1. Times Real Estate
2901 W. Coast Highway, Suite 200, Newport Beach; 949-335-7437; timesrealestateca.com
Times Real Estate, a firm founded by siblings George Charles Hanold and Regan Beegle, is Register readers’ top pick for favorite real estate company this year. Though the Newport Beach-based firm has had listings as far out as Indian Wells and San Diego, it’s focus is on Orange County’s coastal cities, including multimillion stunners with Pacific Ocean views and luxury amenities.
In 2024, Hanold and Beegle closed more than $100 million in home sales. With a small, experienced team, Times Real Estate has built up a portfolio that boasts properties sold in some of the county’s most exclusive neighborhoods.
Recent listings include a multi-million dollar home in San Juan Capistrano’s Meredith Canyon with 20-foot ceilings, chef’s kitchen, spa bathroom and saltwater pool, an oceanfront condo with direct beach access in Laguna Royale and an 11,000+ square foot estate in Irvine’s Shady Canyon. Meanwhile, Times Real Estate has represented buyers for purchases in equally desirable neighborhoods.
For those looking to lease, you might find a few options on Times Real Estate’s website as well, such as a few Corona del Mar cottages and a resort-style home in Yorba Linda that were available over the summer.
The company also provides Times Concierge, a pre-sale home renovation program so that sellers can maximize their home’s value with no upfront costs, out-of-pocket expenses, interest or fees.
Times Real Estate also gives back with a portion of their earnings benefiting various charities, including local organizations, like Faces of Santa Ana, and international efforts, like children’s hearing aid project 3DP4ME.
2. Anvil Real Estate
23046 Avenida de la Carlota, Carlota Plaza, 6th Floor, Laguna Hills; 949-799-1582; anvilreinc.com
Anvil Real Estate is only five years old, but it already ranks locally and nationally as one of the top companies in its field.
In 2024, Anvil’s sales volume reached $338 million. Last fall, after a period of significant growth, the company made the decision that it was big enough.
“We didn’t want to grow too big, too fast and lose some of the great things that we had going,” says Dan Smith, the company’s Captain of Culture. Rather than “grow for the sake of growing,” he adds. Anvil opted to maintain its size until it felt like growth would be OK again, which happened to be this summer, he said.
Right now, Anvil is working on offering “alternative options” for both buyers and sellers to help access funds and streamline the sales process.
Anvil’s featured communities cover the length of Orange County, but the company also has listings in Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla and other San Diego County communities, along with Santa Monica, Westchester and other select parts of Los Angeles County.
3. First Team Real Estate
Multiple locations; firstteam.com
With more than 50 locations, including 15 offices in Orange County alone, First Team Real Estate covers a broad swath of the region and its focus on luxury properties means that its listings range from beachfront property with breathtaking views to grand houses hidden in hillside gated communities.
The company is ranked as the top independent brokerage for closed transactions in Southern California. Last year, the company closed more than $6 billion in sales and hired more than 500 agents. Now, First Team Real Estate is expanding its reach.
“We move with agility, making agent-first decisions that franchise brokerages simply can’t match,” First Team says on its website. “Unbound by corporate red tape, we forge new opportunities, push industry boundaries, and prioritize what truly drives success — our agents.
In April, the California-centric company, whose corporate headquarters are in Newport Beach, announced plans to expand nationally with offices in Idaho and Washington. Plans to bring the brokerage to Arizona, Nevada and Oregon are on the horizon as well.