The Best & Worst Real Estate Logos for 2021

As the real estate industry continues to evolve, building a brand that stands out is more important than ever. Great real estate logos are fast becoming one of the main ways real estate agents cut through the noise.

That’s why we put together this list of our favorite real estate logos for 2021. We also look at some of the worst logos, and go over some important tips, tricks, and mistakes to avoid to make sure you get the best return on investment (ROI) on your own logo.

Speaking of ROI, if you need a great logo quickly, check out Tailor Brands. Their easy-to-use logo maker will help you design a professional-looking logo in minutes, without the huge expense of hiring a designer. Close readers even get 30% off their order with promo code 30FSB.

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1. Hilton & Hyland

Founded in 1993 by developer Rick Hilton and broker Jeff Hyland, Beverly Hills’ most prestigious brokerage has always set the tone for luxury real estate in Los Angeles.

As you might imagine, scoring trophy property after trophy property in one of the most cutthroat markets on the planet wasn’t easy. It took a rare combination of skill, great branding, and determination to get to the top.

Oh, and the branding they went with is bull’s-eye perfection for its market. Simple, spare, elegant, and timeless, Hilton & Hyland’s logo oozes Beverly Hills glamour.

The monogram, in particular, wouldn’t look out of place on the hood of a priceless vintage car or emblazoned on a Cartier cigarette case.

It works great stacked with their wordmark:

It stands out even among well-heeled brands like Christie’s International Real Estate, which Hilton & Hyland became a founding affiliate of:

Hilton & Hyland’s logo was designed by Los Angeles-based senior graphic designer and globetrotter Ann Dang. If you’re looking for a supremely talented designer for your next project, check out her website here.

2. Century 21

OK, I know what you’re thinking.

We just waxed pretentious over Hilton & Hyland’s real estate logo, and now we’re talking about boring old Century 21?

You bet we are. Century 21’s new branding is all kinds of awesome. More to the point, good design doesn’t have to be fancy. It needs to project the right message to the right audience.

Here’s Mario Natarelli, Managing Partner at MBLM, on what a good logo needs to do: “Think of a great logo as a way to make both a strong first impression and leave an indelible mark.”

For Century 21, that audience is global, and increasingly represents every walk of life you can imagine. Sure, Century 21 agents sell the same eight-figure mansions that Hilton & Hyland does.

They also sell $90,000 starter homes in Iowa. Their new logo and branding tick the boxes for both markets. If you think that’s easy, try it.

It even looks amazing on tote bags:

3. Compass

It’s hard to talk about branding in the real estate industry without mentioning the plucky new upstart brokerage that focused on branding more than any other in recent memory.

Loaded up with millions in venture capital (VC) funding, Compass took branding seriously early on. Instead of hiring a flashy branding agency like Pentagram, Compass developed their brand in-house. The results speak for themselves.

If you have a few minutes to spare and want to nerd out on real estate branding, Compass’ Chief Marketing Solutions Officer Mark Spangler has an excellent write up of their 120 design journey over on Medium.

4. Williams & Williams Estate Group

OK, here we are again back in Beverly Hills. I know, but luxury brokerages take branding seriously and probably spend close to your gross commission income (GCI) on branding and videos alone. Their logo is no different.

Using John Lautner’s iconic Goldstein residence is an inspired way to connect a relatively new brand to Los Angeles’ history of luxury and elegance. The gold might not pop very well on this page, but on a twilight shot of one the duo’s eight-figure megamansions (book-matched marble walls, infinity pools, and Lambos included), it works like a charm.

5. Aaron Kirman Partners

Another LA superstar, Aaron Kirman is president of the International Estates Division of Pacific Union International and is ranked consistently in the top 15 agents in the country on the Real Trends 500.

His team’s real estate logo matches that track record of crushing it year after year.

A bit bolder and more masculine than Hilton & Hyland, and far more daring than Century 21, Aaron Kirman Partners logo remains just as timeless and elegant as both.

6. Your Own Custom Logo Designed With AI

While we may not have flying cars just yet, we are indeed living in the future. Case in point: Instead of hiring an expensive graphic designer or slaving away on Photoshop, you can now use artificial intelligence (AI) to design a killer logo for your business.

For just $3.95 per month, Tailor Brands uses sophisticated AI to generate hundreds of logos based on your preferences and tastes. All you need to do is pick the one you want. Need proof? The logo above was designed for us using Tailor Brands AI in less than 5 minutes.

7. Red Oak Realty

Fresh off a 2018 rebrand, East Bay California’s Red Oak Realty has grown into a dominant force in Bay Area real estate. As you might imagine, its branding, and especially its eye-catching fire engine red logo, are top-shelf.

