Maxine Gellens of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Successfully Assists Buyer and Seller of $18 Million La Jolla Estate

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 16, 2026--

Maxine Gellens of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties recently assisted the buyer and seller of a landmark estate overlooking the ocean and La Jolla Shores, for a closing price of $18 million. The transaction was a particularly notable achievement for Gellens, as she has represented the property on nine occasions over the course of her 50 year career, serving both the buy- and sell-sides.

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The home is set on an approximately 21,262 square foot lot in the gated, one-of-a-kind Montoro community, which is only comprised of single family homes. Gellens was the original listing agent for the then 41-lot subdivision when it was nothing but vacant land, back in the late 1970s. She initially sold the vacant lot, which is located at 2506 Ruette Nicole, for a closing price of $360,000 in January of 1980.

Along with her daughter Marti, Maxine Gellens and her team were able to generate significant interest in the property in a short time frame. With a blend of traditional and digital marketing, they hosted 12 private showings for the home to highly qualified buyers and opened escrow within 45 days from the initial listing date, a compelling statistic for any price point, but especially so for the upper tier of the marketplace.

“The buyer contacted us directly through our marketing efforts. He and the seller were both an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Maxine Gellens.

The home encompasses approximately 8,927 square feet and displays panoramic whitewater views from most of the rooms. As may be expected, the estate features a wine cellar, a pool/spa, a chef’s kitchen, luxe primary suite, an office, a media lounge with a wet bar, and a gym with a sauna.

Gellens says that one of the more unique features is an additional four-car “jewel box-style” parking garage with ocean views: “There’s enough garage space for six vehicles…there aren’t many homes in La Jolla that have that.”

Floor-to-ceiling windows and doors in the public rooms showcase riveting views of the coastline in La Jolla; many of the private areas have large windows facing the verdant mature landscaping. Gellens added that the seller spent millions on a methodical, four-year renovation, and the buyer purchased the home with the designer furniture included.

“There’s a reason why the Gellens’ name is synonymous with La Jolla real estate. This a testament to the relationships that Maxine and Marti have built and the trust their clients and friends have placed in them, the power of strategic marketing and the value of the insights they offer into the local market,” said Nicki Marcellino, Vice President and Regional Manager of San Diego for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.

“The value of real estate is nothing short of unbelievable and I’m not sure I could have imagined what a huge return on investment some of my clients would have when I first started selling there in the late 70s. When the developer bought the property, it was a just big hill overlooking the ocean. He basically put a tractor on it and got a subdivision map. When he built houses there, I was holding them open constantly. I had friends asking me why I wasn’t buying some of the lots there and I was like, ‘Are you kidding, I have two kids at UCLA, I need to eat,’” joked Maxine Gellens.

Interestingly, the seller of the home never lived in it after completing the renovation and having it professionally designed. He had previously owned a yacht in San Diego prior to the purchase and missed it, so he opted to sell the home to the new owner, who will be a full-time resident. This will only be the second owner to live full-time on the property, which has been renovated on multiple occasions.

Together with her team, Gellens has consistently ranked at the top of the local and national market for her sales production. She credits a portion of her success to her relentless work ethic, as she has only taken one vacation longer than a week since she started in real estate and has no intention of slowing down.

“I’m so fortunate that I’ve been able to work with my daughter and make so many friends in this area,” added Gellens, who competes in ballroom dancing competitions and typically practices for over an hour and a half each day.

A native of San Diego, Gellens is an avid Padres fan. She admits her interests are frequently torn, however, as both of Marti’s sons are professional baseball players and she loves traveling to watch them compete.

To find out how Maxine Gellens, Marti Gellens-Stubbs and their team can help you find the home of your dreams or get the highest possible return on investment, call 858-551-6630 or visit www.gellens.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties proudly supports 2,100+ sales associates in 41 offices spanning San Luis Obispo to San Diego. In 2025, our expert agents assisted in more than 6,700 client transactions for over $12.4 billion in sales volume.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties is a wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., and a member of HSF Affiliates, LLC. BHHS and the BHHS symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. For more information, visit www.bhhscalifornia.com. To learn about career opportunities, visit www.bhhscalifornia.com/careers.

