About Us
At Ahead of the Curve Homes, we move to the heartbeat of our community. We’re longtime residents of the communities we serve, parents with exhaustive knowledge of the local schools, and ardent supporters of the region’s exceptional cultural significance and artistic allure. Our experience strongly positions us to share a wealth of knowledge, but it’s our enthusiasm—the heart and soul of our service—that we’re most thrilled to impart to you.
We specialize in Baldwin Hills, View Park, Culver City, Mar Vista, Santa Monica, and the greater Westside. However, our main focus is on you. You can rely on our 39+ years of combined experience to help you assess and prioritize your needs and achieve your goals. The result is that we build lasting and rewarding relationships. We’re professional but humble, efficient but relaxed, consistent but vibrant. For the trusted advisory and fundamental resources you seek, you need only look Ahead of the Curve.
— Meet Our Team —
Erica Lockhart
Partner
erica@aotchomes.com | 310.350.4528
DRE 01763313
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Erica Lockhart is a true California girl through and through. After earning her real estate license in 2006, Erica’s expert negotiation skills, detailed mindset, and strong work ethic — not to mention her positivity and approachability — quickly elevated her prominence within the competitive LA real estate market.
After graduating from the University of Southern California, Erica acquired vast marketing experience during her nine years working in the media and advertising industry. That strong marketing background provides a distinct advantage for her clients, and Erica prides herself on exceeding client expectations while delivering an effortless buying and selling process. In addition, her talents have earned her numerous awards for sales and service in and around the Los Angeles area. She was also featured as one of Angeleno Magazine’s Dynamic Women of 2017 and most recently recognized by Los Angeles Magazine as a 2021 Real Estate All-Star.
She serves on the board of Notre Dame Academy and Notre Dame Academy Elementary in various capacities. Erica loves to travel and also keeps busy as a varsity football team mom at Loyola High School. She is obsessed with growing spiritually, fashion, fitness, dance, and spending time with her friends & family. Erica firmly believes that life is meant to be lived and celebrated.
Lorin Ruttenberg
Partner
lorin@aotchomes.com | 310.780.0214
DRE 01309588
Lorin Ruttenberg is a dynamic force in the real estate industry, thriving on the constant movement and growth that defines Los Angeles. With over two decades of experience, Lorin has immersed herself in every facet of property transactions, working with hundreds of buyers and sellers throughout the Westside of Los Angeles. Having sold single-family homes, condos, raw land, tear-downs, pre-fabs and ground-up, custom-built construction, Lorin's deep well of experience allows her to anticipate potential issues and position her clients Ahead Of The Curve.
Known for her steady demeanor and generous sense of humor, Lorin is a trusted advisor who navigates her clients through industry ups and downs with grace. She takes her negotiating skills seriously, continually honing her expertise through course work and role-play groups. Her dedication to excellence has been recognized. She was featured as one of Angeleno Magazine's Dynamic Women in 2017 and in 2022, 2023, and 2024, Lorin and the team were ranked in the top 1.5% nationwide in REALTrends America's Best Real Estate Professionals and in LA Magazines All Star Real Estate List.
Originally from the New York area, Lorin has called Los Angeles home since 1988. While she has fully embraced the vibrant West Coast lifestyle, her East Coast vibe still shines through. Lorin resides in Baldwin Vista and is about to become an empty-nester with her daughter about to graduate college and her son about to graduate high school. Actively involved in her community, Lorin volunteers for environmental causes such as the Green Action Committee at her synagogue, Ikar LA, the National Council for Jewish Women, and the California League of Conservation Voters.
In her free time, Lorin enjoys hitting a Pilates class, playing pickleball, hiking the hills of Los Angeles, cooking, reading novels, attending concerts and theater productions, and exploring new destinations through travel. One of her favorite things to do over the weekend is to cook a big dinner for friends and family and spend time with loved ones in a relaxed and comfortable setting.
Brandon Walls
Realtor
brandon@aotchomes.com | 310.630.9657
DRE 01806256
Brandon developed his passion for real estate in college at Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he obtained his degree in Business Administration. Shortly after getting a booming start into the industry in a flourishing housing market, Brandon observed many of his friends and family being affected by the swift, harsh blows of the economic and housing crisis. Seeking to help, he diverted his interest and helped develop a nonprofit designed to support, empower and educate distressed homeowners.