Working with 1000watt, they came up with a modern and tasteful identity system that works just as well on a Facebook page as it does on tote bags:

Or on a park bench, for that matter:

8. Luxury Portfolio International

Luxury Portfolio International, a global network of independent luxury real estate brokerages under the umbrella of Leading Real Estate Companies of the world, is one of the most recognized names in luxury real estate.

It’s also an increasingly dominant online destination for viewing luxury real estate around the world. With more than 50,000 listings and 3 million high net worth visitors last year, they are also poised to become the world’s destination for luxury real estate.

To update an elegant but dated brand, Luxury Portfolio worked with 1000watt to transform from a network to a brand. Along with a new slogan, they settled on a timeless sans serif font and a monogram that wouldn’t look out of place on the hood ornament of a luxury car.

Like all great logos, Luxury Portfolio’s new logo looks great in print, on different color backgrounds, in different sizes and, of course, on their website and social media. The monogram brand mark can also stand on its own, so it can theoretically be used where the regular logo won’t fit. To see what I mean, check out its Twitter page.

9. Warburg Realty

My vote for best branding in New York City, 125-year-old luxury brokerage Warburg Realty knocked it out of the park with their striking red logo. Stellar typography, a simple yet powerful brand mark, and the icing on the cake, “ESTD 1896,” which reinforces their deep roots in New York City real estate.

Check out how great the brand mark works on its own, and even next to historically well-designed logos like Forbes and even a reworking on Milton Glaser’s famous “I heart New York” branding.

As you might imagine, the agents and teams that hang their licenses with Warburg also take branding very seriously. Here are a few standout examples:

We actually did a profile of Allison Chiarmonte, Warburg’s number one producer for 2019. You can read it here.

10. Ellen Mazzoni, Compass

San Francisco’s Ellen Mazzoni offers up more proof that strong typography and a great brand mark can make a simple logo stand out from the crowd. Of course, the real test of a logo is how good it looks next to a great logo. As you can see above, Ellen’s holds its own even next to the Compass logo.

11. Halstead Realty

Another example of industry-leading branding by Pentagram, Halstead’s recent rebranding included a logo refresh that took them into the 21st century. The logo itself is simple, direct, and still manages to convey luxury and exclusivity. The brand mark is where their new logo really shines though.

12. The Corcoran Group

When it comes to elegance and prestige, Manhattan’s Corcoran Group is hard to beat. Founded in the 1980s by real estate royalty Barbara Corcoran, its logo proves the only hard-and-fast rule in graphic design.

Simple > Complicated.

The right font in the right size, in the right case, will win over pretty much anything else. Text-only logos like the Corcoran Group’s look like they’ve just always existed.

Of course, a great Manhattan luxury real estate brand should use that font. Well, no. Not of course. Branding agency And Partners worked hard to make this logo look so easy. This is a great lesson for any new agents out there.

Think the top producer down the hall was born pitching expired listings? Think again. She probably worked at it every day for years.

Hard work beats talent every day of the week in this industry.

13. The Habibi Group

Although strikingly similar to Hilton & Hyland, San Francisco’s The Habibi Group’s logo manages to stand on its own.

Unlike Hilton & Hyland, Habibi’s real estate logo feels modern rather than timeless. More like an elegant software company than an old money sports club.

That’s not why I love this logo, however. The real reason it’s on this list is that brand mark. Notice how you start to see a three dimensional “H” when you look at it for more than a few seconds?

Very cool and very hard to achieve. They obviously hired a typography geek for this one.

14. Smith & Berg Partners

Here’s another example of a killer minimal logo from Los Angeles Luxury team Smith & Berg Partners. It looks great as is, and stacked for Twitter and other places where a long skinny logo won’t work.

Versatility is key to a great logo. You can have the coolest logo in the world, but if it doesn’t look right stacked or on different backgrounds, it’s useless if you plan on growing. You do plan on growing your brokerage, right? If you’re just getting started or want to transition from team to brokerage, check out our in-depth guide on starting your own brokerage here.

15. Gregg Lynn

San Francisco broker Gregg Lynn’s designer also ticked all of our boxes for a great real estate logo with this beauty: spare, elegant, and with a simple, titled monogram that once again brings to mind a glittering art deco diamond.

As if you needed more proof that art deco design elements are inextricably linked to modern luxury real estate.

Like all good logos, Lynn’s looks great either “stacked” with the monogram above the name as above or horizontal as it is on his website. Remember, if it’s not versatile, it’s not going to help your brand very much.

