Jon Lahey and The Fine Living Group at EXp Realty in Baltimore: Luxury Residential Specialist

Jon Lahey operates The Fine Living Group at EXp Realty, a boutique residential real estate practice focused on Baltimore's high-end market, working with sellers and buyers in neighborhoods where homes typically exceed $750,000 and often reach seven figures or more.

What The Fine Living Group actually is

EXp Realty is a cloud-based brokerage that differs structurally from traditional firms like Coldwell Banker or Sotheby's International Realty. Rather than maintaining physical offices and charging agents desk fees or splits, EXp operates a 100% commission model where agents keep a larger percentage of deals in exchange for no salary or benefits. Lahey's Fine Living Group sits within this framework, meaning he handles his own marketing, scheduling, and client management through EXp's digital infrastructure. The group specializes in the upper end of Baltimore's residential market, where marketing budgets, buyer sophistication, and negotiation dynamics differ sharply from the median home price in Maryland (around $310,000 as of 2024).

Services and how agents are paid

Real estate agents in Maryland earn commission only. The standard structure is 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, split between the listing agent (who represents the seller) and the buyer's agent (who represents the buyer). At EXp Realty, Lahey's take-home varies depending on his production level and whether he is the listing agent, buyer's agent, or both. For sellers: Lahey typically lists the home and negotiates the commission split with the buyer's agent (commonly 2.5 percent each on a 5 percent total). For buyers: if you hire Lahey to represent you in a purchase, he earns commission paid by the seller's listing agent, meaning no direct cost to the buyer. His value proposition in luxury markets rests on network depth, market knowledge of specific neighborhoods, staging and photography for high-end presentation, and negotiation skill in deals where $50,000 price swings are routine.

The Fine Living Group's overhead is lower than traditional brokerage models because EXp provides technology rather than offices, which may allow for more flexible commission arrangements on luxury transactions.

How Lahey compares to other Baltimore agents

Baltimore's residential real estate market includes agents at traditional firms (Coldwell Banker, Long & Foster, Keller Williams), boutique practices, and independent agents at EXp and other cloud brokerages. For luxury homes, several other agents and small teams market similar price points: Sotheby's International Realty maintains a presence in Canton and Federal Hill with agents experienced in six-figure sales; Keller Williams operates multiple teams across Baltimore with agents who handle both volume and high-end deals; Coldwell Banker has agents with deep roots in specific neighborhoods like Guilford and Roland Park, where many luxury homes cluster.

The key differences: traditional brick-and-mortar brokerages offer in-house marketing teams and administrative staff, which can streamline transactions but typically cost agents more in overhead. EXp's model trades office support for agent independence and cost savings; this suits agents who already have strong marketing skills and client referral bases. Sotheby's positions itself as a luxury-focused platform, which may appeal to sellers focused on brand prestige. Choose Lahey if you prefer a specialized, independent agent who operates within a technology-forward brokerage; choose a Sotheby's agent if you value the brand halo and prefer larger infrastructure; choose a Coldwell Banker or Keller Williams agent if you want a larger team backing a single transaction.

Who The Fine Living Group suits and does not suit

The Fine Living Group is suited to sellers and buyers transacting in Baltimore's luxury segment (homes $750,000 and up), particularly those who value direct contact with an experienced agent rather than a large team, who are willing to invest in professional staging and high-quality marketing, and who understand that luxury marketing often means smaller buyer pools and longer selling timelines. It works well for buyers seeking homes in established neighborhoods where architectural integrity and school districts matter as much as square footage.

The group is not suited to first-time homebuyers with limited budgets, investors seeking volume or turnkey rental property acquisitions, or anyone uncomfortable with an agent operating independently from a traditional brokerage infrastructure.

What the first interaction involves

Contact Lahey through EXp Realty's website or his direct channels (verify current contact details with EXp's Maryland office). Initial conversations typically cover your timeline, budget, and priorities. If you are selling, he will likely request a home tour to assess market position, condition, and marketing strategy. If you are buying, he will discuss neighborhoods, price range, and deal contingencies (inspection, financing, appraisal). Expect questions about financing status and motivation. Luxury transactions often begin with a consultation rather than an immediate showing, because the agent's time is premium and the buyer pool is small.

Hours and logistics

EXp Realty operates as a virtual brokerage, meaning Lahey sets his own hours and conducts business by appointment. There is no walk-in office. Verify current contact information and availability by confirming with EXp Realty's Baltimore branch or Lahey's direct contact details, as these shift frequently.

The Fine Living Group fills a specific niche in Baltimore: agents who work the luxury market at a regional scale require both neighborhood-level expertise and the financial tools to market homes to out-of-state and international buyers. Lahey's specialization and EXp's cost structure position him to serve that demand without the overhead constraints of traditional firms.