\Nicole Plaxen, Shauna Walters Join Sotheby’s International Realty

Sotheby’s International Realty landed the Walters | Plaxen Group, which packed up its seven-person team and a hefty inventory list from the Beverly Hills Estates, The Real Deal has learned.

The group, which has handled more than $220 million in Los Angeles real estate sales so far this year, will be based out of the Sotheby’s offices in Beverly Hills and Miami.

The Walters | Plaxen Group, with career sales in excess of $1 billion, is the latest big get for Sotheby’s, which earlier this year recruited Ernie Carswell from Douglas Elliman. Carswell brought his 15-person team, Ernie Carswell & Associates, to Sotheby’s in May with the agent referring to the brokerage in an interview with TRD at the time as being at the “top of its ilk,” adding “my team and myself now want that type of solid track of consistency and longevity.”

Cristian David, Sotheby’s Southern California region executive vice president, said the brokerage’s global brand is a big selling point to agents.

“The industry’s strongest professionals … want a brand that understands this marketplace’s nuances, anticipates global wealth shifts and equips them with world-class tools and mentorship,” David told TRD.

Walters said as much in a statement, calling out the brokerage’s “global ecosystem.”

“As wealth expands across continents, we’re expanding with it,” she said.

Plaxen added that “unlocking new markets” also factored into the decision to move their licenses over to a global brokerage to keep step with the movement of high-net-worth clients.

Walters | Plaxen also includes Brooke Enwere, Christian Garcia, Yona Lador, Necole Hilbert and Milan Ciro.

Market “standout”

The team brings a strong track record that has continued this year, with Plaxen and Walters representing the buyers of Melhill Estate in Brentwood for $53 million in October. Walters | Plaxen also had a hand in the sale of 1414 Donhill, which was purchased by Fashion Nova’s Richard Saghian for $32 million in June, and provided representation of Sir Anthony Hopkins in the November sales of his two Palisades lots at 15303 and 15309 Friends Street for $6.1 million.

At the top of the group’s inventory was the $108 million co-listing of 1200 Bel Air Road in Bel-Air, which was removed from the market late last week. There are plans for the team to re-list the residence, according to a spokesperson.

There’s also 9330 Flicker Way in the Bird Streets, which is asking $68 million. They’re set to list 1360 Laurel Way in Beverly Hills for $53 million, 1951 Bel Air Road in Bel-Air for $88 million and 556 Catalonia in the Palisades for $40 million. The group also holds listings in Las Vegas, Miami and Thailand.

“The Walters | Plaxen team had their biggest wins while at the Beverly Hills Estates, including several record-breaking sales,” brokerage co-founder and President Branden Williams said. “During their time here, they became a standout team, so it’s no surprise the corporate giants came calling. That’s just not who we are. We’re a boutique brokerage built on collaboration, transparency and a culture the big firms can’t replicate. It’s been an honor to fuel their growth and watch their trajectory take off.”

Comings and goings

Indeed, the team’s departure marks a year of changes for the Beverly Hills Estates.

It landed big names such as Jaqueline Chernov from Compass and recently announced its expansion into the Palisades with a new office called Palisades Estates.

It’s also seen some other talent leave.

In March, Mick Partridge left the brokerage for Carolwood Estates, bringing with him two agents and a director of operations. Carolwood also poached the Tavangarian team, helmed by Shana and Emila Tavangarian. The two are the daughters of famed ultra-luxe spec developer Ardie Tavangarian. With their move, they brought along their co-listing of Villa Siena at 607 Siena Way, which was designed by their father, and listed for $177 million. The listing was shared with the Williams but has since been taken off the market.

More recently, in July, Matthew Clayman left the Beverly Hills Estates as its broker of record and general manager to oversee Coldwell Banker Realty’s Beverly Hills and Hancock Park offices. Clayman’s since been on a recruiting tear, with the brokerage announcing seven new agents, including Severin Braham, former director of operations for the Williams and Williams Estates Group at the Beverly Hills Estates.