10 Top Luxury Real Estate Brokerages for High-End Properties

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By Thomas O'Shaughnessy & Dave Schafer Updated September 30, 2024
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Edited by Cara Haynes

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If you're selling or buying high-end real estate, working with a luxury real estate brokerage is the best way to make sure the process goes smoothly. Luxury realtors at the best high-end real estate companies have the expertise to market your home to serious buyers and negotiate an offer that maximizes your final sale price.

We researched the best luxury real estate brokers to find the most prestigious companies—along with premium real estate agents—at each brokerage. We considered factors such as experience, reputation, agent performance, the number of homes sold (and the value of those homes), and any additional bonuses offered, such as technology to improve the buying experience.

The top 10 are listed in no particular order—different luxury brokers and agents will work for different people—but we feel that these are the best luxury real estate agents and brokers in the business.

Sell your home with a luxury Clever agent, save thousands on commission.

Clever vets agents based on performance from Berkshire Hathaway, Sotheby’s, and hundreds of other top luxury real estate brokerages and negotiates lower insider rates on your behalf. When you work with Clever, you can sell for just 1.5%—roughly half the traditional fee—and get the same premium service.

Top 10 high-end real estate brokerages

1. Sotheby's International Realty

Sotheby's International Realty luxury real estate brokerage

Sotheby's International Realty is a subsidiary of Realogy and shares its name with the renowned international auction house. Established in 1976, this firm is committed to providing the exceptional service that characterizes the Sotheby's Auction House.

The auction house struck an agreement in 2004 with Realogy to license the Sotheby's International Realty brand. This partnership took the real estate brand global by offering franchises to certain real estate brokerages. 

Currently, Sotheby's ranks as one of the top luxury real estate companies in the world, with over 26,000 agents under its brand. The broker has over 1,100 offices worldwide and does over $140 billion in annual sales.

However, Sotheby's offers more than just an iconic history. In 2016, it began offering high-definition property walkthroughs using virtual reality and Apple TV, proving this storied luxury real estate brokerage remains an innovative company in the twenty-first century.

Here are the top three luxury real estate agents with Sotheby’s International Realty:

  • Kumara Wilcoxon: Kumara is based in Austin, Texas, and had a 2023 sales volume of over $290 million.
  • Leslie McElwreath: Leslie serves the Greenwich, Connecticut, area and had a 2023 volume of over $290 million.
  • Robert Dullnig: Based out of San Antonio, Texas, Robert had a 2023 volume of $243 million.

“Leslie helped us find the perfect home in Greenwich that suits our lifestyle and budget. She is highly respected in the real estate community and has an extensive knowledge of the local real estate market. Along with being extremely detail oriented throughout the entire home buying process, Leslie is a formidable negotiator, problem solver, and an overall joy to work with. Even after our closing, Leslie has been available to answer questions and offer advice. We recommend her without hesitation.”

Jacqueline

2. Christie's International Real Estate

Christie's International Real Estate luxury real estate brokerage

Christie's International Real Estate is another top luxury real estate brokerage whose brand is synonymous with high-end real estate. This company works exclusively with properties valued at $1 million or more, so you can trust that their specialists have the expertise to market your home to the right buyers.

Like Sotheby's, Christie's is a subsidiary of a centuries-old international auction house with an iconic history. The company has been in business for over 250 years, and operates in over 50 countries.

The global Christie's International Real Estate affiliate network has an impressive track record of closing over $500 billion of real estate transactions within the last five years. The firm's brand recognition and affiliate network make it a great option for anyone looking to sell or buy a luxury home with a luxury real estate agent.

Here are the top three luxury real estate agents at Christie’s International Real Estate:

  • Katrina Barrett: Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Katrina had a 2023 volume of over $215 million.
  • Cindy Ambuehl: Based in Brentwood, California, Cindy had 2023 sales volume of over $210 million.
  • Jena Radnay: Jena is based in Winnetka, Illinois, and had a 2023 sales volume of nearly $170 million.

“With her tremendous professionalism, knowledge, negotiation skills, and understanding of the home we were looking for, Cindy was able to find the perfect home for our family, one that we would not have known about otherwise! We feel so fortunate to have been able to benefit from her expertise, and cannot recommend Cindy and her helpful team highly enough!”

