Top Realtors and Real Estate Agents in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Rankings based on verified MLS transaction data. Last updated August 2026. No pay-to-play.

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    Kathy Kennedy profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (46)

    Kathy Kennedy

    Realty One Group

    33 Years of experience

    7+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 0.21%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $101.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $490K - $1.2M

    Price Range

    Diane & John Cirignani profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (20)

    Diane & John Cirignani

    Legacy 15 Real Estate Brokers

    28 Years of experience

    23+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 0.28%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $395.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $390K - $3.5M

    Price Range

    2%

    Negotiated Off List

    Lisa Piltz profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (82)

    Lisa Piltz

    Bullock Russell Real Estate Services

    16 Years of experience

    11+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 0.35%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $153M

    All-Time Sales

    $620K - $4.3M

    Price Range

    12%

    Negotiated Off List

    Brandon Hobbs profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (563)

    Brandon Hobbs

    Reason Real Estate

    12 Years of experience

    154+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.06%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $1.48B

    All-Time Sales

    $670K - $55.7M

    Price Range

    6%

    Negotiated Off List

    Kirstie Nystedt profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (70)

    Kirstie Nystedt

    Bullock Russell Real Estate Services

    17 Years of experience

    24+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.13%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $225.7M

    All-Time Sales

    $550K - $2.7M

    Price Range

    3%

    Negotiated Off List

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    Rochelle Chacon profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (112)

    Rochelle Chacon

    Coldwell Banker Realty

    20 Years of experience

    23+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $192.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $470K - $3.3M

    Price Range

    1%

    Negotiated Off List

    Shawn Faramarzi profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (64)

    Shawn Faramarzi

    Bullock Russell Services

    12 Years of experience

    17+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.49%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $146.3M

    All-Time Sales

    $1.1M - $22.1M

    Price Range

    Dave Gubler profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (110)

    Dave Gubler

    IML Real Estate

    26 Years of experience

    16+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.56%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $313.7M

    All-Time Sales

    $540K - $4M

    Price Range

    3%

    Negotiated Off List

    Fred Sed profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (43)

    Fred Sed

    Keller Williams Realty - Fred Sed Group

    22 Years of experience

    88+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.63%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $564.3M

    All-Time Sales

    $520K - $4.4M

    Price Range

    4%

    Negotiated Off List

    Amy Sims profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (61)

    Amy Sims

    Coldwell Banker

    18 Years of experience

    22+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.7%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $405.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $690K - $4.6M

    Price Range

    3%

    Negotiated Off List

    Larry Bammer profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (1)

    Larry Bammer

    REAL Brokerage

    21 Years of experience

    3+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $343.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $710K - $10M

    Price Range

    4%

    Negotiated Off List

    Devin Doherty profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (44)

    Devin Doherty

    Doherty Real Estate Group

    35 Years of experience

    34+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 1.98%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $350.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $550K - $8.2M

    Price Range

    4%

    Negotiated Off List

    Adam Alcaraz profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (21)

    Adam Alcaraz

    Coldwell Banker Realty

    30 Years of experience

    14+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $185.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $440K - $6.9M

    Price Range

    19

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Darren Shepherd profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (199)

    Darren Shepherd

    Compass

    13 Years of experience

    78+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 2.4%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $221.9M

    All-Time Sales

    $820K - $3.3M

    Price Range

    Wayne Chang profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (56)

    Wayne Chang

    Realty One Group

    15 Years of experience

    4+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $210.8M

    All-Time Sales

    $580K - $3.7M

    Price Range

    5%

    Negotiated Off List

    Veronica Encinas profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (58)

    Veronica Encinas

    Coldwell Banker Realty

    21 Years of experience

    11+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $262M

    All-Time Sales

    $620K - $6.8M

    Price Range

    14

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Kevin Hood profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (185)

    Kevin Hood

    GreenTree Properties

    29 Years of experience

    56+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 2.97%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $667.8M

