This guide features Michael J. Chen, a California-licensed real estate agent since September 2003, because he also develops homes: his brokerage profile says his firm developed and sold Elementi, a $42 million Trousdale Estates house, and Hoodline reported in July 2026 that his firm developed the $88 million Bel Air home he co-lists. Below is what his record shows, what we couldn't confirm, and the checks you can run on any Beverly Hills agent before you sign.
You're choosing an agent for a purchase or sale above $5 million in Beverly Hills or the Westside enclaves and want to know why this guide features one, and how to check any agent yourself.
At a glance
| License | California DRE salesperson, issued September 23, 2003 |
|---|---|
| DRE status | Licensed, no disciplinary action on record (November 2026) |
| Development firm | Founder and CEO of Luxford Group (his own site) |
| Brokerage role | Executive Director, Asia Pacific Division (his brokerage profile) |
| Focus | Architecturally significant estates in Beverly Hills, Bel Air and the Sunset Strip (his brokerage profile) |
Why this guide features a Beverly Hills real estate agent who builds
A Beverly Hills house above $10 million is often new, and its size and shape were set by the city's code before anyone drew a floor plan. Trousdale Estates caps buildings at 14 feet. The Hillside Area caps floor area at 15,000 square feet without a Hillside R-1 permit and limits how much earth can leave a site in five years. An agent who has built under those rules can read a listing for what the lot allows, not only for what's on it.
That's the reason we feature Michael J. Chen. His own site says he founded Luxford Group, a firm that invests in and develops custom ultra-luxury homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air, and his brokerage profile credits him with homes his firm developed and then sold or listed. A sold list shows outcomes. A permit set, a design team and a finished house on the same lot show how one was made.
We don't rank agents, and this page doesn't claim he's the right choice for every sale. It sets out what the public record says, in his sources' words, so you can judge it. The Trousdale Estates building rules and the Beverly Hills homes guide explain the code he works within.
What his record as a real estate agent and developer shows
Two homes carry most of the weight here, and both are his firm's own projects. Everything below is attributed, because his sales list doesn't say which side of the deal he was on.
Elementi, the $42 million Trousdale Estates house
His brokerage profile says he developed and sold Elementi, a SAOTA-designed home in Trousdale Estates, for $42,000,000, and lists it as sold on July 22, 2022. The profile doesn't state which side he represented; his firm developed the house. His own site says he has worked with the architecture firm SAOTA and with local architect Noah Walker.
The $88 million Bel Air listing his firm developed
Hoodline reported on July 13, 2026 that an $88,000,000 Bel Air listing, a SAOTA-designed house of more than 18,000 square feet on about 1.7 acres finished in 2023, was developed by Luxford Group. Hoodline said public records show Luxford paid about $14.5 million for the vacant site in 2015, and that the MLS credits Chen and Aaron Kirman as co-listing agents. That's eight years from empty lot to finished house, and it's the clearest public example of the work this page is about.
Hoodline quoted him on why developers build at that level: "the cost of developing these homes is often secondary to creating something truly personal, timeless and legendary." Read it as a developer's view of the product, which is useful context when he prices a new house for you.
Other sales listed on his brokerage profile
His profile lists further sales under "My Past Listings" and as deals he was "involved in". None states his side, so treat them as involvement, not as listings he won.
| Home | Area | Price | Date | How his profile describes it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementi | Trousdale Estates, Beverly Hills | $42,000,000 | July 22, 2022 | Developed and sold |
| Bird Streets home | Bird Streets, Los Angeles | $25,000,000 | Not stated | Involved in the sale |
| Upside Down House | Beverly Hills hillside | $22,500,000 | Not stated | Involved in the sale |
| Single-family home | Brentwood, Los Angeles 90049 | $11,800,000 | June 6, 2022 | Past listing, side not stated |
| Single-family home | Sherman Oaks, 91423 | $5,350,000 | August 13, 2026 | Past listing, side not stated |
| Single-family home | Studio City, 91604 | $2,350,000 | June 4, 2026 | Past listing, side not stated |
His own site separately says Luxford Investment Group holds a portfolio of over $200 million. That's his firm's self-reported figure, and we haven't seen a filing behind it.
His international buyer work as a Los Angeles real estate agent
His brokerage profile calls him Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Division at Christie's International Real Estate Southern California, and says he represents US, Asian and other international buyers and connects them with Los Angeles estates.
When the Asia Pacific Division role began
Inman reported on May 7, 2021 that the Aaron Kirman Group launched an Asia-Pacific Division and named Luxford Investment Group founder Michael Chen its executive director. Inman quoted him saying he joined to further the group's work in the Southeast Asian market. His profile labels the same article as a 2024 business-journal piece, but the link goes to Inman's May 2021 report, so we use that date.
If you're buying from abroad, two rules on this site matter more than any agent's network: the 15% FIRPTA withholding a buyer must take from a foreign seller, covered on the FIRPTA guide for foreign sellers, and Measure ULA on City of Los Angeles sales, covered on the Measure ULA and transfer tax page.
What we could not confirm about him
- Languages. Neither his own site nor his brokerage bio lists any language. If you need to work in another language, ask him directly.
- Awards. His profile cites a 2025 Los Angeles Magazine list. The magazine's link now shows the 2026 list, which doesn't name him, so we left it out.
- Portal reviews. Zillow, Realtor.com and Google blocked our requests. The testimonials on this page come from his own site, undated and unrated.
- Team figures. His site shows billion-dollar totals that belong to his team or brokerage. We don't use them for him.