Rob and Shellan Isackson

» MORE: How much is realtor commission on a $1 million house?

3. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices sells commercial, residential, and luxury home real estate. While Berkshire isn't exclusively a high-end real estate company, its network of highly trained Luxury Collection Specialists possess the expertise to help sellers and buyers get the best deal.

As of 2021, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices ranks as the third-largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., with more than $150 billion in annual sales volume, over 800 offices, and nearly 45,000 licensed agents.

Here are the top three luxury real estate agents at Berkshire Hathaway:

  • Cristal Clarke: Cristal is based in Montecito, California, and had a 2023 volume of over $230 million.
  • Paul Grover: Paul works in the Cape Cod and Boston areas of Massachussetts and had a 2023 volume of nearly $170 million.
  • Nancy Kogevinas: Nancy is also based in Montecito and Santa Barbara, and had a 2023 volume of over $160 million.

“Cristal is a pleasure to work with! Her knowledge of the local real estate market coupled with her amazing listening skills resulted in her showing us an array of homes that were all excellent choices. Her low-pressure patient attitude made us feel extremely comfortable with the whole process. I cannot recommend her highly enough.”

M.F.

» MORE: How much commission does Berkshire Hathaway charge?

4. Keller Williams Luxury International

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams is the biggest international real estate brokerage firm by agent count. Their Luxury International division focuses on serving the upper-tier home market. Keller Williams claims it “represents 5 continents” and sold nearly 45,000 properties over $1 million in 2023.

This brokerage firm brands themselves as specialists that raise the bar when it comes to customer service and focuses on their client's needs to sell or find their next home. With offices throughout the United States, KW's brand, and its extensive global agent network, Luxury International exceeds the needs of high-end real estate buyers and sellers.

Here are the top three Keller Williams luxury real estate agents:

  • Benjamin Illulian: Based in Santa Monica, California, Benjamin had a 2023 volume of over $105 million.
  • Tony Nabhan: Tony is based in New Jersey and had a 2023 volume of over $105 million.
  • Julie Wyss: Julie operates in California and had a 2023 volume of $92 million.

“We recently sold our home with Julie & Mark Wyss and couldn’t be happier with how they handled the entire process from start to finish. You can tell that they are consummate professionals and top leaders in their field with each detail thoughtfully taken care of and checking in with my husband and I every step of the way. I never had to worry because I had total confidence in them handling everything. With a new baby, selling a home and pending move, I was dreading the home buying/selling experience but Julie and Mark truly made it stress-free and actually enjoyable. I cannot recommend them enough and will definitely be using them again when we’re ready for our next home!”

Gina Marier

» MORE: Learn about Keller Williams commission fees.

5. Nest Seekers International

Nest Seekers International luxury real estate brokerage

Established in 2001, Nest Seekers International is one of the youngest and smallest luxury real estate brands on our list. Currently, the firm has more than 50 offices and over 2,000 employees. It claims to have done over $100 billion in transactions around the world.

Nest Seekers touts its in-house creative agency, which employs a "daring and unconventional" marketing approach to set your listing apart from the competition. Its revolutionary and technology-driven listing process has made the firm one of the premier high-end real estate companies in the nation.

“I used Nestseekers and particularly Howard Henzel both to find my apartment and to rent out. Howard was extremely nice, friendly, professional and completely understood my needs. Both times he delivered exactly what I was looking for. I will definitely use them in the future.”

Elena K.

Same service, better price.

Clever vets agents based on performance from Berkshire Hathaway, Sotheby’s, and hundreds of other top luxury real estate brokerages and negotiates lower insider rates on your behalf. When you work with Clever, you can sell for just 1.5%—roughly half the traditional fee—and get the same premium service.

6. Distinctive Collection by Better Homes and Gardens

Although Better Homes and Gardens isn't widely known as a high-end real estate brokerage, its Distinctive Collection offers luxury buyers and sellers a similar level of service and support to top firms like Sotheby's and Christie's.

The Better Homes and Gardens brokerage network has more than 10,000 agents at local offices throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Jamaica. Their agents use a full suite of marketing tools to make your home stand out and help buyers find high-end homes that meet their luxury needs.

