Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Spathas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Andrew. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
There was no straight shot to how I got to where I am today. To start off, I was born and raised in Point Loma and I attended Point Loma Nazarene University. I needed an internship in order to graduate. I took a position at Pura Vida Bracelets in La Jolla. I met so many great people there, but I remember this unsettling feeling that I did not like the repetition of coming into an office everyday. My Dad built a successful career in commercial real estate for the last 35+ years in San Diego and also – fun fact – my great grandma was one of the original employees of Windermere real estate when it was a small business with just seven employees in Seattle in the 1950s! I soon got my license and ever since, it has been a wild ride. I’ve always had an appreciation for homes and architecture and I liked the idea of starting and building a business on my own. I’ve built a lot of my business from hosting open houses for my team/agents in my company.
My main goal is to give an authentic and genuine experience to people while they’re shopping for their home. I met my first clients at an open house actually. They ended up hiring me to sell their house and help them buy the home I was holding open that day. You just never know what is going to happen in this job. Every day can bring something completely different. It took me a while to figure out a routine and I am still developing one. I think that is something that will be constantly changing and adapting the more time I spend in this business. I spent hours of my days knocking on doors in Point Loma trying to see if I can be of value to people. I was very fortunate in my first year and a half and sold $8.5M worth of real estate. I believe that if you show up and do the work – good things happen. For me, it was all about finding a routine, and providing valuable information to people. At the end of the day, people want to work with those they trust.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not. I got into this business at 24 years old — I am now 26. I wanted to focus my work in Point Loma since that is where I grew up and I love the community. However, the price point is higher in this market. Some people see a young face and question that. I’ve had my fair share of comments. I had to overcome that and it took a lot of studying objection handling and knowledge of the market so I didn’t come across as ‘young’ and could show people I knew what I was talking about. I also have a backing of a strong team and company so there is non stop support. I have faced a ton of rejection and doors shut in my face. Nobody prepares you for a job in real estate. A lot of it is trial and error and you find out what works for you and what doesn’t. I found that open houses work for me and I stuck with it. I was always the type to learn by doing. Anyone can sit and study real estate terms all day, but I just had to get out there and figure it out from there.
The toughest time I had so far in my work was balancing five deals simultaneously, which was a great problem to have. I say that because there was so much I had to learn on top of the day to day. It was almost double the work that a seasoned agent might not have had to navigate. It taught me a lot about this business. I learned so much about myself in that time as well. I’ve dealt with multiple contingent deals, new construction, condos and the nuances of an HOA, trust sales, etc. There’s a lot of problem-solving that goes on and trying to make everything as smooth as possible. I am so thankful for the scope of work I’ve been able to do because my knowledge base has grown immensely.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I work under Coldwell Banker West with the Ghio Panissidi team in Point Loma. Our company has a boutique feel and we truly go above and beyond for our clients. When you have such strong support from management and other agents within the company, it makes for the consumer experience to be that much better. There isn’t one deal that is the same. Each one has its own unique process. Every agent is very communicative in our company and we all want to help each other whenever any issue or question arises. The support is incredible. I am helping facilitate one of the largest purchases people make in their lives and because of that, I want to make sure I associate myself with the best. I think what sets me apart is that I bring a young and fresh energy with a modern approach to this business. I’m tech-savvy and have no issues with social media. I’m not afraid to knock on doors of homeowners for buyers of mine who are looking to purchase in a particular area. I try to be over communicative with everyone I’m working with so they are always aware of what’s going on. When we make it to end and close on a transaction, the happiness and joy I see in clients when they get their new keys or their home is officially sold, outweighs everything else. I have never experienced anything truly like it and the fact that I get to be in this part of people’s lives is incredible. I had a client text me over Christmas time because they could finally host family at their home after tripling their square footage. That’s what I love to hear.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I am really proud to have been awarded the ‘Rookie Agent of the Year’ award for 2019. I was recognized by both my company and the Point Loma/Ocean Beach Realtor Association. Numbers are not important to me. My sales production is not what gets me out of bed. I really love getting to work with people who want to work with me and that’s my motivation. I have a saying written out at my desk that says, “Show up everyday for two years. That’s the golden answer right there…It will teach you that those who are successful aren’t successful because of some condensed version of their story they gave on a podcast, but because they made a commitment to show up every single day when it was hard, it sucked, and looked like nothing would ever come of it…” I find so much truth in that because here I am two years later. Now I just have to keep moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2920 Cañon Street
San Diego CA 92106 - Website: AndrewSpathas.com
- Phone: 619-961-5810
- Email: AndrewSpathas@gmail.com
- Instagram: @andrewspathas.sd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewspathasre
- Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/andrewspathas/
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
