Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley Real Estate Experts
CAL Estates Group was founded on the belief that buying or selling a home should feel informed, supported, and strategic, never overwhelming. Led by partners Carol Ann Walls-Sandell and Laurie Biernacki, the team provides thoughtful, hands-on real estate representation rooted in experience, preparation, and genuine client care.
With more than 35 years of combined real estate experience, Carol Ann and Laurie remain actively involved with every client from start to finish. Unlike high-volume teams that delegate key responsibilities, CAL Estates Group prioritizes clear communication, personal accountability, and consistent guidance at every stage of the process.
Hands-On Real Estate Representation Led by Experienced Partners
Clients work directly with the team’s founders, not layers of assistants. This hands-on approach ensures thoughtful strategy, consistent oversight, and a seamless experience from the first conversation through closing and beyond.
Every detail matters, and every client benefits from informed decision-making, proactive problem-solving, and steady leadership throughout the transaction.
Local Market Knowledge with Regional Perspective
Based in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley, CAL Estates Group also works extensively with buyers and sellers in surrounding communities including Glendora, La Verne, Claremont, San Dimas, and Upland.
This broader regional experience allows the team to guide clients with a nuanced understanding of neighborhood trends, buyer behavior, and market dynamics across Southern California, helping clients make confident, well-timed decisions.
Global Reach Through Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California
As part of Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California and the global Leading Real Estate Companies of the World network, CAL Estates Group offers elevated marketing, refined presentation, and access to qualified buyers locally, nationally, and internationally.
This reach ensures every listing receives exceptional exposure and every client benefits from world-class resources, regardless of price point.
A Relationship-Driven Real Estate Team
The majority of CAL Estates Group’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals, reflecting the trust built through consistent service, clear communication, and thoughtful advocacy.
The team is known for taking the time to listen, explain options clearly, and guide clients with care and professionalism. Many client relationships extend well beyond the closing table, often growing into long-standing friendships, a defining part of how the team works and a point of pride.
Who CAL Estates Group Serves
CAL Estates Group represents a wide range of clients, including:
Every client receives the same level of attention, strategy, and respect, never feeling like just another transaction.
With more than 20 years of proven success in residential real estate, Carol Ann Walls-Sandell is a Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley real estate broker known for her integrity, market expertise, and client-focused approach. Holding active licenses in both California and Illinois, she brings a unique dual-state perspective and a results-driven mindset to every transaction, serving clients locally, across state lines, and through trusted referral networks.
Carol Ann began her real estate career in Chicago, where she built a strong foundation in negotiation, marketing, and client advocacy. In 2015, she expanded her business to Southern California, where she is now based and continues to serve buyers and sellers throughout Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley while supporting relocations and referrals across California, Illinois, and beyond. In 2023, she earned her California Broker's License, reinforcing her role as a trusted real estate broker and advisor.
Carol Ann is a Broker Associate with Christie's International Real Estate Southern California and Co-Founder of CAL Estates Group. Alongside her business partner, she brings more than 35 years of combined experience and a hands-on leadership style to every client relationship. Together, they believe that luxury is not defined by price point, but by experience, offering personalized, concierge-level service tailored to each client's goals, regardless of location or price range.
Whether guiding first-time buyers, marketing luxury listings, assisting with relocation, or coordinating multi-market transactions, Carol Ann is known for her strategic marketing, deep local knowledge, and ability to make complex real estate decisions feel clear and manageable. Her work blends data-driven insight with genuine connection, earning repeat clients and referrals throughout California, Illinois, and through national and international real estate networks.
Before real estate, Carol Ann built a successful career in the hospitality and technology sectors, developing expertise in customer service, operations, marketing, and sales leadership. Her background includes restaurant ownership, leadership with a 200+ location franchise, and sales management for a technology solutions firm serving the restaurant industry nationwide. This diverse experience continues to shape her calm problem-solving approach, attention to detail, and client-first mindset.
Outside of real estate, Carol Ann loves time with her family. She and her husband enjoy live music, and she proudly shares her daughter's enthusiasm for birdwatching and nature. A lifelong DIY enthusiast, she enjoys woodworking and building furniture, bringing the same attention to detail and creativity to her projects that she brings to her real estate work.
In every aspect of her life and business, Carol Ann embodies excellence, integrity, and authenticity, helping clients turn their real estate goals into reality across Pasadena, Claremont, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, and San Gabriel.
Luxury real estate means going above and beyond the client’s expectations. Whatever luxury means to you, we are here to help you seek it. Experience luxury with us.
4907 Calle El Toro
4907 Calle El Toro, La Verne, CA 91750
2461 Oneida Street B
2461 Oneida Street B, Pasadena, CA 91107
