Manicured lawns, exotic cars, unparalleled upscale shopping, and multimillion-dollar real estate, welcome to the opulence and dripping wealth that is the infamous 90210 – better known as Beverly Hills.
A synonymous zip code around the world, brought to prominence by many television shows like 90210, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Million Dollar Listing, there’s no doubt the city is highly recognized on an international scale, with tourists flocking every year to visit, hoping to catch a glimpse of a celebrity and the illustrious and exclusive lifestyle.
Anna Topolanski has her finger on the pulse of this exclusive suburb, as a real estate agent -who has risen to the top of her field- at one of the top tier brokerages around, The Beverly Hills Estates. An outstanding achievement of the youngest female on the team, Topolanski is formerly from France. Anna brings a wealth of knowledge of the real estate market, both internationally and domestically, resulting in her working on listings of million-dollar homes across all of Southern California. Anna stands out as one of the top in her field for her outstanding talent and savvy skillset that caters to the demands of their high-end clientele. Today, we hear from Anna as she lends her expert opinion and breaks down the 90210 luxury lifestyle for us all.
Beverly Hills Magazine: With today’s growing housing market and an affluent suburb such as Beverly Hills, where every property is as gorgeous as the next, what in your opinion are the three factors that make a home stand out on the market?
Anna Topolanski: Three factors that make a home stand out of the market and stand out from other listings is first of all the location! Location is the most important aspect. If you buy a house in the best location possible, even if the house itself is bad, it will never decrease in value.
The size of the lot, the views, privacy, and a specific architect can also make a house stand out from the others.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Currently your brokerage holds the highest sales in Los Angeles and is continuing to break numerous records. How do you think The Beverly Hills Estates has managed to do that, in such a competitive industry and market?
Anna Topolanski: The Beverly Hills Estates currently holds the highest sales in Bel-Air, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, The Sunset Strip. The brokerage was founded by the top agents in the country, Branden and Rayni Williams. They have connections all over the world, they have been working in real estate for so long that they bring powerful knowledge to the office; but most importantly, they bring such a positive energy into the office, they inspire us every single day and they are proud of their team members. I think this is why the company is doing so well and is going to continue growing and keep getting better everyday; and being the youngest female of the team is an honor!
Beverly Hills Magazine: As someone who is constantly surrounded by one-of-a-kind properties and listings, can you break down for us what the luxury lifestyle really looks like for a buyer in today’s market?
Anna Topolanski: When buyers get to a certain point, they are really buying a lifestyle more than a home. They want to have the biggest house on the block, with the best views you can get, a massive driveway to park their cars, but they also want privacy, they don’t want to be too far up in the hills so they can get to their favorite places easily… They want their dream home and we are here to find it for them.
Beverly Hills Magazine: We’re starting to see a rise of younger home buyers including those of famous influencers and viral Tik Tok stars – working with a celebrity clientele is nothing new to you. What is your advice to younger home buyers when they’re looking to purchase in these luxury and private communities?
Anna Topolanski: My advice to younger home buyers is to be patient and to invest in a good location. Location really is the key to a good investment.
Beverly Hills Magazine: There’s been a 7.2% increase in homes sold in Beverly Hills, when compared to this time last year and the term it’s a “buyer’s market” is being thrown around. What would you say, are the pros and cons?
Anna Topolanski: Today’s market can be qualified as a buyer’s market due to an increase in inventory. The ‘pros’ is that for the same home, buyers don’t have to compete against 10 other offers and actually pay for what the house is worth. The ‘cons’ is that sellers can become greedy and have a hard time realizing that the market is changing and that getting the best deal possible is about having the right timing.
Beverly Hills Magazine: What would you say is the biggest misconception clients have about the 90210 lifestyle and market?
Anna Topolanski: I think both buyers and sellers have a hard time seeing what the reality is; buyers can be rushed because of a hot market and can end up paying a premium price for a home they don’t really love. On the other hand, sellers can be greedy and impatient which can prevent them from getting the best offer.
Beverly Hills Magazine: It’s easy for the general public, to categorize a property as a ‘luxury listing’ but what truly, from an agent’s perspective makes a property a unique, luxury listing that exceeds others and will drive a record-breaking sale price?
Anna Topolanski: I would say that the location, the acreage of the lot and square footage of the property, combined with the views is what makes a listing so unique and can drive a record-breaking sale. For example, The Beverly Hills Estates just sold “The One” mega mansion for $141M because of its 360 degrees panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, downtown LA, and the San Gabriel Mountains. It is a 105,000sq ft estate located in Bel-Air that can never be built again.
Instagram: @annatplski
Tik Tok: @annatheagent
