Northern Alliance, EXP Realty is rewriting the rules of real estate in Eastern Canada.
Tired of the complacency of legacy brokerages, Co-Founders Tarek El Attar and Steve Alexopolous and their partners, Todd Gingras, Cris Karson, Marc Papineau, Jason Spartalis, JF Perras and Scott Moore, envisioned something more—a company that values collaboration, continuous learning, and, most importantly, results. Northern Alliance EXP–based out of Ottawa but serving Eastern Canada–is building a brokerage where agents aren’t just employees but equity partners, sharing in the success of a collective journey.
“Having worked alongside major brands for many years, and owned our own franchise brokerages, we could see the value of what those brands were doing for the clients and their agents and that the traditional brokerage model isn’t providing the value for agents that it should. The majority of agents lack fundamental business skills, business marketing and negotiation skills. There was a clear need for an organization that offered more—more value, more opportunity, and more collaboration,” Tarek reflects. Tarek has a Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Real Estate and the stats were clear: an average agent sells just 5-6 homes a year, and 87% fail within two years. This failure wasn’t due to a lack of effort but a lack of proper training and support.
At Northern Alliance EXP, top producers coach others and collaboration is the cornerstone. The traditional high-fee structure is replaced with one that truly benefits both agents and clients. “The model we bring forth ensures that everyone has a vested interest in each other’s success, both on a knowledge level and on a monetary level as well.” Explains Steve, Northern Alliance’s Certified Master Business Coach. “Every member within the organization becomes an owner, which naturally encourages collaboration.”
Under Steve’s leadership, the brokerage has quickly raised the bar for what new agents across Eastern Ontario should expect in professional development. “We offer the best training for realtors in Eastern Canada,” Tarek emphasizes. The training at Northern Alliance EXP isn’t led by retired or failed agents, but by active leaders in the industry. Steve, Tarek and their partners lead weekly sessions, sharing real-world, actionable strategies. “It’s a whole other level of training and coaching,” Tarek adds. “Our agents are trained by the best, which means they are better negotiators, better marketers, and ultimately, better representatives for their clients.”
Behind the scenes, Director of Operations Sara Khoury ensures that the service aspects of Northern Alliance EXP run seamlessly. The organization is built on efficient systems designed to empower agents, removing unnecessary obstacles so they can focus on delivering exceptional service to their clients. Sara shares, “We’ve focused on three key components: systems, culture, and sharing. Every aspect that we can systematize and automate, we do—from onboarding our agents to advertising, to hiring new staff. But it’s not just about efficiency; it’s about creating a positive culture where agents can perform at their best.”
Tarek, Steve, and their partnership group of Todd Gingras, Cris Karson, Marc Papineau, Jason Spartalis, JF Perras and Scott Moore and their group of over 300 realtors understand that real estate isn’t just about transactions, but about building communities. The Northern Alliance Foundation For Giving, their charitable arm, is a testament to this guiding principle. “They go hand in hand,” Tarek says of balancing business success with community impact. “We are in a position of leadership, and have a responsibility to our clients and to the community as well.” Their recent EVOLV3 conference, which welcomed over 200 realtors to Ottawa for a one-day conference in the spring of 2024–a first for the organization–raised $10,000 for CHEO. “We can’t wait to build upon our fundraising goals,” Sara adds. “I’m excited to host our next events as we continue to bring in expertise to Ottawa and create stronger ties within the community.”
As Northern Alliance EXP continues to evolve, they remain focused on innovation and growth. Their approach to real estate is fresh, forward-thinking, and grounded in the belief that success is best when it’s shared. By bringing in expertise from outside markets and continually raising the bar, Northern Alliance EXP ensures that their agents—and their clients—are always ahead of the curve.
