EXECUTIVE
Jim Zappulla
Lavish coastal estates, A-list celebrities, exotic sports cars, hot tubs with ocean views — no, it’s not a hip-hop video. It’s a day in the life of Jim Zappulla, also known as the “JZ of Real Estate.”
With more than four decades of experience spanning residential, income, bank-owned REOs, short sales, 1031 exchanges, executive relocations, equestrian and view properties throughout the Palos Verdes Peninsula and L.A.’s South Bay, there is virtually no one with more
street cred in the real estate world than Jim. Among the top 100 California Realtors® at RE/MAX for 30 consecutive years, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at RE/MAX International and a top producer at Keller Williams Realty for more than 20 years, he is a true real estate celebrity. The numerous awards Jim has earned during his career are a tribute to his market knowledge, professionalism and ability to deliver unforgettable service to clients from the rich and famous to families buying their first homes.
At only 18 years of age, Jim followed his mother into the real estate business and loved it so much that he never thought of doing anything else. He has remained a fixture in the South Bay community, and his influence has helped to shape the local landscape and preserve local traditions. He consulted on the construction of new homes in Rolling Hills Country Club and was a bold voice in maintaining horse trails throughout Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes. He has lived, in Rolling Hills Estates for 25 years and has worked and raised a family there, and he knows exactly what makes each South Bay street and neighborhood special.
Through all of his success, Jim remains a down-to-earth
guy who is quick to give credit to others. “No one professional in real estate makes it on their own,” he says. “It’s the team and people behind them that make them successful. Choosing the right people for escrow and title is very, very important, and so is your transaction coordinator. I don’t look at anybody’s success as just on them alone. I admire successful agents because they put a team together that works cooperatively to get good results.”
Jim maintains a collaborative partnership with Realtor® Rocio Ortegon, and his son Taylor Zappulla obtained his real estate license and joined Jim’s practice in 2021. “It means that if I go on vacation, I always have somebody backing up my business,” Jim says.
The result of delivering world-class service for 40-plus years is that Jim’s business runs entirely on referrals and repeat clients. A satisfied buyer described their experience this way: “Jim is a full-service Realtor® and routinely went above and beyond. His work ethic is second to none. He worked tirelessly around the clock the entire process, and continuously communicated to keep us informed and prepared. Through his 40 years of experience, he has built a team and a network that he leveraged to give us the very best service and/or resource every step. Whether it was choosing a lender, a
contractor for electrical work or buying new appliances, he used his resources to save us money and give us the highest quality service and/or product. His expertise, knowledge, and negotiating skills made it easy to trust Jim and gave us confidence that we would be able to make informed decisions and get the best deal possible. He treated us like family and genuinely got to know us and our son. He approached the entire process from our perspective and ensured our best interests and priorities were met. He far exceeded our expectations and was exemplary in every way.”