16. Cain Group

We were equally impressed with the spare and elegant logo for Pacific Sotheby’s Los Angeles Cain Group. There’s just something that screams high-tech cool with fonts that have one small quirk to set them apart. In this case, it’s the missing bit of the cross line of the “A” that takes a word written in a nice font and turns it into a logo.

It also works just as well reversed with white text for dark backgrounds. Check it out:

Which do you like better?

17. Tracy Do (Compass)

When it comes to great logos and branding in general, simple always beats complicated. The idea is to convey your idea quickly and easily, and anything that can get in the way of what can be and should be eliminated.

That’s why we think Compass’ Tracy Do’s logo works perfectly for her business in LA. It’s simple, bold, and looks great next to the Compass logo, which is something to consider as they will often be seen together.

Yes, this is just a fancy font, but it’s the right fancy font. Massive corporations like Apple pay hundreds of thousands of dollars and spend a lifetime in meetings just discussing fonts. This one works.

18. The ONE Street Company

We’re digging the art deco vibes that The ONE Street Company went with for their logo. It manages to convey the timeless cool that so many deco designs do, while also bringing to mind the roof line of a modern home with the stylized “N,” at least to our eyes anyway.

Note also how a vertical line separates these two words in the same way that Tracy Do’s logo does and how well it works. It’s a simple trick, but like most design tricks, it just works.

19. Sacha Radford Properties

OK, let’s switch gears a bit and check out a different take on an elegant logo. This example from Sacha Radford works on a few levels.

First, bold sans serif fonts almost always look great for logos and headings.

Second, her brand mark might be a bit busy for some tastes, but it fits her brand perfectly.

Check out how it looks on Sacha’s website to see what I mean.

20. Nourmand & Associates

More like an elegant flag than a logo, Nourmand & Associates proves that great real estate logos can come from any era.

Say what you will, but the 1970s brought us design icons like the Ferrari 308 and the Sydney Opera House.

Today, Nourmand’s logo reminds us that good design is timeless. It also reminds clients that Nourmand had been thriving in California real estate for more than 40 years.

21. Partners Trust

What I love most about the Partners Trust logo is that it blends classical influences with an elegant serif font and up-to-the-minute cool with a daring slash through the logo.

It reminds me of Pentagram’s work for Saks Fifth Avenue:

Sadly, we won’t see much of this logo anymore. In 2017 Partners Trust was purchased by Pacific Union, who themselves were purchased by—you guessed it—Compass.

22. North 8

Speaking on Pentagram, their work for Toll Brother’s luxury condo development at 49 North 8th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is another example of a killer real estate logo.

The bold blue and repeating text is an ideal fit for a new condo development in a former artists’ loft building enclave in New York City.

23. Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate

Although they’re a trade association and not technically a brokerage, every luxury agency worth their salt is a member.

That’s why their brand, including this gorgeous logo and brand mark, is top-shelf.

A lion’s mane door knocker and a unique font immediately conjure up stately mansions and other homes that are priced like fine art instead of real estate.

24. Nicholas Property Group

Nicholas Property Group’s branding is a terrific example of how something as seemingly minor as tracking―the horizontal space between letters―can have a huge impact on what a logo connotes to the public.

In this case, the super-wide tracking and skinny Roman font evoke something written in stone.

Like most great logos, less is more. They’re connoting trust, elegance, and longevity using only a great font and negative space. Impressive.

25. Keller Williams Global Property Specialists

Here’s a much more modern take on real estate branding from Keller Williams. Their Global Property Group logo is bold, modern, and luxurious.

I love the subtle change in the font weight between “KW” and “GPS.” It’s a nice way to not only separate the two acronyms but bring in another word that helps their brand: GPS.

This is what happens when a great designer is in tune with their client. In the design world, serendipity is rarely accidental. It comes from hard work, skill, and open lines of communication.

26. Engel & Volkers

For most real estate logos, “house” brand marks are the kiss of death. They look tired, dated, and just plain lazy:

We get it. You’re a company that sells houses.

That said, when done right, they can work very well. Case in point: Engel & Volkers. They used a bold sans serif with a pop of red on the ampersand, and above, a stately European mansion as a brand mark.

The only drawback here is that this brand mark is not strong enough to work on its own, which is the entire point of a brand mark―think Apple’s iconic bitten apple or the Nike swoosh. That said, they managed to pull it off.

27. Saunders

Hampton’s brokerage Saunders wisely went with something even more subtle. A simple, well-tracked, thin sans serif font in a lovely shade of blue.

Since the Hamptons is a famous beach area for celebrities and power brokers from every industry, a calming blue was a great choice here.