Here are the top Better Homes and Gardens luxury real estate agents:

  • Jeffrey Shadick: Jeffrey operates in Wisconsin and had a 2023 volume of over $50 million.
  • Christian Cobo: Christian is based in New Jersey and had a 2023 volume of $44 million.
  • Pete King: Pete works in Florida and had a 2023 volume of over $40 million.

“As a real estate agent myself in another state, Pete was the best I’ve worked with. He was very patient with us because we started talking at least three years before we bought. He’s very knowledgable about the area and all the properties and especially the associations. We could not have asked for a better agent.”

Jason Loftis

7. The RE/MAX Collection

The RE/MAX Collection luxury real estate brokerage

Like many other top real estate brokerages, RE/MAX offers exclusive services to high-end real estate buyers and sellers through its RE/MAX Collection division. To qualify for the RE/MAX Collection, a home must be worth at least twice the average selling price in the local market.

With more than 23,000 luxury agents, RE/MAX Collection has the global coverage to help you buy or sell no matter where you're located. RE/MAX itself has also been voted the most trusted real estate agency brand by BrandSpark in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Here are the top three luxury real estate agents at RE/MAX:

  • Thomas Ullrich: Based in Colorado, Thomas had a 2023 volume of over $550 million.
  • Jordan Cohen: Jordan operates in California and had a 2023 volume of over $250 million.
  • Tamara Sherrill: Tamara is also based in Colorado, with a 2023 volume of nearly $150 million.

“Jordan was a great agent for us as buyers. Very professional, as well as his team of associates.

He was very knowledgeable about the local real estate market, also about how to deal with a bank owned property. He was an expert in the process of dealing with the bank. We closed in only 17 days.

He responded immediately to every twist and turn of the process. He was excellent in assisting us is fairly dealing with the bank owner and with our lender.

Would gladly list our home with him if and when we sell. Very impressive.”

— Kevin Staker

8. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

Coldwell Banker's luxury division brands itself as the gold standard for luxury real estate brokerages. The long-standing history, reputation, and track record of its parent company precedes it. This luxury division leverages technology and expertise to meet and exceed the needs of high-end clients.

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury has property specialists in more than 3,000 offices and operates in 40 countries, making it one of the top luxury real estate companies in the world. Its focus on customer service and presence puts it ahead in the high-end real estate market, leading to over $200 million in daily luxury property sales in 2023.

Here are the top Coldwell Banker luxury real estate agents:

  • Carrie Wells: Carrie serves clients in Colorado and is based in Aspen. She had a 2023 volume of $533 million.
  • Jade Mills: Jade operates in California and had over $330 million in volume in 2023.
  • Melissa Dailey: Melissa is one of the top agents in New England and had over $213 million in volume in 2023.

“We were extremely pleased with Melissa. She was extraordinarily knowledgeable, professional, decisive, hands-on, and a pleasure to work with. We had not sold a house in 18 years, and the real estate marketplace had changed dramatically during that time. We felt like novices. We interviewed 5 local real estate brokers and from that process hired Melissa. We couldn't have asked for a better result. Our home sold quickly and at a price that we were very satisfied with. Melissa took a process that was challenging and intimidating to us and simplified it. She handled every detail along the way and, most importantly, she expertly managed the competing and disparate interests of sellers, buyers, and brokers to a quick and successful conclusion. It was a pleasure to work with Melissa. We are grateful to her and would hire her again in a heartbeat.”

John H.

9. HomeSmart International

Founded in 2000, HomeSmart International turned the real estate industry upside down by harnessing the power of technology not only for agents, but customers too. Based in Arizona, this firm offers you guidance throughout the home selling process or home buying process.

They prioritize communication by keeping clients updated through text messages and other automated marketing methods. Over 19,000 real estate agents in the United States work under HomeSmart International. Its approach to using technology throughout the process makes it a top choice for technology-savvy home sellers and buyers.

Here are HomeSmart’s top luxury real estate agents:

  • Tim Wolter: Tim is based out of California and had a volume of nearly $150 million in 2023.z
  • Brahmananda Kataru: Brahmananda is based out of Colorado and had a volume of about $90 million in 2023.
  • Heather Hill: Heather operates in California and had a 2023 volume of about $62 million.

