Compass Oak Realty Builds Second-Year Momentum With Client Milestones and Team Growth

DeLand-based brokerage completes its first buyer- and listing-side closings while expanding local support for schools, families, and veterans.

DELAND, FL, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Compass Oak Realty is entering its second year with tangible momentum after completing its first buyer-side and listing-side closings, welcoming its first sales associate and expanding its involvement in the communities it serves.

Founded in 2025 by Broker-Owner Frank J. Hahnel III, the locally owned, independent brokerage was built around a straightforward mission: to protect and guide clients through every real estate decision with expertise, integrity, and community.

“Opening a brokerage is one thing. Building a company people can trust is another,” Hahnel said. “Our first year established the foundation, and the milestones that followed show real forward momentum. We have now represented both buyers and sellers, grown into a team, and continued to invest in our community without losing the hands-on service we set out to provide.”

Client Milestones Built on Hands-On Guidance
One of Compass Oak Realty’s earliest milestones came when Hahnel represented The Hartlett Family as they relocated from Connecticut to Central Florida.

Their home search extended beyond identifying available properties. Hahnel helped coordinate property tours, adjust showing schedules, introduce the couple to surrounding communities, and navigate inspections, negotiations, and closing.

Following the purchase, Eric Hartlett described the experience in a five-star Google review:

“Frank made what could have been a stressful cross-country move completely seamless.”

Hartlett also highlighted Hahnel’s responsiveness, local knowledge, and involvement throughout the transaction, writing that the experience helped the couple not only find their home but also feel connected to their new community.

The experience reflects Compass Oak Realty’s approach to relocation clients: helping them evaluate not only a property, but also the neighborhoods, market conditions, and lifestyle surrounding one of their most significant financial decisions.

More recently, Compass Oak Realty completed its first listing-side closing through the combined efforts of Hahnel and Michelle Velez-Ferrara, the first sales associate to join the brokerage.

The closing represented another important step in the company’s growth, demonstrating its ability to guide clients on both sides of a real estate transaction while maintaining direct broker involvement throughout the process.

“Every closing matters because every closing represents a client placing trust in us,” Hahnel said. “Completing our first listing-side transaction was an important business milestone, but the greater responsibility was making sure our clients had clear communication, thoughtful guidance, and accountability from beginning to end.”

Growing From a Founder-Led Brokerage Into a Local Team
Velez-Ferrara’s addition marked Compass Oak Realty’s transition from a founder-led operation into a growing local team.

As a Florida-licensed real estate sales associate and Volusia County resident, Velez-Ferrara contributes local knowledge, client communication, and transaction coordination to the brokerage’s buyer and seller services.

“Joining Compass Oak Realty has given me the opportunity to help build a company around the standards clients deserve. Clear communication, careful coordination, and genuine accountability,” Velez-Ferrara said. “Completing our first listing-side closing together was an important milestone, but the larger goal is to earn long-term trust one client at a time.”

The partnership also has deep personal roots in the community. Hahnel and Velez-Ferrara are both Deltona High School graduates, making the brokerage’s ongoing support of the school especially meaningful.

Community Commitment With Personal Roots
As it has grown, Compass Oak Realty has established multiple sponsorships supporting Deltona High School and its athletic programs.

The brokerage also participated in several family-centered Halloween and trunk-or-treat events during the fall, providing activities and giveaways for local children while building relationships with families throughout Volusia County.

That community involvement continues this weekend as Compass Oak Realty serves as a Captain Sponsor of the Volusia County Veterans Day Parade and Red, White & Blue Bash in Downtown DeLand.

The event will be held Saturday, November 14, beginning with an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. The parade will step off at 10 a.m. along Woodland Boulevard, followed by the Red, White & Blue Bash at 11 a.m. on West Indiana Avenue.

“Supporting veterans and their families is deeply personal to me,” Hahnel said. “My father, Frank J. Hahnel Jr., served in the United States Marine Corps and was recently honored by the City of DeBary through its Hometown Heroes program. Supporting the Volusia County Veterans Day Parade is one way our company can help recognize those who served our country and the families who stood behind them.”

For Hahnel, the sponsorship also reflects the broader responsibility he believes locally owned businesses have to the communities where they operate.

“We do not want Compass Oak Realty to be a company that simply conducts business in the community,” he said. “We want to participate in it, support it and contribute to the organizations and traditions that make this area a place people are proud to call home.”

Looking Ahead
As Compass Oak Realty moves further into its second year, the brokerage plans to continue serving buyers, sellers, investors and families relocating to Volusia County and surrounding Central Florida communities.

The company also plans to expand its educational resources, relocation guidance and community partnerships while preserving the direct access and personal accountability of a locally owned, broker-led firm.

“Our growth will be deliberate,” Hahnel said. “We want to build a lasting company, not simply a larger one. That means protecting our clients’ interests, communicating honestly and remaining accountable for the outcome of every transaction.”

That direction remains reflected in the brokerage’s guiding message:

Strong Roots. Clear Direction.

Frank J. Hahnel, III
Compass Oak Realty
+1 407-416-2469
frank@compassoakrealty.com
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