Growing up in Palo Alto and attending high school in Atherton at Menlo School, I was always enamored of houses, whether the mid-century modern home I grew up in or the gracious estates my classmates lived in. I went to USC and got my degree in Business Administration with the express goal of selling real estate, and while there I interned as an assistant for a prominent agent in West Los Angeles during my summers.

Hitting the market in 2009, however, was a challenge indeed. I saw that many in the real estate community were unfamiliar with short sales, which were a growing phenomenon in the wake of the financial crisis. I got certified to both list and represent buyers on short sales, and I carved out a niche for myself in the market as many agents referred their short sale clients to me. I am proud to say that I did not see a single client of mine go to foreclosure and got every single short sale approved by the lenders, which more than made up for the late nights and 500+ pages of lender paperwork compiled for each client.

Entering the market in this way helped me develop a passion for getting people out of tough situations, and it led me to realize the enormous importance of having a relentless and thorough advocate in your corner during any type of real estate transaction. It framed the way I work with my clients to this day, and cemented my belief that any client I work with is owed honesty, relentless negotiation, rapid and thorough communication, and innovative marketing.

Before joining Carol and Nicole in 2020, I was ranked amongst the top half of the top 1% of agents in both California and the nation by sales volume by Real Trends. While I am proud of this, what I consider most important to me is the relationships, many over a decade strong, with long term clients and the way they’ve welcomed me into their families and friend groups.

When did you start selling real estate?

2009

Where did you grow up?

In a sun-filled Eichler in Palo Alto’s Greenmeadow neighborhood.

Where do you live now?

In Palo Alto’s Crescent Park neighborhood with my wife Brooke, my daughter Aoife, and my two dogs Petal and Indy.

What is the most satisfying transaction you’ve been a part of?

A young family in San Francisco called me letting me know they were a year out from buying, but wanted to find a home in Palo Alto that would allow for a accessory dwelling unit for their parents on the East Coast. They wanted to be in Palo Alto as it would be close to their sister.

A few days later, a house fitting their criteria hit the market…right next door to their sister’s house. I helped them get pre-approved a year early, flew the parents out to view the house, and walked them through the disclosures in their San Francisco home. There were six offers on the property, which in 2010 was highly irregular.

We won the property and now the family has three houses close by with a shared backyard. Their children grew up walking to elementary school each morning with their grandparents, and were able to visit their aunt and uncle whenever they wished.

Most rewarding part of your job?

Working with clients for a second, third, and even fourth time, and getting a glimpse of how they’ve grown and changed with each transaction.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to do as a Realtor?

I had a house on the market in Menlo Park that had a lot of activity. Unfortunately, neighborhood raccoons had noticed the new sod in the front yard and each morning would roll it back to look for grubs underneath.

Each morning before the showings began, I would drive over to the house and carefully stomp the sod back into place. This was during the rainy season, and I would then have to run home and change as I was covered in mud!

How do you take your coffee?

Black, with a print copy of the Wall Street Journal on the side.