10 Questions With Anthony Marguleas Of Amalfi Estates

Anthony Marguleas founded Amalfi Estates in 1995. As a Realtor, Marguleas has sold $1 billion in properties in Pacific Palisades and the surrounding area and was recently selected by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top 60 agents in the country — where there are more than 1 million agents.

So how does Marguleas sell so much real estate in the Los Angeles area? Patch sat down with him to find out how having patience, doing everything in the client's best interest and giving back to local communities are just a few secrets to his success.

Patch: What’s the best part about doing business in your town?

Marguleas: The hometown feel.

Patch: If you were to get an indulgent snack in your town, where would you go, and what would you get?

Marguleas: The Yogurt Shoppe on Swarthmore and their chocolate, peanut butter combo.

Patch: If you were going to have a secret rendezvous in town, where would it be?

Marguleas: Matthew's Garden Cafe.

Patch: What attracted you to this business, and how did you start?

Marguleas: I started a real estate development company 28 years ago, a mortgage company 26 years ago and then my real estate company, Amalfi Estates 25 years ago. It is very rewarding finding and negotiating a buyer's home, as well as marketing a sellers home to get the highest price.

Patch: What's the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you've faced in your job?

Marguleas: Being in a 100 percent commission-based business can be challenging by not having a consistent income stream.

Patch: What's the most satisfying part of your job?

Marguleas: Having a client ecstatic with our service where they refer their friends to us. We have a fantastic support team and have successfully helped 1000 families in the Palisades. I also have been teaching real estate contracts and negotiations at UCLA for 13 years.

Patch: You're not the only person in this business. How do you distinguish yourself from the others?

Marguleas: We have been fortunate to be the #1 agent in the Palisades for the past 5 years and have the most reviews of any agent on the Westside with 150 five star reviews on Yelp, Zillow and Facebook. We give 10 percent of our commission back to one of five charities that we let our client choose. We are a philanthropic business that specializes in selling real estate. It's about having a relationship with your client and honoring that relationship with a charitable donation. We have been very fortunate to have donated $800,000 since 2014.

Patch: What advice would you give to a person just starting in your business?

Marguleas: Have patience, as success does not happen overnight. Always do what is in the client's best interest. Over deliver and under commit. Choose a specialty, either price point, geographical area, first-time buyers, etc.

Patch: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Marguleas: Treat everyone fairly. Negotiations must be a win-win for both sides.

Image Credit: Anthony Marguleas

This Patch article is sponsored by Amalfi Real Estate