Molly Hobin-Williams & The Hobin Company

While still in high school, Molly Hobin-Williams had already decided on real estate as a career, earning her license at age 18. After spending some time in commercial real estate, she re-launched The Hobin Company, which her great grandfather founded, with her mother, Joan Hobin. 

Now president & CEO of the company, Hobin-Williams helms a thriving office in Manhattan Beach, where she dedicates her time to providing the best possible client service. Here, the real estate expert shares with DIGS her secrets for industry success.

How did you get your start in real estate?

I grew up in real estate and got my real estate license when I was a junior in high school; I worked on and off at The Hobin Company and Jon Douglas Residential during summers in high school, and while I was attending the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Upon graduating from UCLA, I spent 24 years in commercial real estate in Beverly Hills and West LA.

The Hobin Company has always been a family-run business. What can you tell us about its history?

We just celebrated The Hobin Company’s 90th anniversary. My great grandfather founded the company in Northern California in 1925 and five years ago, I took over as its fourth-generation president and CEO, opening the Manhattan Beach office and the Palm Desert office.

What sets your firm apart from others in the same industry?

We are a full-service boutique Real Estate Brokerage Company specializing in residential and commercial sales and leasing, as well as construction management services. We pride ourselves in providing over-the-top service and making the entire process fun and enjoyable for our clients. Most of our business comes from referrals from past clients and our extensive network of friends and family.

You work with your mother, Joan Hobin, as the company’s first mother-daughter team. Will you tell a little more about that?

My mother, Joan, runs our Palm Desert office and I run the Manhattan Beach office, however we work closely together, as many of our clients have homes in the desert as well as at the beach. We also have a great team that helps us provide the very best service for our clients.

Will you tell me about your website JustAskMolly.com?

JustAskMolly.com is a fun website and blog that I started a few years ago for my clients and friends and family of The Hobin Company. It provides them with news about fun events going on in the South Bay, as well as the latest restaurant and store openings. It also includes a directory of my favorite local resources, from plumbers and painters to interior designers and restaurants, boutiques, and fitness facilities. It has become a very valuable resource for my clients who are new to the South Bay and some of them use it on a daily basis.

What current trends do you see in the Manhattan Beach market?

There is still a huge demand for people wanting to buy and lease in Manhattan Beach. We are definitely in one of the hottest markets in the country, and I do not see the demand slowing down anytime soon. Hopefully, interest rates will remain low and more inventory will come on the market now that summer is over.

What is your ultimate goal when working with clients?

My ultimate goal is to find them exactly what they are looking for and to make the process an enjoyable experience where both sides are thrilled once the deal closes. There is nothing better than happy clients who, in turn, end up referring me to one of their friends or family members.

What do you love most about Manhattan Beach?

I have been a Manhattan Beach resident for the last 30 years and cannot imagine living anywhere else. Of course, we have our amazing beaches as well as all of our fabulous restaurants and shops and incredible school system, but it truly is our sense of community and all the wonderful people who live here that makes Manhattan Beach so special.

Can you talk a bit about your community and charity involvements?

I started a group 13 years ago with two girlfriends called “The Irish Girls.” We put on networking happy hours and parties for several local charities, including Children’s Hospital LA, Walk with Sally, Westside Children’s Center, and Para Los Ninos, to name a few. I also am involved with the Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA and have been a longtime member of the Junior League of Los Angeles.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not selling real estate?

My husband Tom and I love to ski and are both avid golfers. We also are die-hard UCLA Bruin football and basketball fans.

Photography Andrew Kraus