MILLER MCLEOD SAN FRANCISCO
Kat Miller and Ava Ray McLeod are the co-founders of Miller McLeod San Francisco, a mother-daughter real estate group known for their discerning eye, creative backgrounds, and love of design.
The combination of Ava's fresh perspective, curiosity, and insider's knowledge of the city she grew up in, together with Kat's exceptional market intelligence, sophisticated understanding of what drives value, and hands-on approach to preparing each property for sale, offers clients a thoughtful, highly personalized real estate experience. They guide buyers and sellers through every step of the process with care, creativity, and strategic insight, ensuring each client feels informed, supported, and confident from beginning to end.
KAT MILLER
Kat Miller was a young surfer in Southern California when her family moved to the balmy Philippines, where she lived with monkeys just outside her house. Her first glimpse of San Francisco came when she moved here to study at the SF Art Institute, and she’s never left (except to work as a photojournalist and celebrity photographer for magazines like TIME, LA Times, and Wired (photographing notables like Yehudi Menuhin, E-40, Merle Haggard, Sheryl Sandberg, and Imelda Marcos).
While raising two girls, training as a yoga teacher, and constantly redecorating her house, her favorite activity has always been visiting homes for sale. Because of the hills and natural beauty of the city, San Francisco has unusually diverse vistas and neighborhoods, which makes it so exciting here.
Kat loves interior design and architecture—when she travels, she always visits landmark homes like the mid-century gem Eames House in LA and the colorful Casa Barragan in Mexico City.
While some see the Bay Area real estate scene as pretty crazy, Kat stays calm, the result of her yoga training as well as having worked in crazy environments, from combat zones to slaughterhouses. She’s also used to working with busy business people and politicians, which helps her cut to the chase.
Even though Kat is not a rare SF native, she has lived here most of her life and encouraged her siblings to join her to put their marks on this great city. Her sister is jazz singer Lavay Smith and her brother Paul owns the popular Royal Cuckoo Saloon and the Royal Cuckoo Market.
AVA RAY MCLEOD
Ava Ray McLeod is a REALTOR® with Vanguard Properties, helping buyers and sellers navigate the San Francisco real estate market. A third-generation real estate professional and second-generation San Franciscan, Ava combines local expertise with a lifelong
appreciation for the city's neighborhoods, architecture, and design. Having grown up primarily in San Francisco's Mission District, she offers clients firsthand knowledge of
the city's diverse communities and evolving market.
Before beginning her career in real estate, Ava earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in Latin American Literature from the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. She later founded the knitwear label Lickyboy in Mexico City, where she directed design, production, and operations while collaborating with artisans around the world. That experience strengthened her project management, negotiation, communication, and
attention to detail—skills that now translate naturally into helping clients navigate complex real estate transactions.
Today, Ava partners with her mother, Kat Miller, at Vanguard Properties, assisting clients in buying and selling homes across San Francisco. She is known for a thoughtful, highly personalized approach, careful communication, and a genuine commitment to
understanding each client's goals. Her background in design, travel, and storytelling gives her a distinctive perspective when evaluating homes, marketing listings, and helping buyers recognize lasting value.
Whether working with first-time buyers, longtime San Francisco homeowners, or clients relocating to the city, Ava strives to make every transaction informed, organized, and tailored to her client's needs. Her combination of deep local roots, global experience, and
personalized service makes her a trusted resource for navigating San Francisco real estate.