RiverStone Real Estate Inc. and Century 21 on the Lake, two Sandpoint real estate brokerages, recently merged to form Century 21 RiverStone, which then bought Lake County Real Estate, yet another brokerage there, says Shawn Taylor, a partner in Century 21 RiverStone.

The new company plans to move its main offices in December to the new Panhandle Mill Plaza, at 509 N. Fifth, where it will lease 8,600 square feet of floor space, Taylor says.

Dan McLaughlin, a partner in Century 21 RiverStone, is the designated broker for the agency. In addition to McLaughlin and Taylor, the other partners are Debbie Ferguson, Brent Stevens, and Eric Skinner.

Taylor says RiverStone Real Estate and Century 21 on the Lake were a good fit for a merger.

RiverStone, an eight-year-old brokerage at 305 N. First, had strengths in its use of technology and its Web presence, and Century 21 on the Lake, which opened in 2005 at 316 N. Second, had high name recognition and "was strong on the listing side" he says.

He says the merged brokerage bought Lake Country, a 25-year-old brokerage at 226 N. First, because its owner, Marita Ramsay, wanted to retire.

The new company, which owns the former RiverStone office, will maintain that space as a showroom for certain developments, Taylor says. It also has a 1,000-square-foot satellite office at Schweitzer Mountain Resort, he says.

The other offices on First and Second avenues, which currently are leased, will be open for lease when the company moves, he says.

Century 21 RiverStone has 59 agents following the merger and the acquisition, Taylor says.

He estimates that Sandpoint-area real estate sales volume this year will be 30 percent lower than in 2007.

Taylor says, however, that he's optimistic about the real estate market there.

"We've still got good activity, a great lifestyle, good fundamentals, and a strong resort market," he says.

In addition to its residential real estate division, Century 21 RiverStone has resort, waterfront, and commercial real estate divisions, Taylor says.