REAL Trends Announces 2013 Top Thousand

DENVER, June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, REAL Trends, Inc., in conjunction with The Wall Street Journal, published its seventh annual "Top Thousand" list of America's top 1000 real estate sales professionals and teams. An abridged list of the 2013 designees is published in today's Wall Street Journal and a complete listing is available online at www.thethousandrealestateprofessionals.com.

REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand is an annual national awards ranking sponsored by the two respected publications. Designees are recognized as the top one half of one percent of more than 963,000 licensed REALTORS® nationwide.

The Top Thousand is divided into four categories, each listing their top 250 designees: Individual Agent-Sales Volume, Individual Agent-Transaction Sides, Agent Team-Sales Volume and Agent Team-Transaction Sides.

"These leading real estate sales professionals averaged more than 140 closed transactions and more than $50 million in closed sales volume last year," said Steve Murray, publisher of REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand. "Given that the national averages are less than ten closed transactions and less than $1.2 million in closed volume per agent or team, these results speak to the extraordinary success of the Top Thousand. Being ranked in the REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand, in short, is an incredible accomplishment."

The top five designees in each category of the 2013 REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand are:

Individual Agent-Sales Volume

1. Ben Caballero, HomesUSA.com, Addison, TX
2. Serena Boardman, Sotheby's International Realty/NRT, New York, NY
3. Mauricio Umansky, The Agency, Beverly Hills, CA
4. Kurt Rappaport, Westside Estate Agency, Beverly Hills, CA
5. Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage/NRT, Beverly Hills, CA

Individual Agent-Transaction Sides

1. Ben Caballero, HomesUSA.com, Addison, TX
2. Ayoub Rabah, Great Street Properties, Chicago, IL
3. Jeff Perry, Prudential Results Realty, St. Cloud, FL
4. Joe Kadaf, RE/MAX Leading Edge, Dearborn Heights, MI
5. Michael Balsitis, Bellabay Realty LLC, Caledonia, MI

Agent Team-Transaction Sides

1. John Murray Team REO, Key Realty, Rockford, IL
2. The Minnesota Real Estate Team, RE/MAX Advantage Plus, Lakeville, MN
3. Team Rasmus, Rasmus Real Estate Group, Atlanta, GA
4. The Creig Northrop Team, Long & Foster, Clarksville, MD
5. Ronnie & Cathy Matthews' Team, RE/MAX Legends, Spring, TX

Agent Team-Sales Volume

1. The Jills-Jill Eber and Jill Hertzberg, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate/NRT, Miami Beach, FL
2. The Creig Northrop Team, Long & Foster, Clarksville, MD
3. Carrie Chiang/Janet Wang, The Corcoran Group/NRT, New York, NY
4. Mary and Brent Gullixson, Alain Pinel Realtors, Menlo Park, CA
5. The Deborah Grubman Team, The Corcoran Group/NRT, New York, NY

"In total, this year's Top Thousand professionals closed 140,955 sides and $50,161,162,293 in sales volume in 2012 - a new record for this group," said Murray.  "It is incredible to consider that 1,000 sales professionals and teams could accomplish so much in an industry that is still recovering."

METHODOLOGY

REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand awards program was developed jointly by The Wall Street Journal advertising sales department and REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information for the residential real estate brokerage industry. REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand honors America's finest real estate agents and their companies and is compiled and analyzed by REAL Trends.

The rankings are compiled based on surveys from virtually every national branded network, many state and local associations of Realtors®, Multiple Listing Services, all applicants from past years' rankings, and the 900 largest brokerage firms in the United States. Verification from an independent source is required for all submissions. In addition, REAL Trends senior staff reviews each and every submission for completeness and accuracy.

ABOUT REAL TRENDS

REAL Trends has been the trusted source of news, analysis and information on the residential brokerage industry since 1987. The privately-held publishing, consulting and communications company is based in Castle Rock, Colorado. Residential real estate leaders look to REAL Trends for timely and trusted information and analysis through its monthly newsletter, news updates, conferences and publications.

In addition to creating research studies, REAL Trends is a leading provider of high-level business consulting services to the residential real estate industry. The firm provides a wide range of advisory services to international clientele as well as local, regional and national real estate organizations. Areas of expertise include operational analysis, valuations, merger and acquisition advisory services, consumer and business research and strategic planning. For more information, visit www.realtrends.com or call 303-741-1000.

Contact: Steve Murray
PH: 303-741-1000; [email protected]

SOURCE REAL Trends, Inc.