Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Saxon.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Los Angeles and knew that I never wanted to live there again. I have been in Encinitas for the past 29 years and it feels entirely different and is completely home to both me and my husband now. I completed my undergraduate degree in International Relations at Stanford and thought I would work in the arms control arena. However, the year I graduated, the Berlin Wall came down, peace broke out and my professor colleagues at the International Strategic Institute at Stanford told me that they didn’t know if they would have a job in arms control the next day. Law school was suggested to me. I went to UC Berkeley for law school and enjoyed it very much. However, I didn’t enjoy practicing law and left after 3 years to work in executive search. When I had my second child, I quit work for a few years to focus on my kids. I started feeling like I needed a professional identity again and started accompanying a friend who was hunting for her new home with Christy Hines at Distinctive Homes CA. Eventually, Christy took me aside and said, “I think you love this, and I want to hire you!” I went for it and have never regretted it. I love helping people find the perfect home or investment property, and I love helping people maximize their sale price when selling what is often the largest single investment they have ever or will ever have. Along the way, I have done a few flips and purchased my own investment properties. Additionally, I have added design services to those of my clients who purchased “fixers”. That added a creative element to my life that I am enjoying a lot. Helping people is what I do. It may be the legal background, but I have always considered myself a service professional rather than a salesperson.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are struggles balancing kids, work, aging parents, a husband who is incredibly supportive but who has a very demanding job. But I always try to keep perspective and realize how lucky I am to have a husband who supported my changing careers. When I practiced law, I saw a lot of miserable lawyers who thought they had no choice but to stick with practicing law. So glad I am not one of them!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My legal background makes me uniquely qualified to keep my clients out of trouble with the very contract intensive process of buying or selling a home. Moreover, I can explain all the legalize which I think give clients, and occasionally my colleagues, a greater understanding of the process. It also provides a level of understanding that makes it less scary. No one wants to sign something they don’t understand. Surprises can happen, but the avoidable ones really don’t belong in the real estate process.
I think I am known for my patience – I really don’t mind shopping with you for 4 years to find the perfect place. I also think I am known for turning clients into friends and for being considered fair, a problem solver, and easy to work with. In 2021 I was awarded “Realtor of the Year, North County, Boutique Brokerage category” by SDAR (San Diego Association of Realtors). It is a peer award, was totally unexpected, and something about which I feel extremely honored.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Candor. I will tell a client not only the good things about a property (whether they are buying or selling), but also the bad things. I think that lets them know that I am not just trying to make a buck, but that I really care about them. Manufacturing false enthusiasm for a property a client is considering, or telling a prospective seller that their property is worth more than I believe it is just to get the listing is something I am simply unwilling to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.distinctivehomesca.com
- Instagram: alexasaxon4
