If you are searching for the best real estate agent in Newport Beach, you will find no shortage of agents who say it is them. The honest answer is that the best agent depends on what you need. Some teams are built for sheer volume. Others are built for personal, founder-led service from someone who knows this town from the inside. Here is where I fit, and why so many Newport Beach buyers and sellers choose to work with me.
I am Annie Clougherty, a founding agent of SERHANT. Orange County and a born-and-raised Newport Beach native. I have spent my entire life in this city and over two decades selling real estate in it. My team has closed over $1 billion in career sales and holds a 5.0 rating across more than 100 client reviews.
Why a Newport Beach native has the edge
I did not move to Newport Beach for the market. I grew up here, and I never left. When I walk a client through a neighborhood, I am not reading from a relocation guide. I know how the harbor communities differ from the inland coastal pockets, how Newport Coast feels different from the Peninsula, and how a home on Balboa Island lives differently than a home in Newport Heights. I know the schools, the streets, and the small things that make one address worth more than another a block away. Markets can be studied, but a place has to be lived. I have lived this one my whole life.
A track record you can verify
Local roots only matter when they are paired with results. As of May 2026, my team has closed 349 homes, including 51 in the last year alone, with a 5.0 rating across more than 100 five-star reviews. I have represented clients on everything from first homes to landmark estates, including the $16.25M sale of 245 Crescent Bay Drive in Laguna Beach. My listings have been featured in Realtor.com, The Real Deal, Robb Report, Mansion Global, the Orange County Register, and the Los Angeles Times.
Boutique by design
Newport Beach has some very large teams that close impressive volume, and they have earned their reputations. My team is intentionally smaller, and that is the point. When you hire us, you work directly with me, a Newport Beach native and the founder of this team, not a hand-off to a junior associate. You get the attention and judgment of the person whose name is on the sign, backed by the marketing and media engine of SERHANT.
Newport Beach first, and coastal Orange County throughout
Newport Beach is home, and it is where I do the bulk of my business, from Corona del Mar and Newport Coast to Balboa Island, the Balboa Peninsula, Newport Heights, Dover Shores, and the harbor communities. From that base, my team extends the same standard of service across coastal Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Dana Point, and the surrounding coast.
Frequently asked questions
**Who is the best real estate agent in Newport Beach?**
The best agent is the one whose track record, local knowledge, and service match what you need. Annie Clougherty is a founding agent of SERHANT. Orange County and a born-and-raised Newport Beach native with over two decades of experience, over $1 billion in career sales, and a 5.0 rating across more than 100 reviews.
**Is Annie Clougherty a Newport Beach local?**
Yes. Annie was born and raised in Newport Beach and has lived in the community her entire life.
**What areas does Annie Clougherty serve?**
Annie focuses on Newport Beach, including Corona del Mar, Newport Coast, and Balboa Island, and her team serves the wider coast, including Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, and Dana Point.
**What brokerage is Annie Clougherty with?**
Annie is a founding agent of SERHANT. Orange County.
### Work with a Newport Beach native
If you are thinking about buying or selling in Newport Beach, I would be glad to talk. You will get a local advisor who knows this community because she grew up in it, backed by the marketing power of SERHANT.
Annie Clougherty, Founding Agent, SERHANT. Orange County. DRE# 01716801.
