Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates

Fittingly, the firm’s “live your dream” motto encompasses not only the clients’ needs, but those of the community, too—Amalfi Estates donates 10 percent of net proceeds from sales to the charity of its clients’ choosing. Anthony Marguleas himself is a true agent of change, serving on the boards of a number of charities, including the Lili Claire Foundation, which aids children with genetic abnormalities.

How long have you been in business?     

Twenty-one years. 

What made you choose real estate as your profession? 

I’d done real estate development, and also owned a mortgage company, and
I really enjoyed the process of finding homes and negotiating for buyers, as well as marketing and selling homes.

What aspect of the business do you most enjoy?

I truly love what I do, so I don’t consider it work. I love finding creative solutions to complex real-estate problems. The harder the real estate transaction, the more enjoyable I find it. There is nothing that feels more rewarding than having a satisfied client—by either negotiating a price lower than your buyer wanted to spend or more than the seller expected.

What differentiates Amalfi Estates from the competition?

Being the no. 1 agent in the Pacific Palisades—and focusing our business in the Palisades—we are truly experts. I’ve seen 4,000 Pacific Palisades homes and reviewed 2,000 real estate contracts. Eighty-five percent of our business comes from referrals, and I have been fortunate to average selling one home a week. We strive to over-deliver and under-commit, with the goal of exceeding our clients’ expectations.

I understand that you donate 10-percent of the net proceeds from your sales, as well as the full commission on two sales a year, to charity!  Tell us about this.

I let the client choose the charity; it’s exciting to learn what they’re passionate about. It’s an added bonus, after helping a client find or sell their home, to be able to donate to their favorite charity. We are introduced to so many great charities, many of which we never knew existed, and because of this, we’re truly grateful that we’re able to make a difference.

You lecture at UCLA and have authored many articles as well as two books. What’s your advice to someone just starting out in the real estate business?

Work as an assistant to a top agent. Get a good mentor. Become the most knowledgeable agent about your market by previewing as many homes as possible. Take the time to analyze why some homes sold for what they did. Listen to your clients and discover what they really want. Study the real estate contract. 

What are the latest Westside market trends you see?

We’re still seeing many off-market “pocket” listings as well as a lot of new construction homes. There’s a huge demand from families for larger, newer homes. Also we’re seeing a very strong demand for properties within walking distance of Caruso’s new development in the Palisades Village.

How have things shifted in the last few years?

We’ve seen property values appreciate approximately 1-percent a month over the past three and a half years. Currently, we’re approximately 15% over the previous price peak from 2008. 

Where do you see the real estate market headed in 2015?

Based on current low supply and high demand, we expect real estate values will continue to appreciate through 2015 and most likely through 2016.

What do you do in your off-hours?

I have a beautiful, loving wife and four teenagers, so when I’m not helping my clients I try and spent as much time as I can with my family. I also recently joined a couple of charity boards and volunteer monthly with Meals on Wheels. I also guest lecture once a quarter at UCLA for their real estate program. When I have time, I also like to paddleboard, as I love the ocean.

Photography by Paul Jonason