Ernie Carswell Brings 15-Person Team to Sotheby’s

Beverly Hills-based luxury agent Ernie Carswell and his 15-person team have left Douglas Elliman in the latest blow to the brokerage’s headcount.

Carswell moved his license from Elliman to Sotheby’s International Realty’s Beverly Hills office on Thursday, according to Department of Real Estate records. The rest of his team, Ernie Carswell & Associates, moved their licenses out of Douglas Elliman on Wednesday, although none were officially transferred over to Sotheby’s as of Friday morning, according to state records.

The decision to move, Carswell told The Real Deal Friday was not “made in a vacuum.” Instead, the veteran agent called it a reaction to an accumulation of events as change hits the industry at a breakneck speed.

“I’ve made this change to a company that’s the top of its ilk because my team and myself now want that type of solid track of consistency and longevity,” Carswell said. “If there’s anything we’re seeing in real estate today, we’re seeing a shortening of everything. People terminate quicker. They burn out quicker. Companies don’t last as long.”

The industry hits have included last year’s $418 million settlement in a Missouri class action alleging complaints of inflated commissions, chatter around Carswell’s former firm facing a takeover bid from Anywhere Real Estate and news around former Elliman agents Tal and Oren Alexander, who face federal sex trafficking charges.

“What I have gone to is something that hasn’t changed, really, in hundreds of years,” Carswell said. “There’s nothing that I left behind that wasn’t wonderful for me and the team. There’s been some unfortunate headlines about goings-on there due to happenings elsewhere, not necessarily in California. But I was never hindered by that. I try not to get involved in the gossip rumor mill. This is just a personal decision that I made to go to a brand and company that has seen history in the making and endured.”

Carswell said he has interest in further expanding his team at Sotheby’s, adding “my new motto is to rise up and grow.”

Shopping for a new home

Carswell confirmed he took several meetings with brokerages and Sotheby’s was the “standout.”

Sotheby’s President and CEO Philip White said in a statement Friday the brokerage is “thrilled to welcome” the group.

“Ernie and his team are deeply respected in the Los Angeles real estate community, and we look forward to supporting their continued success as they bring their extraordinary market expertise and client service to our global network,” White said.

Sotheby’s said the team closed in excess of $300 million in volume in 2023 and 2024.

Among the team’s notable deals in recent years is 2021’s $25 million sale of a San Marino property that a long line of University of Southern California presidents have called home. The Seeley Mudd Estate sold for $500,000 over the asking price. Carswell and Austin Alfieri from his team, along with Compass’ Brent Chang, held the listing. There was also the $3.5 million sale of the Studio City home known as the “Brady Bunch” house, with the exterior featured in the hit TV show. Carswell held the listing on the property, which sold in 2018 to HGTV.

Carswell brings to Sotheby’s a long resume in the industry. He was with Elliman for over seven years in the company’s Beverly Hills office. Before that he was a founding partner and co-owner of Teles Properties, which was launched in 2007, and was key in Elliman’s West Coast growth after it acquired the brokerage in 2017.

The Teles acquisition overnight added over 600 California agents and 21 offices to Elliman’s business.

“We wish Ernie and his team the best of luck,” Elliman said in a statement provided to TRD Friday.

Changes at Elliman

The team’s departure is the latest to rock Elliman this week.

On Thursday, TRD reported the departure of former Elliman Western Region CEO Stephen Kotler from the firm. Kotler stepped down as head of the West in February to join the New York-based team he and his brother, Michael Kotler, started together.

Stephen’s son, Max Kotler, was also part of that team but announced on Thursday his move from Elliman to Corcoran, with a spokesperson for the latter confirming future plans call for the junior Kotler to build a Kotler Team.

Stephen is credited with building Elliman’s California and broader western region business beginning with the 2017 acquisition of Teles, in addition to leveraging reality TV as a platform to create several celebrity agents that have become household names. That includes Bravo “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” starJosh Altman, who announced his and wife Heather Altman’s departure from the show last year; Tracy Tutor, who left Elliman for Compass this year; and Josh Flagg, who left Elliman for Compass last year.

Carswell and some members of his team also appeared on the reality show “Kendra Sells Hollywood,” which had a two-season run on Discovery+ that began airing in 2021.