card before or at the New Member Party. Should a credit card be used to pay for member dues, an additional 3.5% service fee will be applied. Membership dues cover all Elite 25℠ marketing, website, social media, advertising, management, and events. In-person luncheons are paid for by the hosting member or their selected speakers/sponsors.

Each luncheon is held at a different listing of an Elite 25℠ member who sponsors the luncheon, providing an invaluable opportunity to showcase their luxury listings to Austin’s top agents. Each member may only host one luncheon per year. The active list price of the host home must be equal to or greater than $1,000,000 and must be approved by Tony Trungale.

The monthly luncheons are always held on the third Tuesday of every month from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, excluding December and February. It is the responsibility of members to attend no less than 7 luncheons annually. Should a member miss more than three (3) luncheons (or a current Advisory Board Member more than 5), they will be subject to immediate removal for Elite 25℠ membership without refund and/or not allowed to participate the following year as determined by the Advisory Board.

Advertising decisions are handled by Tony Trungale and Comission.Co, Elite 25℠'s partner in marketing and communications.

Elite 25℠ minimum criteria for 2024 are shown below. The final selection criteria will be published after the 2024 members are selected by the Advisory Board. Agent production is based on qualifying properties sold and closed in the 2023 calendar year earning the agent 2% or more commission.

Minimum individual sales criteria needed to apply:

At least (4) transactions in the 2023 calendar year equal to or greater than $2M, with a commission earned to the individual applicant of no less than 2%. This includes homes sold in MLS, Customs, New Home Sales, Unimproved Property, Residential Lot Sales, and Private Listings, while excluding any developer-owned listings in projects exceeding 4 units.

Note that the above represents the minimum qualifications to apply and meeting these qualifications does not guarantee membership. Once all applications are received, a common threshold is determined as the basis for membership.

Members are selected based on (1) the total number of $2,000,000+ qualifying 2023 sold properties in which the agent earned a 2% or higher commission and (2) the total dollar volume of those same qualifying transactions. Commissions will be anonymously considered by the 2024 Elite 25℠ Advisory Board when selecting 2024 Elite 25℠ members.

Applicants expressly consent that the Advisory Board has exclusive authority when determining tie breakers. Recognizing Elite 25℠ as a private organization, Elite 25℠ members also expressly consent to the Advisory Board’s exclusive authority to add or remove members with or without refund of dues for any reason.

Elite 25℠ Austin’s annual “Advisory Board” serves by invitation only and may be modified with or without cause exclusively by Tony Trungale. The Advisory Board is intended to include representatives from several, if not all, of Elite 25℠ members' brokerages.

Applications for 2024 Elite 25℠ membership will be released on December 28, 2022 and must be submitted by January 19, 2023 at 5 PM CST.

The application deadline for 2024 membership is January 19, 2024 at 5 PM CST.

Yes. Please email Tony Trungale at tonytrungale@gmail.com with any questions.

In most cases, yes. Please contact Tony Trungale at 512.917.2811 to discuss.

The new member announcements are released in mid-February, with the official announcement party held in late-February or early-March. This is a required, members-only event.

Tony Trungale, Managing Director of Elite 25℠ Austin. Tony can be reached by phone at (512) 917-2811 and by email at tonytrungale@gmail.com.