He embodies the Ahead of the Curve Homes core values: integrity, hard work, dedication, and persistence. These values are the driving forces that continue to facilitate “win-win” deals for all parties and has made him a valuable asset to the team. His well-rounded personality has enabled him to establish fruitful business relationships with private investors, home builders, bankers, accountants, and community leaders. His commitment to exceptional personal service has served him well in his 16 year Real Estate career.
Brandon is a husband & doting father of two beautiful daughters. He is a classic car enthusiast and foodie. He has also inspired many friends and colleagues through his highly ambitious personal goal of traveling to 40 countries before the age of 40. He looks forward to applying his interests and expertise to help clients achieve their real estate goals.
Chanel Westbrooks
Realtor
chanel@aotchomes.com | 310.654.8480
Lic # 02148409
Chanel was born in Los Angeles and raised in Inglewood, California. Her real estate journey began over 16 years ago when she entered into the property management industry as a leasing consultant. Quickly climbing the ladder, it would take less than two years for her to be promoted to Property Manager, managing luxury apartment communities throughout West Los Angeles. Here, is where she developed a strong passion to serve and assist others. Known by her resident clients as a property manager they can trust, Chanel prides herself on taking care of her clients by fighting to make sure all of their needs are met. “I strive for excellence in everything I do!”
Chanel fell in love with the west side when she moved into the West Los Angeles area 13 years ago. Married with kids and two pups, she enjoys watching her three sons play youth and high school football, lacrosse and track and field. She is grateful to be a part of the Santa Monica’s youth athletic programs where her boy’s athletic careers began. Still to this day, she and her family are heavily involved in Santa Monica’s youth sports programs.
Chanel’s faith, honesty, integrity, patience, and passion allows her to smoothly guide her clients to finding their “happy place.” Her sincerity and enthusiasm are contagious, creating an amazing experience for clients and everyone involved. Leaving nothing behind, she’s bringing her marketing and negotiating skills from Property Management into Real Estate residential sales.
Robin Diez
Realtor
robin@aotchomes.com | 310.503.6962
DRE 01966968
Robin Diez, is a native Angelino who grew up residing in Santa Monica, California. With her children attending some of the same schools she had, her scope and understanding for the area, schools and housing opportunities is unparalleled.
After running a small business for 8 years she began her real estate career as project manager for a commercial real estate firm that bought, sold and stabilized a portfolio of over 2,000 apartment/multi-family acquisitions across the U.S. Yet, she always felt her local area knowledge, interpersonal skills and entrepreneurial nature would be better suited for residential real estate. She yearned to have more face to face time with her clients , to help people find their perfect place in the world, a place where families would be created and memories would be made.
Soon she transitioned into a Beverly Hills Residential Brokerage, being mentored by a Top Producer and partnering in over 110 home sales in just 2 short years. 7 years later, this in-depth experience with so many unique transactions and clients has given her tremendous practical knowledge about how to run a deal and close an escrow smoothly.
Each and every transaction is not just a deal to Robin but the creation of an experience and a relationship. At the end of the day, buying and selling a home is an emotional process. Robin’s patience, consistency, and tireless enthusiasm guide her clients through the process so that it’s enjoyable and fruitful. These principles guide Robin through every deal no matter how big or small, giving each client individualized attention so that they are empowered to accomplish their mission.
Skye Ingle
Director of Operations
skye@aotchomes.com | 949.748.9382
Originally from Philadelphia, Skye relocated to California in 2016, and has since accelerated her career in the Real Estate industry, in both Orange County and West Los Angeles, through innovative strategies and continuous display of initiative.
What sets Skye apart is her unwavering passion for coordinating and optimizing activities that achieve maximum efficiency and provide a stellar customer experience. She thrives on the challenge of navigating the complexities of the real estate industry, always going above and beyond to ensure her clients' needs are met. Skye's love for the area goes hand in hand with her love for real estate. She appreciates the endless opportunities and experiences that the region has to offer, from hiking breathtaking natural landscapes to its bustling urban centers.
With her exceptional skills, local expertise, and commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience, Skye Ingle is ready to serve the real estate needs of the community. Whether you're buying or selling a home, you can trust Skye to go above and beyond to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.