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MY PHILOSOPHY
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HELP
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 Yes I am a rare creature--a native Angeleno!
I was born in the small LA suburb of Montebello. I could not
imagine living anywhere else but Southern California. Los
Angeles is truly home for me.
I am a second generation American born Latino. Like so many other immigrants to Los Angeles, my grandparents came here to give their children a better life. My grandparents were salt-of-the-earth people working hard to attain the American dream. My grandfathers served in World War II and I'm very proud of them. My parents continued their efforts in order to give my brother and I a better life.
I love the outdoors LA and So Cal lifestyle. I am an avid sports
enthusiast. I love 'blading' and biking the Venice/Santa Monica
bike path, lifting weights at world famous Gold's gym, mountain biking the Santa Monica Mountain trails, and skiing and snowboarding our local mountains. I also grew up surfing and spent over twenty years enjoying that quintessential California sport.
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I also love the rich cultural and entertainment opportunities
that LA offers. The Getty, the Norton Simon Museum, LACMA, MOCA,
and all the other fine institutions and art galleries make LA an
exciting place for art lovers. I also enjoy all the restaurants,
hotels, and exciting nightlife here on the Westside. Of course
the music and entertainment industries add an excitement to our
city. From driving PCH to Malibu, clubbing on the Sunset Strip,
shopping on |
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"He
is a pleasure to work with
and we recommend him to
our friends."
-Rodney and Linda |
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Melrose,
dining at Spago's, or catching rays at the beach, there is so
much to do here that you'll never be bored.
Avid Reader
Fortunately I've always been a good reader. I currently read many newspapers, business and real estate magazines and books. Of course I surf a lot of different web sites to stay up on the latest and keep you informed. You could say that I'm an information junkie. This benefits my clients because I'm plugged in to what's important in real estate.
Local knowledge
I have a strong local knowledge of Los Angeles and Southern California. Born and raised In LA, I've been here for 27 years of my life (Ten years spent living in San Jose and Santa Cruz). Since many people are from somewhere else, being a native Californian really helps give perspective to my clients. You want information about LA? I'm a great resource to tap in to. Just ask!
One of the best things about selling real estate in Los Angeles is the incredible people I meet. Many of my clients become very close friends and I hope you will too. The people here are diverse and eclectic individuals with interesting worldviews. Many of my clients are in the entertainment industry or high tech. I truly treasure my clients and I hope one day that we can work together too!
Professional Background
Education
In 1994 I went back to school to upgrade my skills and education. I completed my entire general ed requirements and subsequently went on to USC where I have completed one year of business coursework. I realized that upgrading my education and skill set would help me compete in the New Economy. This mid-career education and skills upgrade along with my 13 years of experience makes me ready for the digital age of real estate. In addition to my formal education, I have completed extensive residential real estate training. When I began my career, the company I worked for offered comprehensive real estate training. This program instructed new agents in all facets of real estate and representing clients. I was also fortunate to work with two incredible managers--Fran Flanagan and Peter Hernandez. Working closely with them gave me incredible insights to how real estate worked and how to represent clients. I am eternally grateful to them for contributing to my real estate education.
In 1993 I studied for and received my California Broker's license. Upgrading from a sales license to a broker's license has greatly improved my knowledge base and definitely helped my career.
Over the entire course of my real estate career I have attended many seminars and retreats, listened to many training tapes, read many real estate, business, and marketing books, watched instructional videos, and networked with many top agents. This continual learning process helps me stay on top of the market.
One educational conference I attend annually is Real Connect sponsored by
Inman News
. This is the best high-tech real estate conference in the world. Everyone there is connected to real estate and mortgage finance technology. This seminar keeps me 3 to 6 months ahead of coming trends. Technology rules. Agents will have a tough time if they're techno-flabby instead of techno-savvy.
Real Estate Sales
I started in real estate in 1986 at the tender age of 24. Believe me, it was no cakewalk. I started out with no contacts and my friends weren't buying or selling real estate. But I stuck with it and learned the business. Real estate was really my first and only career choice. I'm fortunate to have found something I truly enjoy.
I worked for the largest real estate company at the time, Jon Douglas Realtors. I am very proud to have started there, it was a classy organization and I learned a lot. I associated with some top real estate professionals. However, as an experienced agent I no longer believe that the new larger mega-firms are the answer. Start up and small companies that are embracing technology and new ways of doing business are making inroads to the larger firms market share.
Mortgage Experience
When the real estate market was soft in the early nineties I became a mortgage broker and worked for two years in the lending industry. The knowledge and experience I gained from my two years was extremely valuable. I truly believe that having a thorough understanding of mortgage lending really benefits my clients. I am able to help guide them through the difficult mortgage process and make sure they are getting a fair shake from their lender. I am also able to suggest different alternatives of financing real estate.
Corporate Real Estate Experience
While I was in San Diego attending school, I landed a job in a corporate environment. The company, Homecomings Financial Network, was a subsidiary of GMAC Mortgage Corp, one of the nations top mortgage lenders. I was a foreclosure sales specialist. I sold foreclosed properties all over the state of California by phone, fax, and the web. This experience was very valuable since I learned the foreclosure market as well what it was like to work in an intense corporate environment. I'll say this, I enjoy being self-employed much more than playing the corporate game! But like I said, it was a valuable experience.
Computer and Internet Experience
I bought my first computer in 1988, two years after I started in the business. This is my tenth year of computing--something I'm proud of. Especially since it's obvious that connected real estate professionals will rule the future. I have taken many computer classes and seminars including a Novell Networking course. I earned my Novell Certified Network Administrator (CNA) credential in 1994 but decided to remain in real estate instead of pursuing network administration.
I first went online in 1994 with Prodigy. I knew back then that real estate on the Internet was going to be big. My current web site reflects a decade's worth of computing experience.
I'm a member of the Los Angeles Internet Society, Tech Coast Organization, and Technolink. I'm dedicated to real estate and the Internet. Although the Web will never replace real estate agents, those agents with techno skills will certainly shine.
Good Perspective on Real Estate
I've been through a lot of cycles in real estate. When I started out in 1986 the market was fairly good, but still rather calm. Computers were showing up as dumb MLS terminals. Fax machines were unheard of. The market exploded in late '88 and '89. Then in '90 things went south in a hurry and foreclosures and bankruptcies soared. We limped along until '96/'97 when the market finally started picking up. And of course in 1998 the market exploded again and market was white-hot. In late '98 things have calmed a bit from earlier in the year and things look strong
for Y2K.
With my knowledge of market cycles I am able to give a better perspective to my clients in regards to timing the market. Market trends change quickly and an agent must be plugged in to what is happening. One day it's a seller's market and the next week the buyers start to have the upper hand. An agent who has seen several different market cycles can give better counsel
to clients.
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