Even without it, the logo is good enough to stand on its own two legs in black and white.

28. The Puck Penthouses

Another incredible brand from Pentagram, we love this script logo for the condos in Manhattan’s iconic Puck Building.

Beautiful on its own merits, it makes even more sense when you look at the historic graphic art that was featured on the turn-of-the-century magazine that gave the building its name:

In New York City or any historic area, historical significance can be an enticing selling point for buyers.

29. Julian Pilarski

Another logo that manages to combine historic elegance and a modern sensibility, Julian Pilarski’s logo and brand mark tick all the boxes.

Elegant, simple, and a brand mark/monogram that can stand on its own.

What’s not to love?

7 Important Logo Design Tips for Agents, Teams & Brokerages

OK, now that you’ve feasted your eyes on some on-brand real estate logos that look and feel perfect, you’re probably scratching your head.

After all, these logos are all from billion dollar+ GCI luxury brokerages in Beverly Hills. How can you, with your shoestring budget, end up with something even close?

To help you get started on your own logo, here are seven tips for making something great.

1. Use a Logo Maker to Learn What You Like

If you have the design talent to create your own logo or the budget to hire a designer, go for it. If not, your best bet is to use a logo maker that gives you dozens of options to find the logo that fits your brand perfectly.

Tailor Brands’ logo maker is a great place to start. They ask you a series of questions about your real estate business and style preferences, then offer you dozens of designs to choose from. Export your logo and order branded business cards, merch, and presentations from the same place.

Better yet, use the promo code FSB30 to get 30% off your order.

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2. Spend Hours Choosing Your Fonts

While many people think that a font is a font is a font, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

Typography, the study and practice of type design, is an artistic discipline unto itself. Some of the most talented graphic artists in the world work on nothing but type.

While your graphic designer will probably be an expert in fonts, many will still take hours just switching between different fonts to see what works. Before they do, you can take the time to see what fonts you like online first. A site like Font Shop will let you see what your logo looks like in hundreds of high-end fonts.

Take the time to go through them and send your favorites to your designer.

3. Simple > Complicated

Good design sends your customers a message. Great design sends your customers a message that they get immediately.

In most cases, that means a simple idea is generally better than a complicated idea. It will not only help you get your message across easier, but it will also help your logo look good in all sizes.

4. Make Sure Your Logo Works in All Sizes

Just because your logo looks great in Adobe Illustrator doesn’t mean it will look great for everyone. What does it look like on phones? What does it look like printed on a contract? On a business card? How about next to other logos?

You can test this pretty easily. Have your designer mock up your logo in different sizes and different contexts. The most important one might be on a page with 10 other real estate logos for brokerages with work in your area.

5. Before Choosing a Logo, See What It Looks Like Compared to Your Competition

Before you settle on a logo, you should know what it looks like next to your competition. That means you need to gather up the logos of your competition and put your logo options alongside them.

If you were a buyer or seller, what would you think about your company based ONLY on your logo? Does it look as good, better, or worse than the competition?

6. Talent Borrows, Genius Steals

This phrase is a cliche for a reason. Taking liberal inspiration from great logos in the industry is a smart business move. Yes, something unique and special might stand out from the crowd, but will it stand out in a good way?

7. Make Sure Your Logo Looks Like a Real Estate Logo

Your prospective clients should be able to glance at your logo and, within a guess or two, figure out that you’re a real estate agent. Some logos look like lawyer logos, and some look like heavy metal logos, sports logos, fashion logos, and more. What does yours look like?

Mistakes to Avoid: 4 Terrible Real Estate Logos

Now that we’ve gone through some of our favorite real estate logos, let’s look at some less-than-stellar examples to see what to avoid.

It’s important to note that these logos may come from excellent brokerages, and they may have good reason to stick with their branding.

Odd-looking font, crowded text, and a less-than-flattering yellow background on an uninspired rectangle. To avoid this, remember to take the time to choose a great font, work with a pro, and think about color and layout.

Relying on 3D effects for your logo is never a good idea. It’s nearly impossible to recreate on fabric and won’t look right in small sizes.

We already mentioned avoiding generic “house” icons for your brand mark, but it can’t be stressed enough. You should also know that you won’t be able to copyright your logo if you use brand marks from Canva or other stock image sites.

Some fonts will always remind people of the past. For example, the “R” in the NAR log still looks like it was designed in the 1960s. Even with the updated branding, the R still keeps this logo stuck in the bell-bottom era.

Over to You

What did you think of our choices for the best real estate logos? How about our tips for creating a great logo? Let us know in the comments.

The Best & Worst Real Estate Logos of 2022 [+ Pro Design Tips]