Rayni and Branden Williams founded the Beverly Hills Estates, based in West Hollywood, in 2020, after leaving their former home of Hilton & Hyland.
In addition to a brokerage, the Beverly Hills Estates also has a private members club.
The husband-wife duo spoke with the Business Journal about running a brokerage, last year’s market and expectations for the future.
What got you interested in real estate?
Rayni: I came from a family of real estate developers; my grandfather from Italy was a homebuilder along with my uncles, and my stepfather was in commercial real estate, so it was second nature for me. I first started in lending in 2003; as a young girl it was fun and liked the deals, but the lack of interaction was what ultimately made me want to segue into real estate.
Branden: My surf partner, Saeed Nourmand, was the owner of Nourmand and Associates. When we would be out in the water, he noticed I was friendly and loved talking to everyone, and he suggested I get into it. I also watched my best friend, Zach Quitman, do well in real estate and it interested me, as I was at a turning point in my life. I was 30 years old and didn’t want to continue in acting, although it was a great profession for many years. I also went to school for fashion and felt the artistic aspect of real estate was appealing. That’s why I love building, staging, decorating and all the minutiae of the deals.
How was 2022 for you? How did it compare to other years?
R&B: 2022 was our biggest, best year to date. We felt that the launch of our firm in 2020 was one of the most challenging yet best things we could have ever done to accommodate the growth of our brand. While we waited until we were more than ready to make the launch of our brand into a firm official, it was all in perfect timing.
Were there any major surprises last year?
The fun in real estate is there are always surprises, you must always be on your toes. Deals take twists and turns, and so do clients’ needs.
How did rising interest rates impact the market?
The rising rates made people pause, take note and ask themselves if they really want this or not, but that’s about it. It didn’t stop people from buying.
What was the most challenging aspect for you of being an agent this past year?
Sellers that are not realistic with values.
Has Measure ULA, also known as the mansion tax, impacted the way people are viewing real estate? Do you anticipate it doing so this year?
Probably the biggest challenge of the year; it’s unfortunate and seemingly the dark looming cloud. Beverly Hills, Malibu, West Hollywood are exempt; these areas will reign.
What has it been like running a brokerage in addition to being an agent? How do you balance the two?
Having extreme clarity to wake up and do whatever the task at hand entails; also by extreme organizational skills, multi-tasking and inner peace.
How has the brokerage grown since its founding?
From six agents to 70 agents … it’s been very fruitful. We are grateful and thrilled with the success of the brokerage.
What’s next for the Beverly Hills Estates?
We have some great things in store for this year and 2024 we cannot wait to share.
— Hannah Madans Welk
