Esther Buede California real estate broker, DRE #02144679
Esther Buede is a California real estate broker, DRE #02144679, who works as a broker associate with the Gregory James Group. She leads the mortgage side at Choice Home Mortgage, where her NMLS number is 2003644. Her broker licence is current through May 29, 2030, and the record is public on the DRE lookup.
Updated October 28, 2026
Esther Buede is a licensed California real estate broker who works as a broker associate with the Gregory James Group, the Orange County brokerage run by her husband, Greg Toussieng. Her broker licence, DRE #02144679, was issued on May 2, 2022 and showed as licensed through May 29, 2030 when we checked the Department of Real Estate's public record on October 28, 2026.
Esther also leads the mortgage side at Choice Home Mortgage, which is a trade name of the same corporation as the Gregory James Group, Montana Real Estate Inc. Her DRE record lists a mortgage loan originator endorsement with NMLS #2003644. For a client who wants it, that puts the home search, the offer and the loan in one office, with the two people who own the business answering the phone. Clients are always free to use a different lender.
Is Esther Buede licensed?
Yes. Esther Buede holds California real estate broker licence #02144679, and anyone can check it on the DRE's public lookup.
- Licence California real estate broker, DRE #02144679 (DRE record)
- Status Licensed, expires May 29, 2030 (DRE record)
- Broker licence issued May 2, 2022 (DRE record)
- Works under Montana Real Estate Inc, DRE #01822046, trading as the Gregory James Group (DRE record)
- Mortgage loan originator endorsement listed on her DRE record, NMLS #2003644 (NMLS Consumer Access)
Our licences and credentials page lists every licence behind the business with the date of our last check.
What does Esther Buede do at the Gregory James Group?
Esther works alongside Greg as a broker associate and leads the mortgage side through Choice Home Mortgage. When a buyer wants financing from the same office, her team handles the pre-approval and the loan, so the contract dates and the loan dates are set together.
Greg Toussieng runs the listings and the buyer searches. You can read his profile for how he works with sellers and buyers.
How does buying with a loan from Choice Home Mortgage work?
A buyer who chooses Choice Home Mortgage gets the pre-approval before touring, so Greg can write offers at a price the lender has already checked. After an offer is accepted, the appraisal, the loan conditions and the closing date are tracked against the same purchase contract, which cuts down on the back-and-forth between separate offices.
The homes and loans page explains how it works and why it is worth comparing quotes, including ours, before you choose.
What is Esther Buede's background?
Esther studied at the University of Houston, where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in international business, according to her profile on this site. She and Greg are married and run Choice Home Mortgage and the Gregory James Group together.
How do I reach Esther Buede?
Call the office at (949) 868-8820, or send the form below and say you would like to speak with Esther about a home loan.
Ask about buying with a loan.
Common questions
Is Esther Buede licensed in California?
Esther Buede holds a California real estate broker licence, DRE #02144679, issued May 2, 2022 and current through May 29, 2030 at our last check of the Department of Real Estate's public record. Her DRE record also lists a mortgage loan originator endorsement with NMLS #2003644, which can be checked on NMLS Consumer Access.
What is a broker associate?
A broker associate holds a full California broker licence but works under another broker's company instead of running their own. Esther Buede is a licensed broker who works as a broker associate under Montana Real Estate Inc, the corporation that does business as the Gregory James Group, with Greg Toussieng as its designated broker.
Do I have to use Choice Home Mortgage if I buy with the Gregory James Group?
Buyers working with the Gregory James Group never have to use Choice Home Mortgage. Esther Buede's loan team is there for clients who want the sale and the loan handled in one office, and Greg Toussieng works the same way with any outside lender. Comparing loan quotes from more than one lender is always a sensible step.
- California DRE public licence lookup: Esther Buede, #02144679 (licence type, status, expiry, issue date, NMLS ID) · checked 2026-10-28
- California DRE public licence lookup: Montana Real Estate Inc, #01822046 (broker associates) · checked 2026-10-28
- NMLS Consumer Access: Esther Buede, NMLS #2003644 · checked 2026-10-28
- Choice Home Mortgage: Our Family (Esther Buede and Greg Toussieng) · checked 2026-10-28
- Esther Buede's profile on bestreguy.com (education) · checked 2026-10-20
Start with the address. Greg does the rest.
A written valuation from recent sales near you, prepared by a licensed broker. Or call (949) 868-8820.