How to choose a Beverly Hills luxury real estate agent
Use these checks on him and on anyone else you interview. Each one takes minutes, and none depends on an agent's own marketing.
Check the license on the DRE public lookup
Search the agent's name on the California DRE public license lookup. You'll see the issue date, the expiry, the responsible broker and any disciplinary action. For Chen it shows a license issued in September 2003, expiring in March 2030, with no disciplinary action. Check that the broker on the record matches the brokerage on the agent's card.
Ask for recent sales in your price band
The Elliman Report put the Beverly Hills single-family median at $6,022,500 across 48 sales in the fourth quarter of 2025. Greater Los Angeles's top 10% started at $9,490,000. An agent whose sales sit mostly near the median is working a different market from one who sells at $20 million. Ask for the last five sales in your band, with dates and which side they represented.
Test what they know about building rules
Ask how much house the lot allows. In Trousdale, floor area may not exceed 1,500 square feet plus 40% of the site area, and roofs stop at 14 feet. In the Hillside Area, anything over 15,000 square feet needs a Hillside R-1 permit. A good answer names the article of the code and the permit path. A vague answer means you'll pay an architect to find out later.
Ask which side of the city line the house is on
A 90210 address can sit in the City of Beverly Hills or the City of Los Angeles. On a $12 million sale inside Los Angeles, the city's transfer tax and Measure ULA come to 5.95%, or $714,000, at the rates in force after June 30, 2026. Inside Beverly Hills, ULA doesn't apply. An agent should raise this before you ask. The Beverly Hills vs Bel Air comparison sets out what else changes.
Read the buyer agreement before you tour
Since August 17, 2024, buyers working with a REALTOR sign a written agreement, and NAR says the compensation in it is negotiable and must be a definite amount. Ask to see it at the first meeting, and read the term and the fee before you visit a single house.
Questions to ask this real estate agent in Beverly Hills before you hire him
Bring these to a first call. They're built from the gaps in his public record, so his answers will tell you more than the sold list does.
- Which side did you represent on the Bird Streets and Upside Down House sales?
- On a Luxford project, who represents the buyer, and how do you handle the fact that your firm is the seller?
- What has your firm learned from building under the Trousdale 14-foot limit or the Hillside grading cap?
- Which phone and email should I use? His own site and his brokerage profile list different numbers.
- Do you work in any language other than English?
The second question matters most if you're buying. When an agent's firm developed the house, ask in writing how the agency is disclosed and whether you should bring your own agent for that purchase.
How we picked the real estate agent this guide features
We feature one agent so the guide can point readers somewhere specific without ranking a market of hundreds. We chose on the record we could verify: an active license with no discipline, a development record at the price levels this guide covers, and published press that names him. The method, and what we do when a fact can't be checked, is on how we research this guide.
Every figure on this page is attributed to his own site, his brokerage profile, the DRE or a named outlet. If he confirms a fact we couldn't, such as a language, we'll add it with its source and the date we checked.
Beverly Hills real estate agent FAQs
Who is Michael J. Chen?
Michael J. Chen is a California-licensed real estate agent based in Beverly Hills. His own site says he founded Luxford Group, which develops custom homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air, and his brokerage profile names him Executive Director of its Asia Pacific Division. This guide features him on this page because of that development record.
How long has Michael J. Chen been a real estate agent?
The California DRE public lookup shows his salesperson license was issued on September 23, 2003, which makes about 23 years as of November 2026. The same record shows the license as active through March 14, 2030, with no disciplinary action and no former names.
Has he sold homes in Trousdale Estates?
His brokerage profile says he developed and sold Elementi, a SAOTA-designed home in Trousdale Estates, for $42,000,000, listed as sold on July 22, 2022. His firm developed the house; the profile doesn't state which side he represented. It's the largest sale on his profile.
Does he work with international buyers?
His brokerage profile says he represents US, Asian and other international buyers, and Inman reported in May 2021 that he was named executive director of the Aaron Kirman Group's new Asia-Pacific Division. His own site and brokerage bio don't list languages, so ask him directly if you need one.
How do I check a Beverly Hills real estate agent's license?
Search the agent's name on the California Department of Real Estate public license lookup. It shows the license type, issue and expiry dates, the responsible broker and any disciplinary action. Check that the broker named on the record matches the brokerage on the agent's card and contract.
What does a buyer's agent cost in Beverly Hills?
There's no set fee. Since August 17, 2024, buyers working with a REALTOR sign a written agreement, and NAR says the compensation in it is negotiable and must be a definite amount such as a flat fee or a percentage. Read the amount and the term before you tour.
Sources
- California DRE: public license lookup, Michael J. Chen (01395954)
- Christie's International Real Estate Southern California: Michael Chen agent profile
- michaelchen.com: About
- michaelchen.com: Home (SAOTA and Noah Walker)
- Hoodline: Bel Air glass palace that hosted Louis Vuitton seeks $88 million buyer (July 13, 2026)
- Inman: Aaron Kirman Group launches Asia-Pacific division for luxury buyers (May 7, 2021)
- Douglas Elliman / Miller Samuel: Elliman Report Q4 2025 Greater Los Angeles
- Beverly Hills Municipal Code Title 10, Article 26 (Trousdale Estates)
- Beverly Hills Municipal Code Title 10, Article 25 (Hillside Area)
- City of Los Angeles Office of Finance: Real Property Transfer Tax and Measure ULA FAQ
- NAR: Consumer Guide to Written Buyer Agreements