Considered an industry icon—as well as an outstanding leader—Sandra Sanders, broker/owner of RE/MAX Estate Properties, received her real estate license in 1973 before purchasing a Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.-based RE/MAX franchise in 1984, never wavering from the career choice she made.
Consistently awarded with some of the highest accolades from RE/MAX of California & Hawaii, as well as RE/MAX LLC, Sanders was the first woman to earn the brand’s prestigious Broker/Owner of the Year Award. And five years ago, she won RISMedia’s National Homeownership Award for her contributions toward increasing homeownership and building better communities.
“As with most productive real estate agents, I like to help clients find a home that they’ll love, and I enjoy marketing homes for clients who want to sell their present home and find another home that’ll fit their needs,” says Sanders. “It’s a business I enjoy, and one that’s been very gratifying.”
Today, Sanders is in charge of 18 offices and 725 agents, increasing the firm’s agent count by 40 this past year, leading to the decision to open a new office in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles. Sanders expects to continue to increase RE/MAX Estate Properties’ agent count in 2017, with plans to open two more offices and recruit 250 more agents in the future.
“Our market was better in 2016 among the lower-priced homes. In our luxury market, the sales volume increased slightly,” reports Sanders. “Being with a firm that’s an international franchise with many perks, tools and benefits allows us to continue to grow.”
Through RE/MAX, Sanders’ firm gets free internet leads, a global website, design software, extensive marketing, free education and many other tools. Her franchise also offers some great perks.
“We have a general counsel who not only teaches every week at our sales meetings, but is free to our agents,” says Sanders, who goes on to explain that the firm’s agents can call her any time to answer any legal question they may have. “We have a relocation department, short sale department, property management department, three large training rooms with many ongoing training sessions, and a courteous and helpful staff.”
There’s also an on-site graphic and design company, an escrow company, title company and mentoring school for new agents.
“Our agents attract new agents to our firm,” says Sanders. “We’re lucky that our agents are happy and that they tell others about all our tools and our culture, which is very hands-on and approached with an open door policy. Our agents are our best marketing tool.”
Sanders’ son, John Sanders, is the firm’s executive vice president of Technology, leading a team of five. Having the latest and greatest technology is important to the company and its agents, who appreciate that they have the best tools at their fingertips.
Sanders notes the biggest challenge she faces is continuous pressure in the cost to run a real estate brokerage, while the biggest opportunity comes in the form of recruiting more productive agents and capitalizing on the luxury market. And that’s something she looks forward to doing every day.
Vitals: RE/MAX Estate Properties
Years in Business: 32
Size: 18 offices, 725 agents
Regions Served: Palos Verdes, Torrance, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Marina Del Rey-Venice, Westchester, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA
2016 Sales Volume (at Press Time): $4.7 billion
2016 Transactions (at Press Time): 5,000
www.realestatelosangeles.com
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