Maxine Gellens of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties successfully assisted the buyer and seller of 2506 Ruette Nicole, a landmark estate overlooking the ocean and La Jolla Shores, for a closing price of $18 million. The home encompasses approximately 8,927 square feet and displays panoramic whitewater views from most of the rooms. As may be expected, the estate features a wine cellar, a pool/spa, a chef’s kitchen, luxe primary suite, an office, a media lounge with a wet bar, and a gym with a sauna. Photo by: REV Video Productions

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who once escaped custody and spent three days on the run after being sentenced to death for fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend was put to death Wednesday, becoming the first person executed in the United States this year.

Charles Victor Thompson, 55, was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. CST following a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was condemned for the April 1998 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Glenda Dennise Hayslip, 39, and her new boyfriend, Darren Keith Cain, 30, at the woman's suburban Houston apartment.

In his final words, Thompson asked the families of his victims to find it in their hearts to forgive him, adding “that you can begin to heal and move past this.”

“There are no winners in this situation,” he said after a spiritual adviser prayed over him for about 3 minutes and shortly before a lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered. He said his execution “creates more victims and traumatizes more people 28 years later.”

“I’m sorry for what I did. I’m sorry for what happened, and I want to tell all of y’all, I love you and that keep Jesus in your life, keep Jesus first,” he added.

As the injection began taking effect, Thompson gasped loudly, then took about a dozen breaths that evolved into three snores. Then all movement ceased and he was pronounced dead 22 minutes later.

“He’s in hell,” one of the witnesses, Dennis Cain — whose son was killed — said after Thompson was declared dead by a physician.

Previously in court, prosecutors had said Thompson and Hayslip had been romantically involved for a year but split after Thompson “became increasingly possessive, jealous and abusive.”

According to court records, Hayslip and Darren Cain were dating when Thompson came to Hayslip’s apartment and began arguing with Cain around 3 a.m. the night of the killings. Police were called and told Thompson to leave the apartment complex. He returned three hours later and shot both Hayslip and Cain.

Cain died at the scene, and Hayslip died in a hospital a week later.

“The Hayslip and Cain families have waited over twenty-five years for justice to occur,” prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in court filings.

About an hour before the scheduled 6 p.m. execution, the U.S. Supreme Court — without explanation — issued a brief order rejecting Thompson’s final appeal. On Monday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had denied Thompson’s request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty.

Thompson’s attorneys had argued in filings with the Supreme Court that he was not allowed to refute or confront the prosecution’s evidence that concluded Hayslip died from a gunshot wound to the face. Thompson’s attorneys argued that Hayslip actually died from flawed medical care she received after the shooting that resulted in severe brain damage sustained from oxygen deprivation following a failed intubation.

Prosecutors had said a jury had already rejected the claim by Thompson and decided under state law he was responsible for Hayslip’s death because it “would not have occurred but for his conduct.”

Hayslip’s family had filed a lawsuit against one of her doctors, alleging that medical negligence during her treatment left her brain-dead. A jury in 2002 found in favor of the doctor.

Thompson had his original death sentence overturned and a new punishment trial was held in November 2005. A jury again ordered him to die by lethal injection.

Shortly after being resentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County Jail in Houston by walking out the front door virtually unchallenged by deputies. He later told The Associated Press that after meeting with his attorney in a small interview cell, he slipped out of his handcuffs and orange jail jumpsuit and left the room, which was unlocked. Thompson waived an ID badge fashioned out of his prison ID card to get past several deputies.

“I got to smell the trees, feel the wind in my hair, grass under my feet, see the stars at night. It took me straight back to childhood being outside on a summer night,” Thompson said of his time on the run, speaking with AP in a 2005 interview. He was arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana, while trying to arrange for wire transfers of money from overseas so he could make it to Canada.

Texas has historically held more executions than any other state though Florida had the most in 2025 with 19. The next execution in the U.S. is scheduled to be the Feb. 10 lethal injection of Ronald Palmer Health, who was convicted of killing a traveling salesman during a 1989 robbery in the Gainesville area of that state.

Lozano reported from Houston. Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://x.com/juanlozano70

This photo provided by Texas Department of Criminal Justice. shows Texas death row inmate Charles Victor Thompson. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)