Syd Leibovitch

Leibovitch oversees a business that counts nearly a dozen offices in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and ranked No. 10 on TRD’s most recent brokerages ranking, with $1.8 billion in sales across 786 transactions. The brokerage is currently rebuilding its Palisades office on Via de la Paz, which is expected to be completed sometime in the first quarter. Rodeo’s headcount is at more than 1,200 agents and over 120 full-time staff.

With nearly 40 years in real estate, Leibovitch has seen multiple market cycles. He leant his expertise to the U.S. Congress and California attorney general, serving as an advisor and expert witness on the causes fueling the subprime mortgage crisis.

Real estate came calling while he was still in college, when he got his start selling homes. Leibovitch founded Paramount Properties, the predecessor company to Rodeo Realty, in 1986 at the age of 25. He grew it into one of Los Angeles County’s largest independent residential brokerages. While the company holds a tight grip on business as an independent, fast-growing competitors and new entrants to the brokerage business stand to give Rodeo Realty a run for its money in the coming years.

– Kari Hamanaka