    All-Time Sales

    $750K - $4.7M

    Price Range

    6%

    Negotiated Off List

    Mike Doyle profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (103)

    Mike Doyle

    Century 21

    19 Years of experience

    27+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $236.2M

    All-Time Sales

    $640K - $2.3M

    Price Range

    2%

    Negotiated Off List

    Kristina Hudes profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (57)

    Kristina Hudes

    Keller Williams Realty

    12 Years of experience

    17+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 3.18%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $118.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $720K - $3.4M

    Price Range

    Lynette Colletta profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (82)

    Lynette Colletta

    Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

    21 Years of experience

    1+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $136.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $550K - $2.9M

    Price Range

    10

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Katrina Smith profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (178)

    Katrina Smith

    Pinpoint Properties

    16 Years of experience

    38+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $826.2M

    All-Time Sales

    $1.5M - $16.8M

    Price Range

    8%

    Negotiated Off List

    Hadi Bahadori profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (20)

    Hadi Bahadori

    Home Smart Evergreen Realty

    26 Years of experience

    2+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $71.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $620K - $2.8M

    Price Range

    9

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Dawn Bogert profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (32)

    Dawn Bogert

    First Team Real Estate

    34 Years of experience

    16+ Sales in the last 12 months

    Top 3.75%

    in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    $155.1M

    All-Time Sales

    $490K - $1.8M

    Price Range

    Brad Trager profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (62)

    Brad Trager

    Surterre Properties

    22 Years of experience

    8+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $147.5M

    All-Time Sales

    $680K - $2.9M

    Price Range

    8

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    Cindy Bistany profile picture
    BadgeTop Agent

    (5)

    Cindy Bistany

    Keller Williams

    39 Years of experience

    2+ Sales in the last 12 months

    $26.4M

    All-Time Sales

    $450K - $1.3M

    Price Range

    8

    Sold in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

    The numbers speak
    for Rancho Santa Margarita.

    Every agent above earned their place with closed sales, not advertising. Tell us about your home and our algorithm picks the Rancho Santa Margarita agents whose results fit it.

    Rancho Santa Margarita agents analyzed for these rankings

    days faster: top-ranked agents sell in 30 days, the Rancho Santa Margarita market in 41

    median sale price in Rancho Santa Margarita

    Find the right agent for your Rancho Santa Margarita sale.

    About 2 minutes · Free · No obligation

    Do Top Rancho Santa Margarita Agents Sell Faster?

    The 25 top-ranked agents on EffectiveAgents in Rancho Santa Margarita sell in a median of 30 days, compared with the Rancho Santa Margarita market median of 41 days on market.

    Top-ranked agents30 days
    Rancho Santa Margarita market41 days

    About 11 days faster (27% quicker than the Rancho Santa Margarita market)

    Median days to sale reported by the top-ranked Rancho Santa Margarita agents on EffectiveAgents, compared with the Rancho Santa Margarita market median days on market. Agent figures reflect each agent's reported sales history.

    When Is the Best Time to Sell a House in Rancho Santa Margarita?

    Based on the last 24 months of verified MLS market data, homes in Rancho Santa Margarita sell fastest and closest to asking when they go under contract in April. To hit that window, plan to list around March.

    Median days on market by month (shorter is faster)

    61Jan46Feb37Mar33Apr35May41Jun42Jul45Aug48Sep57Oct61Nov70Dec

    April

    Best month to sell

    33 days

    Typical time on market

    99.7%

    Of asking price

    Seasonal averages from the last 24 months of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA sales. Individual results vary with price, condition, and how the broader market moves. A local agent can pinpoint the right timing for your home.

