10 Top Real Estate Companies in California

Thinking about buying or selling a home in the Golden State and looking for a list of top real estate companies in California? Whether you’re moving to, within, or out of California, the real estate company you choose should have expertise in the local market, a high number of home sales under their belt, a quick turnaround on home sales, and a track record of ethical transactions.

To help you find a top real estate agent for your home purchase or sale, we’ve done some research for you. We’ve selected some of the top California real estate companies — highlighting one pick from each of the largest cities — based on performance, which includes the number of deals successfully closed, average time on the market, and high client reviews.

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Los Angeles

The Bienstock Group

The Bienstock Group was founded in 2006 by Sheri Bienstock and quickly built a reputation of exceptional service that exceeds industry standards. Their real estate expertise, local knowledge, and white-glove service deliver an extraordinary experience and superb results for both homebuyers and sellers. Bienstock is a luxury specialist who sells 69% more single-family homes than the average Los Angeles agent. The group is five-star rated on Google, Yelp and other real estate channels.

See more top real estate agents in Los Angeles.

San Diego

Sam Realty Group with Compass

Sam Realty Group is ranked among the top 1.5% of Real Estate Professionals in the nation by the Wall Street Journal and Real Trends. CEO Sam Rasoul is a top performer with 28 years of experience. Rasoul sells 65% more single-family homes than the average San Diego agent and receives glowing five-star reviews. His team is five-star rated across Yelp, Google, and numerous real estate channels.

See more top real estate agents in San Diego.

San Jose

Hanna Real Estate Group with Real Estate 38

The Hanna Real Estate Group and Real Estate 38 are all-around wins for homebuyers and sellers in the San Jose area; they are highly-rated top performers. Team lead Zaid Hanna has been serving homebuyers and sellers in the bay area since 2004. A skilled negotiator with unrivaled market knowledge, Hanna sells homes 68% faster than the average San Jose agent.

See more top real estate agents in San Jose.

San Francisco

Corcoran Global Living

Corcoran Global Living is a top-performing real estate company in San Francisco. The company and its team are five-star rated across Yelp, Angi, Google, and several real estate channels. Their top producers are some of the very best Realtors® in the country, while their newer agents receive the highest level of training and support available in the industry.

See more top real estate agents in San Francisco.

Fresno

FresYes Realty Group with eXp Realty

FresYes Realty Group is the second-highest performing large real estate team in California, and the top-performing large group in Fresno, according to Real Trends 2021. They’re also highly rated across multiple review sites and real estate channels, including Yelp, Google, Zillow, Facebook, and EffectiveAgents.com. Their agents are also highly rated, selling more houses and faster than the average Fresno agent. Perhaps that’s because FresYes agents operate on a “Yes and” mindset, going above and beyond what’s requested of them, with excitement for the challenge.

See more top real estate agents in Fresno.

Sacramento

ERA Carlile Realty and Lending

Carlisle Realty and Lending was one of the top-performing large real estate teams in the state of California last year. Also five-star rated across review sites and real estate channels, Carlisle Realty is a boutique brokerage that offers a wide variety of services for buyers, sellers and investors. By providing most real estate services under one roof, Carlile is typically able to close faster, offer better deals and exceed buyer and seller expectations.

See more top real estate agents in Sacramento.

Long Beach (and Lakewood)

Van Wig & Associates with Keller Williams Realty

Van Wig & Associates is an award-winning group serving Lakewood, Long Beach, and surrounding areas since 1988. Real Trends’ 2021 top-performing small team for the Long Beach area, Van Wig & Associates are five-star rated across multiple review sites and real estate channels. Team lead Allison Van Wig is a single-family home expert in the Long Beach and Lakewood areas, selling 72% more homes than the average Lakewood agent and 42% faster.

See more top real estate agents in Long Beach.
See more top real estate agents in Lakewood.

Oakland (as well as Alameda County, Berkeley, and Piedmont)

The Gunderman Group with Keller Williams Realty

The five-star rated Gundermand Group is Oakland’s large team top performer according to Real Trends 2021. Led by Andrew and David Gunderman whose real estate journey began in 2000. Together they have become one of the most successful real estate agents and teams in the Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, and Piedmont market, consistently ranked in the Wall Street Journal as among the top 100 Realtors® in the country. David Gunderman is a single-family home expert, selling 78% more homes than the average Oakland agent and 46% faster.

See more top real estate agents in Oakland.
See more top real estate agents in Berkeley.
See more top real estate agents in Piedmont.
See more top real estate agents in Alameda County.

Bakersfield

Coldwell Banker Preferred Realtors

Coldwell Banker Preferred Realtors® is a top-performing real estate group in Bakersfield that enjoys a five-star rating and enthusiastic client reviews across multiple review sites and real estate channels. Established in 1993, the local real estate agency has been a part of thousands of families’ histories, helping residents to become active and connected citizens within the Bakersfield community. They are members of a number of local, regional, state, and national industry associations.

