The Top Real Estate Company in Santa Fe, New Mexico
In 2025, the Santa Fe Reporter recognized Red or Green Properties as the #1 Best of Santa Fe Realtor, an honor earned by popular vote across the community. This marks a remarkable rise for the family-owned brokerage, which placed third in both 2023 and 2024 before reaching number one this year.
Competing against some of the biggest names in the industry with hundreds of agents, Red or Green Properties stood out as the best real estate agency in Santa Fe, showcasing a small team with an outsized impact.
Find out what this recognition means to co-founders Chantell and Jerome Leyba, how their family-driven approach keeps them at the top, and why Santa Fe continues to inspire their work.
What It Means to Be Santa Fe’s Favorite Real Estate Agency
Community recognition is powerful, but what truly sets this family team apart is generational knowledge and place-based expertise that cannot be taught or scaled. 
Being voted Santa Fe’s favorite real estate agency in 2025 was a milestone for Red or Green Properties, reflecting the trust and support of their clients and community.
After placing third in 2023 and 2024, the small family-run team of Chantell, Jerome, and daughter Aaliyah credits their success to deep community involvement, strong local connections, and complementary expertise.
Chantell brings a legal background, and Jerome pairs an MBA with marketing experience, both honed during a decade away from Santa Fe raising their daughter. Aaliyah brings a next-gen perspective to client communication and social platforms, helping the team engage new audiences and stay current.
“Jerome’s background is sales and marketing, and mine is legal,” Chantell explains. “So, between the two, we found that it worked really well in the real estate market. He does all of the marketing; he’s definitely the face of the company. And then, I’m background; I’m checking everything, making sure that everything lines up, so that our title docs and contracts look good.”
Chantell continues, “If someone calls in, they’re first going to speak with Jerome, and he’ll go through a vetting process with them to find out what they’re looking for. When they start to look at homes, we’ll go out together, and we’ll preview homes with them. When it comes time to actually make the offer, I’ll handle that part.
“We’re both heavily involved in all the key aspects of the contract, such as inspections or negotiations. We split the work 50/50 with clear lanes we follow,” she concludes.
How the Best Real Estate Agency in Santa Fe Delivers Results
Rooted in generational local knowledge, Red or Green Properties delivers a personal, responsive, and results-driven client experience. They prioritize relationships over transactions, building long-term connections with clients so that every sale, whether a condo, land, or luxury home, feels like forming a lasting friendship rather than just closing a deal.
Red or Green Properties emphasizes always-on responsiveness, ensuring clients can trust they’ll get support whenever needed.
Jerome notes that the team’s community-driven approach played a key role in winning the Santa Fe Reporter’s #1 Real Estate Agency award, with clients, neighbors, and friends actively voting and expressing their excitement, reflecting the strong relationships the team has built over the years.
Their boutique, education-first approach is why many locals call Red or Green Properties the best real estate agency in Santa Fe. Read a few of their client testimonials.
Why Local Knowledge Makes Red or Green Properties the Top Real Estate Company in Santa Fe
“We’re local. We’re from here,” Jerome says. The team’s local expertise based on generational roots and neighborhood fluency shows up in every price point, permit question, and market shift.
Their most rewarding accomplishment is helping Santa Feans step out of the rental rat race and into ownership, which creates stability and offers real advantages over renting.
Santa Fe stands out for its history, four seasons, eclectic arts, and renowned food scene. Buyers are drawn to its signature adobe homes, kiva fireplaces, vigas, and nichos, architectural and cultural details that make the City Different truly one-of-a-kind.
Clients seeking a Santa Fe Realtor benefit from genuine local expertise, including knowledge of land, permits, and neighborhood nuances, especially with older homes that may have wells without permits or septic systems.
What Sets the Best Realtors in Santa Fe Apart
Red or Green Properties earned the #1 Best of Santa Fe Realtors 2025 title through a blend of honesty, transparency, and deep community knowledge. Their integrity, adaptability, and visible local involvement, including board roles with the Santa Fe Boys & Girls Club and Chamber of Commerce, set them apart.
Chantell emphasizes that a top Realtor combines expertise with empathy, understanding both the emotional and practical aspects of buying or selling, while also being familiar with the unique character, architecture, and history of Santa Fe homes that attract buyers.
Choosing the right agent is like a partnership. Clients need someone with emotional steadiness, clear communication, and the ability to adapt to different personalities, whether guiding first-time buyers or investors.
Red or Green Properties combines this personal approach with innovative strategies, including strong social media engagement and ongoing connection after the sale. Chantell highlights that building relationships extends beyond transactions: as both Realtors and community members, they maintain lasting bonds with clients.
Path to Becoming the Best Real Estate Company in Santa Fe
Beating larger firms required grit, community focus, and perseverance. Chantell emphasizes the importance of hard work, leveraging local connections, and staying involved, while maintaining a family- and community-centered approach, even during periods of growth.
With a team of three, Jerome notes the challenge of competing against bigger companies with more resources, making community support and personalized service essential to their success.
Guiding principles
- Perseverance and community involvement
- Add teammates who share family and neighborhood values
- Outwork bigger budgets with responsiveness and trust
How to Work with Santa Fe’s Favorite Real Estate Agency
Red or Green Properties offers comprehensive, full-service real estate support, from initial consultation through closing and beyond. They handle everything from new construction and land development to first-time buyers, out-of-state clients, rentals, and commercial properties.
For homes with legacy systems or unique paperwork requirements, the team provides hands-on guidance, walking clients through each step and monitoring submissions as needed.
Getting in touch is simple: clients can call, text, or email, and Jerome or Chantell will respond quickly, ensuring accessibility throughout the process.
Their license allows them to operate anywhere in New Mexico, including Santa Fe County, Albuquerque, Roswell, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, and Taos-area communities like Embudo Station.
Get Started with Red or Green Properties
- Call, text, or email for a consult
- Buyers: set your search criteria and tours can begin right away
- Sellers: develop a listing plan, take photos, list on MLS, then employ market-driven timing
Where they Work
- Santa Fe County and statewide coverage
- Active experience in Albuquerque, Roswell, Las Vegas (NM), Los Alamos, Taos-area communities
Services at a Glance
- Residential buying and selling
- New construction, land, investment, and commercial rentals
- Guidance on inspections, permits, wells, septic, and documents
Ready to Work with Santa Fe’s Favorite Real Estate Agency?
Community recognition grows from trust earned one client at a time. From #3 in 2023 and 2024 to #1 in 2025, Red or Green Properties demonstrates how personalized service, local generational knowledge, and a family-first approach can outperform larger brands. If you’re ready to buy or sell in Santa Fe, partner with the team that locals voted their favorite.
Chantell wraps it up with a quip: “We always hear, ‘Which one are you — red or green?’ Jerome’s green, I’m red, and together we’re Christmas. Let us help you find or sell your home in Santa Fe.”
Get Started Today
- Call/Text: 505-795-9028
- Website: santaferealestatenm.com
- Office: 227 E. Palace Ave., Suite F, Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Social: Facebook & Instagram @RedorGreenProperties
- Email/Message: Use the Contact form on their site for the best response
