Ernie Carswell, Stephen Kotler Latest Elliman Departures

The sense of security wrapped up in bonds or Treasuries is not unlike what many agents crave in their workplace — particularly when industry headlines of late have never been so diverse in highlighting headwinds.

That sentiment was underscored in an interview with Ernie Carswell, who quietly moved his license from Douglas Elliman to Sotheby’s International Realty this week.

Carswell avoided the benign boilerplate language of a press release in a conversation discussing his move with The Real Deal.

Instead, the mess of an industry going through it was made clear as Carswell described what factored into his decision. From personnel issues at some brokerages, buyout offers in other cases and local (Measure ULA) and national regulations (new rules from the National Association of Realtors settlement last year), it’s a lot of noise added onto an already demanding job.

“I think regular old people want to be part of something that will endure,” Carswell said of what Sotheby’s offers. “Change is very disturbing when it comes in such big clumps.”

The veteran agent and founding partner of Teles Properties (which Elliman bought in 2017), said he’s had the “inner strength” to ignore the noise. Still, one can only block out disruption and dysfunction for so long.

“I went shopping and [brokerages] came calling,” Carswell said. “I received a number of invitations, and I must say it was very gratifying to be at this station in my career and to have wonderful invitations and so I took those meetings. But the standout was where I could make a difference and where I think I can plant my flag.”

Kotlers leave Elliman

Carswell isn’t the only prominent agent who left Elliman.

TRD learned a day before the agent’s exit the brokerage’s long-time executive in Stephen Kotler had also quietly cut ties with Elliman.

Kotler was the brokerage’s western region CEO, a position he held up until February when he stepped away from the leadership role to join the New York-based Elliman team he founded in 1997 with his brother Michael Kotler.

The former CEO didn’t respond to a request for comment this week, but his departure caps a rough stretch of headlines for Elliman that most recently included Stephen Kotler being named a defendant in an alleged hacking lawsuit brought by “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” star Josh Flagg.

Meanwhile, Stephen’s son, Max Kotler, said Thursday he left the Elliman team he’d been on with his father and uncle (who remains with Elliman, along with a seven-person group) to move to Corcoran.

By the numbers

Los Angeles County residential bucked any fears of a slowdown going into the Memorial Day Weekend, per a report on signed contracts from Douglas Elliman’s Eklund Gomes team.

The team, which compiles a list of signed contracts based on listings of $4 million or more in the Multiple Listing Service, reported 28 signed contracts for the week ended May 25, equating to $221.9 million in asking dollar volume. That held steady in comparison to the prior week’s 27 contracts amounting to $231.8 million in asking price volume.

Dana Point home bests itself

Coastal Orange County hasn’t let off the gas when it comes to residential records.

The sale of a waterfront mansion at 63 Monarch Bay Drive in Dana Point closed this week for $34 million, setting a record in the oceanside city for the second time.

Former investment manager Gordon “Gordy” Crawford and his wife Dona Crawford paid a record $33 million for the home in 2022. Their closing on Tuesday to an unknown buyer set a new high.

Compass’ Samantha Nugent and Todd Davis held the listing, while Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California’s Phillip Caruso represented the buyer.

The home spans over 7,700 square feet and has four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

The new homeowner shelled out another $2 million to buy furniture, art and other pieces from the Crawfords.

LA celeb real estate happenings

Chris Evans, who played Captain America in several Marvel movies, placed his Hollywood Hills home on the market for just under $7 million.

Evans bought the home in 2013 for $3.5 million, according to property records.

The nearly 4,600-square-foot gated home at 7840 Torreyson Drive has four beds and five-and-a-half baths.

Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California’s Scott Moore holds the listing.

In other celebrity-related news, a Bird Streets mansion that counts Leonardo DiCaprio as one of its next-door neighbors just made its way onto the MLS with a $25 million price tag.

Carolwood Estates’ Kristofer Everett-Einarsson and James Harris have the listing.

Forbes & Manhattan bank founder Stan Bharti placed the three-bed, six-bath property at 9050 Oriole Way on the market as he looks to lighten his real estate load.

Last month, Bharti went into contract on his Miami Beach mansion, which he listed for $36 million.