See more top real estate agents in Bakersfield.

Anaheim and Yorba Linda

Gerosins Real Estate Group with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Anaheim’s top-performing medium real estate team according to Real Trends 2021, The Gerosins Real Estate Group is five-star rated. Genelle, Carole, and George Gerosin are a family team that runs an executive boutique-style business with the support of prestigious corporate backing. Their continued success is a result of a keen knowledge of the local market and real estate law, work ethic, and client commitment. With a combined 65+ years of experience, the Gerosins are single-family home experts, selling 76% more homes than the average Yorba Linda agent.

See more top real estate agents in Anaheim.
See more top real estate agents in Yorba Linda.

Frequently asked questions about real estate in California

Are more people moving into or out of California?

Move.org’s State of Moving 2021 places California #1 in the top states people moved away from and #3 in the top states people moved to in 2021, which isn’t unusual – the most vacated states are also often the most popular locations for movers.

Is it a good time to buy real estate in California?

Although supply constraints and higher home prices may slow California home sales down slightly in 2022, California real estate transactions will be the second-highest in the past five years, according to the 2022 housing forecast by the California Association of Realtors (CAR).

Although it’s still a hot seller’s market, this doesn’t mean it isn’t a good time to buy in California. Low interest rates combined with the booming market mean that home values will likely continue to rise, indicating it could be a good time to build equity in a California home.

Where are the most affordable houses in California?

Starting with the most affordable places to live, the California towns with the lowest priced houses include:

• Clearlake
• Bakersfield
• Fresno
• Eureka
• Stockton
• Clovis
• Sacramento
• Chico
• Fontana
• Vacaville
• Oxnard

Where are the most expensive houses in California?

Starting with the most expensive places to live, the California towns with the highest-priced homes can be found in:

• Coronado
• East Palo Alto
• Sausalito
• Santa Barbara
• Santa Cruz
• Beverly Hills
• Glendale
• San Luis Obispo
• Capitola
• Rolling Hills Estates

How can I sell my California home quickly?

If you need to sell your California home fast, you can request a cash offer through HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform. HomeLight will provide a cash offer that lets you sell your home on your timeline, in as few as 10 days.

Need to Sell Your California Home Fast?

HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform provides all-cash offers for homes nationwide, including in California. Receive your offer within a week and sell without the need for repairs, staging, or open houses. We can put cash in your hands in as few as 10 days.

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What if I need to sell my existing California home before I can buy a new one?

Save yourself the stress of buying and selling at the same time with HomeLight Trade-In. We’ll work with your real estate agent to make an offer on your current home, so you can make an offer on a new home and close and move on your timeline.

Looking to buy a home in California?

Consider HomeLight’s Cash Offer platform. HomeLight can make an all-cash offer on your behalf for the California home you want. That has real value. Cash offers are up to four times more likely to win and can get you a 5% savings, on average, versus offers with a loan.

Are there real estate scams in California I should know about?

Yes, although thankfully they’re relatively uncommon. Scams around California home sales or rentals include:

• Wire transfer fraud. Scammers may contact homebuyers with instructions on where to wire escrow funds or they may hack into online communications and intercept funds, transactions, or steal sensitive data
• Home title theft. Thieves obtain a title illegally by assuming the identity of a real estate professional or third party and intercepting sensitive information or transfer of funds.
• Fake home sales or rentals. Scammers solicit online offers and receive payments for properties they don’t own.

Other scams California homeowners, homebuyers, or sellers may be susceptible to include:

• Illegal subdivisions. Scammers sell illegally subdivided properties in undeveloped neighborhoods that lack access to water, wastewater, and emergency services.
• Foreclosure relief. Scammers offer homeowners foreclosure relief for an upfront fee with no intention to help.
• Loan flipping. Predatory lenders persuade homeowners to refinance their mortgage multiple times at no benefit to the homeowner.
• Moving scams. Predatory movers ransom a homeowner’s belongings back to them for a much higher moving fee than the original estimate.

Bottom line

California is home to more than 39.6 million people, making it the most populated state in the U.S. Every city in the Golden State has its own characteristics and special housing markets. California boasts a competitive housing market and nearly 400,000 real estate agents to choose from.

We make your decision easier. Whether you’re buying or selling, HomeLight’s Agent Match can help you select the best agent in your area to meet your specific needs. It’s free, simple, and data-backed by millions of home sale transactions that HomeLight has analyzed to find the top-rated California agents.

Thinking of selling your California home? Find out what your home might be worth in two minutes with our Home Value Estimator. These and other tools are quick, easy to use, and available with no obligation.

Header Image Source: (Robert Bye / Unsplash)