    What These Numbers Mean for Rancho Santa Margarita Buyers and Sellers

    Rancho Santa Margarita's housing market, detailed in the Housing Market Trends module above, currently shows a median sale price of $1,019,325 and a measured +2.1% change year over year. With homes now averaging 41 days on market and a -2 days shift in market time, the pace has moderated compared with a year ago. The sale-to-list ratio sits at 99.93%, indicating that final prices land close to asking, though sellers no longer command the premiums seen earlier. Just 31.4% of homes sold above list, while 33.2% of active listings have taken a price reduction, a combination that signals negotiating leverage is shifting toward buyers. At 2.5 months of supply with 116 active listings against 48 monthly sales, conditions read as balanced rather than overheated. For a buyer, this means there is room to submit offers at or modestly below asking, particularly on listings that have been active beyond the two-week window (only 40.7% of homes leave the market within 14 days). For a seller, pricing accurately from day one matters more than ever, since overpriced listings are the ones absorbing the 33.2% reduction rate and lingering. Well-priced homes in desirable areas still transact efficiently. Navigating this environment rewards local expertise, and Rancho Santa Margarita has 1,414 licensed agents to choose from. The challenge for consumers is separating consistent performers from the rest, which is where verified transaction data and independent rankings help buyers and sellers make an informed choice rather than relying on advertising alone.

    What Rancho Santa Margarita Home Prices Mean for You

    Understanding the true cost of homeownership in Rancho Santa Margarita goes beyond the listing price. These calculators break down what today's market conditions mean for your budget, your timeline, and your negotiating position.

    Income Required to Buy in Rancho Santa Margarita
    $286,900
    Median home price$1,019,325
    Down payment (20%)$203,865
    Loan amount$815,460
    Monthly payment (PITI)$6,694

    Based on 28% debt-to-income ratio, 7.03% mortgage rate (as of September 24, 2026), 30-year fixed loan, 1.15% property tax rate, $275/mo insurance. Actual requirements vary by lender.

    Rancho Santa Margarita Market Temperature
    Buyer's Market Balanced Seller's Market
    Seller's Market
    Days on Market 41 days
    Sale-to-List Price 99.93%
    Price Trend (YoY) +2.1%
    Estimated Monthly Payment
    Total Monthly Payment
    $6,694
    Principal & Interest
    $5,442
    Property Taxes
    $977
    Insurance
    $275
    PMI
    $0

    Based on $1,019,325 median home price with 20% down at 7.03% (as of September 24, 2026) for 30 years. Property tax estimated at 1.15% of home value.

    Rancho Santa Margarita Market: Then vs Now
    Median Sale Price
    One Year Ago $997,968
    Today $1,019,325
    +2.1%
    Days on Market
    One Year Ago 43 days
    Today 41 days
    -2 days days
    Sale-to-List Price
    One Year Ago 99.0%
    Today 99.93%
    +0.94%
    What this shift means: Compared with last year, prices moved +2.1% while market time reflected a -2 days change and the sale-to-list ratio shifted +0.94% to 99.93%. For sellers, this combination suggests continued value in home equity paired with a longer, more deliberate selling window. For buyers, the slower pace and closer-to-asking closings point to more room for negotiation than the market offered a year ago.

    Year-over-year data reflects the most recent rolling period from Rancho Santa Margarita MLS records. Prior year values calculated from current figures and published YoY changes.

    What to Look for in a Rancho Santa Margarita Realtor

    Choosing a real estate agent based on billboards or name recognition often overlooks what actually matters: a documented record of closed transactions and satisfied clients. In a market with 1,414 licensed agents, verified performance data offers a clearer signal than advertising spend. EffectiveAgents ranks 134 agents in Rancho Santa Margarita based on measured results. At the top of that analysis is Kathy Kennedy of Realty One Group, with 165 closed transactions, 46 client reviews, and $101.4M in all-time sales volume. That transaction depth carries weight in negotiations, especially when 31.4% of homes sell above list and 33.2% of listings require a price adjustment. An agent who understands pricing dynamics across areas like Las Flores and the broader 92688 zip code can position a home to sell near the 99.93% sale-to-list benchmark rather than chasing the market down. When comparing agents, look beyond a single sale and study review patterns over time, since consistency across dozens of transactions reveals far more than a handful of favorable outcomes.

