As many of the agents whose names appear in the following lists can tell you, a key to success in real estate is understanding numbers within the context of other numbers.

In determining the value of a house on Maple Street, for instance, an agent is likely to take into account previous transactions on Maple Street. By considering the value of the house within the context of other houses, an agent can better understand exactly what he or she is dealing with.

The same can be said of this Top 200 list. To understand exactly whom we're dealing with -- to understand just how elite the agents listed here are -- it is important to consider context.

According to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) there are over 1.35 million real estate agents registered in the United States. While all of them, surely, are not full-time, practicing agents, the figure is nonetheless important to consider.

Listed here, in four groups of 50, are residential real estate's elite -- agents who are easily in the top one percent of the top one percent of real estate professionals in America.

The Wall Street Journal, in conjunction with REAL Trends, is pleased to honor these dedicated men and women.

Click Here To View The:
Top 50 Teams by Volume, Top 50 Agents by Sides, Top 50 Teams by Sides

Methodology:

Finding the Best

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends undertook a new and ambitious project: to identify the most successful residential real estate agents in the country and rank them accurately.

In June, the two publications sent out application forms on joint letterhead to more than 7,300 real estate entities, including national networks, state and local associations, national training and coaching organizations and individual brokers.

The Top 200 lists recognize teams and single agents for units sold and for total sales volume. As a preliminary qualifier, the REAL Trends analysis set minimum requirements of $30 million sales/75 transactions for individuals and $50 million sales/125 transactions for teams.

Top 200 project coordinators received 1,969 completed applications and profiles. Then began the hard work of organizing and confirming all the information that was submitted.

The REAL Trends fact-checking team personally verified every entry on the list by contacting firm principals, office managers and local associations. The goal was not only to check the sales volume and units-sold figures, but also to ensure that all entry requirements were properly met. It was especially important to verify that all sale and unit volumes represented purely residential transactions, not a mix of residential and commercial or industrial.

"It took quite a bit of digging on our part, but I think we got it," said REAL Trends editor Steve Murray, who oversaw the fact-checking process. "I feel confident that we have on these lists exactly who belongs on them."

Click Here To View This At The Wall Street Journal