“Tim Wolter + his team have been here for us throughout our entire transaction. From meeting with us to discuss what we could get for our home, to listing and securing the best buyers, we couldn't have had a more smooth experience. We had pictures + video on Wednesday, Listed on Thursday, open houses Saturday + Sunday, then 8 offers by Tuesday. I really cannot say enough about the entire team. Tanya came in and worked wonders with staging + made our house look the best it has ever looked. If you are looking for a realtor to help you purchase or sell your home in Ladera, Tim is a no brainer.”

Audrey Phillips

10. Compass Luxury Homes

Compass Luxury Homes is the youngest luxury real estae brokerage on our list, but it's quickly making a name for itself as one of the top high-end real estate companies in the U.S. The firm operates over 300 offices in 72 markets, with over 28,000 agents.

Compass offers a concierge program to help sellers prepare their property for the market. Luxury services range from staging to repairing the home to get the most for the property. Compass Luxury Homes also improves the home buying process by offering a mobile app buyers can use to curate a portfolio of properties to track and discuss with their agents.

Compass is home to some of the biggest agents in the U.S., as you can see from their sales volume. Here are the top luxury real estate agents at Compass Luxury Homes:

  • Alexa Lambert: Based in New York City, she did a total volume of nearly $1 billion in 2023. 
  • Ginger Glass: Ginger is licensed in California and had a 2023 volume of nearly $600 million.
  • Chris Cortazzo: Chris is based in Malibu, California, and had just under $450 million in volume in 2023.

“Ginger helped me purchase a property recently and two others in the past. She is not only unconditionally available at all times but simply great to deal with. Knowledgeable, straightforward, and sincere advice. She offers a no pressure and honest approach - unmatched. Even more, when it came to the offer, her negotiation ability and skills were beyond impressive. We have dealt with many agents in the past but none come close to this A+ agent.”

Miriam

Get a better commission rate when you sell your luxury home

Clever Real Estate can help you find a luxury real estate agent who works for a luxury brokerage you already know and love. With Clever, you can take advantage of our pre-negotiated listing fees of just 1.5% rather than paying the average realtor fee of 3%. That could add up to thousands or even millions in savings for you.

Clever has helped hundreds of luxury buyers and sellers get exclusive savings while working with the top realtors in their local market. Here's what one customer who saved $50,000 with Clever had to say:

clever real estate luxury home seller review

Since Clever connects its partner agents to qualified clients like you at zero upfront cost, they're willing to pass on part of the savings to you. You'll get the same full-service support at half the price. Or, if you're buying, you could be eligible to receive cash back after closing.

Clever's service is 100% free and there's no obligation. You can interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect luxury real estate agent, or you can walk away if you aren't completely satisfied with your matches.

👋 Next step: Talk to an expert

If you're weighing your options for buying or selling a house, Clever can help!

Our fully licensed concierge team can answer your questions and provide objective advice on getting the best outcome with your sale or purchase.

When you enter your info below, we'll ask you a few questions about your situation via a short form. Then our concierge team will be in touch shortly to help.

This service is free, and there’s never any obligation to move forward with us.

FAQs about high-end real estate

What are the best luxury real estate brokerages in the U.S.?

The best luxury real estate brokerages include firms like Sotheby's International Realty and Christie's International Real Estate. However, most nationwide brokerages offer dedicated service and support to affluent buyers and sellers, so it's worth exploring all your options to find the best fit for your unique priorities.

What's the best way to sell a luxury home?

The best way to sell a luxury home is to work with a real estate agent who specializes in high-end real estate. Luxury properties attract a much smaller pool of buyers than the average home, so they tend to sit on the market longer, which makes it harder to get your target sale price. Finding an agent with experience selling luxury homes in your neighborhood makes all the difference. Using an agent-matching service like Clever Real Estate or HomeLight is an easy way to connect with top local luxury realtors so you can compare marketing strategies, commission rates, and overall value.

Authors & Editorial History

Our experts continually research, evaluate, and monitor real estate companies and industry trends. We update our articles when new information becomes available.

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