    How We Rank Rancho Santa Margarita Real Estate Agents

    Our rankings are built from verified MLS transaction data, not advertising spend. For every agent we analyze more than fifteen performance signals, including sales volume in your city and zip code, recent and all-time transactions, days on market, negotiation results (how far above or below list price an agent's clients actually close), price-point fit, and verified reviews. The agents shown first are those whose verified results put them at the top of the Rancho Santa Margarita market today.

    Agents cannot pay for placement in these rankings. The underlying data refreshes as new closed transactions are reported, so rankings shift with real market performance. Learn how we rank agents.

    1,414

    agents analyzed

    15+

    performance signals

    $0

    paid for placement

    Rankings reviewed by Kevin Stuteville, Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker (License BK3068131), Founder of EffectiveAgents.

    Data last updated: August 2026

    Rancho Santa Margarita Real Estate Agent FAQs

    Who is the best real estate agent in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?

    Based on EffectiveAgents' analysis of verified transaction data, Kathy Kennedy at Realty One Group ranks among the top agents in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, with 165 closed transactions, 46 client reviews, and $101.4M in all-time sales volume. EffectiveAgents evaluates agents using measured performance metrics such as transaction history, client review patterns, and sales volume rather than advertising. With 134 ranked agents in the area, buyers and sellers can compare documented results side by side to find the professional best suited to their specific needs.

    How were these Rancho Santa Margarita real estate agents ranked?

    Rankings are built from verified MLS transaction data. We analyze more than fifteen performance signals for every agent, including sales volume in your city and zip code, recent and all-time transactions, days on market, negotiation results, price-point fit, and verified reviews. Agents cannot pay for placement.

    How many real estate agents are in Rancho Santa Margarita?

    Our data covers 1,414 real estate agents serving the Rancho Santa Margarita area. The count represents agents with transaction activity recorded in our Rancho Santa Margarita market data, not simply everyone holding a license.

    What does the median sale price in Rancho Santa Margarita mean for sellers?

    Rancho Santa Margarita's median sale price is $1,019,325 as of August 2026. Half of recent sales closed above that figure and half below. It is a useful baseline for understanding the market, but an experienced local agent will price your home against comparable recent sales in your neighborhood, not the citywide median.

    How long does it take to sell a house in Rancho Santa Margarita?

    Homes in Rancho Santa Margarita currently take a median of 41 days to sell, reflecting a -2 days change from a year ago as the market has shifted to a more measured pace. Actual timelines depend on pricing accuracy, condition, and location, with 40.7% of homes going off market within two weeks. Given that 33.2% of listings take a price reduction, homes priced correctly from the start typically sell faster. Working with an experienced local agent helps sellers set realistic expectations and position their home competitively.

    Does it cost anything to use EffectiveAgents?

    No. EffectiveAgents is free for home buyers and sellers, with no obligation to work with any agent we match you with.

    Do agents pay to be ranked or featured?

    No. Agents cannot pay for placement anywhere in these rankings. Positions are earned from verified transaction performance only.

    What commission do Rancho Santa Margarita realtors charge?

    Commissions are negotiable and vary by agent, service level, and transaction. There is no set rate, and recent industry changes have made commission structures more flexible than ever. Discuss the structure directly with your agent before signing a listing or buyer agreement.

    Should I use a local Rancho Santa Margarita agent or a national brand?

    The individual agent matters more than the brand on the sign. Offices within the same national franchise vary widely in performance, and the agent you hire, not the logo, prices your home, negotiates your contract, and manages your closing. A strong local agent brings firsthand knowledge of Rancho Santa Margarita neighborhoods, pricing patterns, and buyer activity. Compare agents on verified local results such as recent sales, days on market, and negotiation outcomes rather than name recognition.

    What questions should I ask a Rancho Santa Margarita realtor before hiring them?

    Ask how many homes they have closed in Rancho Santa Margarita in the past year, what their average sale-to-list ratio is, and how much of their business is in your neighborhood and price range. Ask how they will market your home or find you listings, and how often they will communicate. Strong agents answer with specifics. Verified transaction data is the fastest way to confirm what you hear.

    Top Realtors by Zip Code in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

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