LakeView Realty joins Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
30-year-old firm to expand local presence

As of Dec. 13, LakeView Realty has become affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and will now be known as Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LakeView Realty. The announcement was made by the Better Homes and Gardens corporate office in New Jersey.
The firm, which was established in 1990, serves Crestline, Cedarpines Park, Twin Peaks, Blue Jay, Lake Arrowhead, Rimforest, Cedar Glen, Skyforest, Running Springs and Green Valley Lake and has offices in Crestline and Lake Arrowhead.
Derek Leistra, the current owner, acquired the business in 2007. Leistra is a U.S. Navy veteran who started his career in property management before pursuing a career in professional sports management. Since returning to the real estate industry Leistra has been a member of the California Association of Realtors and served as the CAR regional chair in 2015 and again in 2022. He has also served as the Rim O’ the World Association of Realtors president in 2013 and will reprise that role in 2023. He was named Realtor of the Year by the Rim O’ the World Association of Realtors in 2016.
“Over the last 15 years,” Leistra said, “my wife Debbie Scott-Leistra and I have invested considerable resources into building the brokerage and I am proud of what we’ve accomplished as an independent firm.
“As I looked to the future, I pursued an affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate to help our affiliated agents be more competitive in the market and ensure their continued success. Now with our affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, we have an incredible opportunity to expand our market share and offer our clients and agents an even better experience,” Leistra said.
“Derek has built one of the market-leading real estate companies based on his commitment to customer satisfaction above all else,” said Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. “As a Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate affiliate, Derek will be able to build on that foundation by offering clients greater exposure and more sophisticated marketing programs to reflect the market’s appeal to affluent second home buyers.
“With access to top-tier technology, comprehensive client acquisition programs and proprietary lifestyle content, affiliated agents can fortify and expand their business in a meaningful way,” Chris added.
Some of the advantages of being affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate include being able to tap into Be Better University, the brand’s professional development and learning platform. Leistra will also be able to actively recruit new agents, who will have access to a vast array of tools, technology and resources made available by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.
Rick Rhilinger, who joined LakeView Realty in 2015, will be the broker of record.
“I believe strongly in giving back to my community and have volunteered with many charitable organizations,” Rhilinger said. “I have also served on various committees of the local association of realtors and was elected to the Rim O’ the World Association of Realtors board of directors in 2019 where I served as president-elect in 2021 and as president of the board of directors in 2022.
“In addition,” Rhilinger said, “I served as a state director of the California Association of Realtors in both 2021 and 2022. In 2020 I was honored to be named Rim O’ the World Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year.”
The offices of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LakeView Realty are located at 24186 Lake Drive, Crestline and at 291 State Highway 173, Lake Arrowhead.