They Put Getting Better Before Getting Bigger. One brings a colorful, very “LA” energy; the other, a more relaxed, seasoned approach based on three decades in the business. Their complementary skills and personalities have helped Kurt Rappaport and Stephen Shapiro build Westside Estate Agency into the most successful brokerage in Southern California.

A highly regarded and widely recognized expert in high-end real estate sales, Kurt Rappaport began working in real estate while attending the University of Southern California. He moved on to work at Merrill Lynch Realty and Fred Sands Estates before joining the boutique firm of Stan Herman, Stephen Shapiro and Associates in 1995. There, Rappaport’s great talent and dedication helped him become one of the best agents in the business. In 1999, he partnered with Stephen Shapiro to found WEA.

In 2004, Kurt closed the largest private home transaction in Los Angeles history. He has personally handled more sales above $10,000,000 than any other realtor in history. In 2008, he and Shapiro obtained the listing for the most expensive private residence in the United States. Kurt has been repeatedly acclaimed as California’s top-grossing residential realtor. He has been featured in ABC World News Tonight, Nightline, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, CNBC, Variety, among others.

Stephen Shapiro has worked in the Los Angeles real estate market for over 35 years. Originally from Philadelphia, Shapiro relocated to Los Angeles in 1969. Shortly after, he started his first real estate company, offering potential renters photo and video tours of apartments, rather than the typical newspaper advertisements. The trend caught on, and Shapiro’s success helped him transition from the leasing market into the luxury sales sector. There he began working with Stan Herman and later created Stan Herman, Stephen Shapiro and Associates. In 1999 he left the firm to partner with Rappaport and create WEA, which has now grown to be the number one luxury real estate agency in Los Angeles. Shapiro’s dedication to his clients and his strong work ethic have made him one of the top realtors in the country. He has worked with many of Los Angeles’ elite, and has completed sales of approximately $200 million in 2007. Shapiro has been featured in numerous media outlets including 48 Hours, 20/20, The Today Show, CNN, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, CNN, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and many others.