Anna Bellomo
Berkeley, California
Partnered with Side in 2019
How Anna Bellomo Grew District Homes from 3 to 20+ Agents, No Recruiting Required
In just a few years, Anna Bellomo grew District Homes from a three-agent team to more than 20 producers, and she did it without setting any recruiting goals. No cold outreach, no pitch decks. Just authentic relationships, high standards, and a culture agents want to be part of.
Here’s how she made it happen.
1. Connect, Don’t Pitch
From day one, Anna has been very firm on having an organic approach to recruiting. She never set out to grow a certain-size team, but she was open to any interest that came her way.
She intentionally keeps in close contact with top agents in the East Bay, scheduling frequent lunches and coffee meetups. The agenda is never “Are you thinking about hopping brokerages?” but “How’s life, what’s on your mind?”
That low-effort, no-pitch approach has paid massive dividends, even helping to bring an $80M+ team to District Homes. Because when those agents do decide they’re ready for a move, Anna is already top of mind.
2. Protect the Culture at All Costs
At District Homes, every agent is expected to produce and to participate. Anna has intentionally created tons of opportunities for the agents to get together and collaborate, from weekly meetings in her office space to regular broker-tour caravans and wine tastings. Absence from or apathy towards those events signals a bad fit.
And if someone isn’t the right fit, Anna isn’t afraid to part ways. She wants every agent at her company to actively add to the culture; District Homes is not a place for people to simply hang their licenses.
When you prioritize culture the way Anna does, word spreads. Other agents can see what a great time the agents at District Homes are having and want in.
3. Build a Brand That Everyone Sees
From day one, Anna prioritized brand marketing. She was highly intentional about where and how District Homes showed up, using emotionally resonant messaging like “All In, Always” and pairing it with hyper-local content.
Over time, District’s brand has become a beacon. When agents see it, they know it stands for professionalism, warmth, and a culture of care. That visibility doesn’t just attract clients — it attracts the right kind of agents, too.
Key Side resources powering District Homes:
- District’s bespoke brand identity, crafted by Side’s branding team, has helped the company stand out and gain notoriety in Berkeley.
- The managing broker team handles compliance and supports her agents through any transaction snafus, allowing Anna to run the company without needing a broker’s license.
- Digital Campaign Builder empowers Anna’s agents to run high-impact campaigns, boosting District’s brand visibility and reinforcing Anna’s value as a leader who provides her agents with meaningful growth tools.
“It’s not about Side, it’s about District Homes. People are joining District Homes because they’re attracted by the culture we’ve created here. But we wouldn’t have been able to create that culture without Side.”
— Anna Bellomo, founder of District Homes
Be Legendary
If you’re a top-producing agent who has ever wondered what your business could become, we’d love to show you what’s possible.
