The Agent Shuffle: Who’s Coming And Going From SoCal’s Top Brokerages

A ‘Selling Sunset’ star returns to the Agency while Team Carswell expands its L.A. and O.C. presence

Vanessa Villela Says Bye Bye To The Oppenheims and Heads Back To The Agency

Selling Sunset star Vanessa Villela just may find herself on another hit Netflix real estate show, though under a different brokerage. After two years with the Oppenheim Group, Villela has rejoined the Agency (where a number of realtors star on Buying Beverly Hills, of course).

Villela, an award-winning Mexican-American actress, made the pivot into real estate inspired by the memory of her late sister, who was also a successful agent. 

And it hasn’t taken her long to land a pretty big listing at the Agency…Villela and Santiago Arana are already shopping a sleek and modern Beverly Hills home for $25.8 million.

Carswell & Assoicates Welcomes James Likens and Monica Villalobos

Ernie Carswell and company are expanding not only their L.A. presence, but picking up new expertise in the O.C. 

Carswell shared that both James Likens and Monica Villalobos have joined the team under the Douglas Elliman umbrella. Likes, formerly of Kofi Nartey’s Globl Red, will work out of Carswell’s Beverly Hills office with a focus on Studio City and Beverly Hills. 

Villalobos will work with Carswell’s team in the O.C. as a now four-person team. They will reportedly focus on Laguna Beach and niche neighborhoods including Coto de Caza and Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula.

Orange County’s Villa Real Estate To Close, Partner With Coldwell Banker

Highlighting the effect a slowing market can have on independent shops, Villa Real Estate has announced it will close this Summer. After more than a decade of brokering deals in Orange County, the brokerage announced its many of its agents will move into Coldwell Banker’s Newport Beach office—including Villa’s five partners and 20 of its agents. 

The Real Deal reports that Villa Real Estate will cease operations around July 1 when escrows on remaining deals wrap up.

“The last quarter of 2022 was the slowest quarter since 2011,” said Steve High, a co-founder and the firm’s president. “We felt like if this continues, we want to be with as strong of a company we can find. You want to be on the best battleship out there.”