The Real Deal broke the news last week that Hilton & Hyland and Westside Estate Agency opted out of inclusion in the REAL Trends broker rankings, published by the Wall Street Journal — with Jeff Hyland citing “blatant discrepancies” in last year’s report.
Even in the absence of these powerhouse firms, the highest ranks of the list — known as “The Thousand” — was full of Los Angeles brokers.
Mauricio Umansky of The Agency was listed as the highest individual producer among the L.A. crowd by transaction value. He placed fifth in the nation with $422.4 million in total sales volume in 2015. Chris Cortazzo of Coldwell Banker ranked sixth for total sales volume with $362.6 million.
Stanley Lo of Green Banker and Josh Flagg of Rodeo Realty rounded out the top 10 with $326.2 and $319.1 million, respectively.
Another three L.A. brokers made the top 20, including Santiago Arana of The Agency, who came in at 11 with a sales volume of $305.3 million and Aaron Kirman of John Aaroe Group who locked up the No. 12 spot with just shy of $303 million in 2015 sales.
The 13th slot went to David Offer of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, who amassed $268.6 million in total sales volume.
Seven of L.A.’s teams were on the 20 Top Teams by Sales Volume list, led by Tami Pardee of Halton + Pardee and Partners. Pardee’s team ended 2015 with $595.5 million in total sales, making them the top brokerage team in L.A. and second in the nation. The Altman Brothers of Douglas Elliman Real Estate were the other L.A. team to crack the top 20, placing 19 in the nation.
The legitimacy of the list, however, is widely disputed. Charles Black of Hilton & Hyland pointed to a recent survey in which a high-ranking agent from Addison, Texas, would have needed to sell at least 9.5 homes a day to justify the agent’s list placement. It is a feat that is “simply not possible,” Black told The Real Deal.