An Introduction: No Hair Spray or Polyester, Just the Truth!

Have you ever seen "this guy?"  I know you have!

We've all seen that guy or gal; that "salesman" who is obviously paid based on commission.  Push, lie, mislead, whatever it takes...but close that deal!  My first experience in Real Estate was with with an agent that might as well have been this guy!  It turned me off from buying a home for several years.  Let me say this up front.  This...isn't...me.  No hairspray. No polyester.  Just the truth.

This short bio is designed to give prospective home sellers and buyers some insight into my background, specific skill sets, my experience, and perhaps most importantly...my values.

I chose real estate as a career for four reasons: 1) I love the hard and soft science of business; where psychology and data meet! Real estate is a dynamic and exciting business to be in. 2) My first, and second...and third...experience with Realtors left a bad taste in my mouth.  I saw a lot of room for improvement.  I wanted to bring that improvement. 3) I wanted to work for myself. 4) I wanted to be a part of my boys lives every day, not just on the weekends when I'm 'not working'.  It's been an ideal career thus far and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.

At the time of of this posting I have been a Realtor for 8 years and I can sincerely say that I have enjoyed the journey. As circumstances, laws, market conditions, the economy, etc. continue to change, my experiences and expertise changes as well.  It has to; in order to remain a relevant part of the industry and in order to provide absolutely optimal service to my clients.  I'll never be "done" becoming a better Realtor.  Real estate is not something that is "mastered."  It's has to become a part of you.  It's not a destination. It's a journey; one I enjoy quite a bit.

With my wife, Adrianne, and our sons; our purpose...Michael, and Jeffrey.

I grew up in the beautiful communities of Alamo and Walnut Creek. CA; about 30 minutes east of San Francisco.  I know the area up there like the back of my hand.  Recently, I relocated to Yucaipa. I'm finding the process of "knowing" the area even easier than it was for me up north.  While in the Bay Area, I adopted preconceived ideas about towns, cities, neighborhoods, etc.  Many of those preconceptions were absolutely accurate, but some weren't.  Some caught me completely off guard.  A few areas that I thought I really knew actually needed reinvestigating time and time again.  In Yucaipa, however, I have no preconceived notions.  I've had to take the labor intensive, yet far more analytical (and as a result more practical and accurate), and data driven approach to learning and knowing this area intimately.  So how is that easier than growing up in the area? Simply put, I've had nothing to un-learn.  "Facts are friendly," I often say.  What I've learned, and continue to learn, is based solely on the facts; the truth, and we all want the truth, don't we?

So...why do I write this blog?  

1. I'll get this out of the way early; the truth. One of the main goals of this blog is to secure more clients, but it is also to attract "well informed" clients.  I created this blog because I can't be everywhere all of the time. I hope, as with the blog I created up in the Bay Area, that this blog becomes a valuable resource for you.  If past experience is any indication, this site will be my number two source of clients; second only to referrals by prior clients. Seriously though, if this blog didn't generate income, I wouldn't write it.  Ok...maybe I would, but still ;)
2. Another goal is to give my readers a crystal clear understanding of who I am.  I want you to see me not just as an excellent Realtor; with a set of skills and experiences that repeatedly prove to be effective in the Real Estate arena, but also to see my character and the values I live by.  

My goals are simple but not easy:

• I will provide objective market data
• I will illustrate the trends that the market data is indicating
• I will then translate those often complex facts and figures into simple, yet practical real estate market trends
• I will continue to do everything I can to empower prospective homebuyers and sellers by simplifying and clarifying the home buying and selling process.  I am a resource, and forgive my directness, but frankly I'm a wealth of information and experience. That said, I believe that my clients ought to be at peace with the choices they make, and the only way for that to happen is for them to truly understand where we are in the process (and for them to draw their own conclusions based on the truth; the facts).  Of course I will give suggestions and advice; "What might happen if..." but ultimately my clients need to be at peace with the choices they make. They need to be in the driver's seat!

Illustrations and instances discussed within these blog posts often help to explain the juicy parts of the industry; the "Why?"  "Why did that house sell in 3 days and the same one across the street is still on the market after 90 days?"  There's an answer. There always is.

These posts will typically focus on the topics listed below. However, if there is a Real Estate related question that you'd like me to address on this blog, I'm happy to provide that support.  If you've got a question, odds are, others do as well!

Topics will include:

• Market trends as they appear from both the home buyers side as well as the listing side.
• Dynamics of buying and selling real property.
• The Short Sale Process.
• Unique experiences I've successfully (and a few not so successfully) worked through.
• Changes in Builders' selling strategies.
• The art and science of effectively selling your home.
• Shining a light on common, very costly mistakes, home buyers make.
• Contrasting conditions and trends between differentiated markets.
• and much more.

If this first post leaves you with anything, I hope it leaves you with the understanding that real estate isn't a mystery. You don't need a crystal ball.  You need the truth.  You need facts. Facts are friendly, and I'll give you the facts. In fact, I'll sit with you, side by side, while we discover the facts that pertain to a property you're thinking of selling or are interested in buying.  No gimmicks. No games. Just insight, foresight, experience, strategies...and the truth.

Until next time.

Andy Blasquez ~ The last Realtor you'll ever need to look for.

Cell ~ 909.539.3292
BRE#01826135
Andy.Blasquez@gmail.com