Top advisors focused on home buying in California

Jared Fruth is a financial advisor at Northwest Asset Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Securities America, Inc., KMS Financial Services, Inc., Oppenheimer Funds, and John Paul Mitchell Systems. Northwest Asset Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $3.6 billion for nearly 3,000 clients, including individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charities, and corporations. The firm employs a customized, fiduciary approach using Modern Portfolio Theory and strategic asset allocation, combining fundamental and technical analysis to build diversified portfolios with periodic rebalancing.

Scott Mahoney is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in New York, NY, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and bringing 34 years of industry experience. He has been with Morgan Stanley since 2009, including roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Giants Foot Cubed LLC. Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is a large SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer that serves both individual and institutional clients. The firm offers a wide range of advisory programs and financial planning services supported by structured planning tools and broad investment resources.

Elizabeth Brown is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with J.P. Morgan Securities in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2012. She has 26 years of industry experience. J.P. Morgan Securities provides institutional consulting services to clients such as corporations, foundations, and defined contribution plan sponsors, offering asset allocation advice, investment manager and fund searches, and customized performance reporting through a select group of Wealth Advisors. The firm combines large institutional advisory operations with brokerage, distribution, and investment management capabilities.

David Hart is a financial advisor with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked with Safeguard since 2020 and previously held roles at LifePro Asset Management, LLC, Martin and Associates Insurance Services, Inc., and Martin Wealth Management, LLC. Hart is also a Certified Financial Fiduciary and volunteers as an instructor with the Foundation for Fiduciary Education (NACFF), providing unbiased fiduciary financial education. Safeguard Investment Advisory Group, LLC serves individual, high-net-worth, institutional, and business clients, offering discretionary portfolio management, access to third-party sub-advisers, and fee-based financial planning. The firm employs a fundamental-analysis investment process with a preferred horizon of two to ten years and manages over $600 million across approximately 1,800 client relationships.

Alan Toman is a financial advisor with Regal Investment Advisors LLC in Los Angeles, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and having nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Regal Investment Advisors since 2018 and has prior experience with Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation and Bankers Life. Outside of his advisory role, Toman is active in the insurance sector, offering accident and health insurance, fixed and indexed annuities, and traditional life insurance products through American Senior Benefits and as an insurance agent. Regal Investment Advisors LLC provides discretionary investment management services to independent advisers and other registered advisers, serving a diverse client base including individuals, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers proprietary and third-party model portfolios across various asset classes, with advisers selecting allocations and granting Regal authority to implement and manage strategies.

Brandon Johnson is a Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In his role, he works closely with clients to understand their financial priorities and develop strategies tailored to pursue their short-, mid-, and long-term goals. Brandon serves as a resource for a range of financial needs, including general investing, retirement planning, and saving for unexpected events. He also provides access to Bank of America specialists for additional services such as banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions. Brandon’s expertise centers on helping clients manage competing financial priorities such as purchasing a home, funding education, caring for elderly family members, and preparing for healthcare needs. He collaborates with clients one-on-one to define their goals, tailor portfolio strategies to meet those goals, and provide ongoing advice to adjust plans as clients’ situations evolve. Brandon holds the professional designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). He earned his bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University.

Jacob Wyand is a financial advisor at Wyand Wealth LLC in Saint Petersburg, FL, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Fidelity Investments and UBS Financial Services. Wyand Wealth LLC is a state-registered investment adviser serving individual and family clients with investment management and financial planning. The firm uses a top-down asset allocation process focused on ETFs and individual equities, providing discretionary management and accommodating client investment restrictions.

Gisselle Caraballo is a Financial Solutions Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. In her role, she partners with clients to understand their financial priorities and develop strategies tailored to their short-, mid-, and long-term goals. She provides guidance across a broad spectrum of financial needs, including investing, retirement planning, and unexpected expense preparation, while also facilitating access to Bank of America specialists for banking and lending solutions. With expertise in managing the competing demands of personal finance, Gisselle works closely with clients to define objectives and implement portfolio strategies aligned with those goals. She offers ongoing advice to adapt portfolios as clients' circumstances evolve. Gisselle holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA) designations and earned her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Texas System. She is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Hugh Baker is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with seven years of industry experience. He has been with Wrenne Financial Planning LLC since 2021 and previously worked at Allegheny Financial Group from 2015 to 2021. Wrenne Financial Planning LLC is an SEC-registered advisory firm with six advisors managing approximately $231 million for about 400 clients, including individual and high-net-worth households as well as corporate and business clients. The firm employs a passive investment approach using diversified portfolios of index mutual funds and ETFs, providing comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management along with separate student-loan planning services.

Max Mc Grail is a Series 65-licensed advisor with MMM Capital Ventures, a firm he joined in 2025. He has no prior industry experience but has held various roles in different sectors, including founding and serving as CEO of Sunset Beach Collective LLC, a lifestyle brand focused on clothing and merchandise. MMM Capital Ventures is a newly established investment advisory firm serving individual retail clients with discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and cryptocurrency guidance. The firm follows an active, market-timing approach using technical analysis, sentiment indicators, and tactical option strategies tailored to clients’ risk profiles.