Today we’d like to introduce you to Celeste Ulberg Hansen.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
At the age of 16, I had applied to only one college – that college was Point Loma Nazarene University. I spent parts of my high school summers visiting PLNU for camps and bible quizzing. It was during those summers that I had fallen in love with San Diego. I mean, how can you not?! I just knew this was the city where I needed to be!! It was while I was a student at PLNU that I took a job as a telemarketer for a mortgage company. YUP!! I was one of those people who we all hang up on these days. But you know what, it was THAT job that made me aware of my ability to communicate. To listen. To care. It sparked something inside of me that truly wanted to help others. What was intended to just be an ‘after school job’ that helped me earn some cash for going out on college nights – turned into a real genuine passion. It wasn’t much longer before I pursued my real estate license; which allowed me the opportunity to then become a home loan advisor. I got to work with homeowners all over San Diego for a couple of years on the lending side of the business. I loved it. But then came the ‘big crash’ and it suddenly felt like everyone around me on the lending side was jumping ship…. because it got hard. I knew I was passionate about Real Estate, and I wasn’t ready to ‘move on’. So I approached my broker and asked him to consider opening up a Real Estate Sales division.
And that’s where I began shifting my skills of what I knew from the lending side to working with first time home buyers. And then it began to snowball. More buyers. Short sales. Foreclosures. Sellers. It was an incredible learning curve, but really fun!! Getting to learn the home sales side of the business at a time where the market was so volatile was actually the best thing for my career because the learning didn’t come easy. I had to fight for my place as a new agent. Fast forward a couple of years… and you probably can guess the rest. I got married. Had a baby… had another baby… AND then there were three littles. I quickly became a mother AND WOW is motherhood a crazy full-time job. But I have realized that it is role I have been able to transition into and still maintain my real estate career. How incredible is that!?! Okay, wait – let me backtrack to my second baby… So the first two boys were 15 months apart (not intended, but so cool now that they’re older) and it was then that I began to use the hashtag #realestatemama on photos of me figuring out motherhood to a 15month old and a newborn (who was colic), all while my husband traveled and I kept working. The hashtag was really intended to just be a fun way to blend my two worlds while sharing my process of figuring it all out.
But then I had friends reaching out to say – “hey when you’ve got a second mama, I have a real estate question or need”. I began to realize, my friends around me respected me as both a new mother AND as a professional. It still makes my heart flutter as I typed that just now… you see I will forever be grateful for everyone that’s chosen me during this ‘season of life’ where I’m juggling two roles that mean the world to me. In an industry that has thousands of agents in ONE county …. my intention has never been about being #1 or the ‘top agent’ as everyone likes to claim they are…. my honest intention is to be transparent. Let people who meet me see that I’m just as human and relatable as they are. Let’s pretend I was given the chance to fast forward ten years from now …and be able to see a glimpse of who I’ve become… I would hope that Celeste has raised some GOOD teenagers, has kept true to her passion in Real Estate, and most importantly has remained humble thru it all!!
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?
There’s always someone out there who thinks they know it all or can get it done ‘cheaper’. And I’m not necessarily saying it’s a potential client… it could be other agents in the field and/or associated partners. Let the professional of their designated field help represent you. And remember, you get what you pay for…. cheaper isn’t always the best solution.
Oh, and one more thing… if I had to choose something– I would say that there are a lot of agents in this field who don’t operate on the same level of integrity and respect as I carry myself. There are so many agents who get into this industry as a ‘side job’ in hopes to make a lot of money and they are not passionate about the process or about their clients. It frustrates me because greedy agents – who are careless – unfortunately give us a bad rap. Okay, rant over.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Real Estate Mama – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My focus has been residential home sales. Although that’s pretty broad, so I’ll break that down a bit deeper. I have helped facilitate sales of all types: first time home buyers, move up buyers/sellers, Military families, Relocation, Divorcees, Trust Sales, Short Sales, Notice of Defaults, Cash for Keys, Rehab properties, and Investment Purchases. I would like to think if you name it, I have the experience – but there is always something new that comes up in this industry, so I won’t say that 🙂
I’m going to quote a few of my client reviews off Zillow, as I feel sharing someone’s testimonial about my services will share what sets me apart from others.
“Her professionalism was on point in all interactions and even though she had other clients, we never felt like there was any others because we were always a priority. We were thankful for her proactive organization skills and highly recommend.”
“She is an amazing Realtor. She excels in all aspects of realty, but she is particularly helpful when it comes to getting information and negotiating. She is honest, straight-forward, easy to talk to, professional and is able to grasp your needs and desires quickly.”
“She was fun, informative, quick to respond, and really personal. We could tell that she not only cared about finding us our perfect home but also about us.”
“She was organized, punctual and was always ready with an updated listing that matched our search. Her personal interest in meeting our needs was apparent and reassuring.”
“From dealing with an un-cooperative tenant to the property falling out of escrow due to borrower difficulties, she continued to work undeterred until she found the right buyer for us. She was always positive, expeditious and organized. Those attributes enabled us to sell our home quickly despite the hurdles we encountered, something that other agents undoubtedly could not have achieved.”
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
My career and role as a mother merged about seven years ago. What started as a fun – but very relative hashtag – has become the perfect avenue to brand myself. I recognize what a blessing it is to be both their ‘stay at home’ mama AND a real estate professional, with minor sacrifices to them during these priceless young years. I’ve got about two more years until Bond (our youngest) begins “big boy school” (as my older two, Dutch & Cooper, call their kinder and first grade classes). So do I have big future plans or changes?! Not yet…. I’m going to enjoying this opportunity to finish out these toddler years with Bond – just like I did with the other two – because THIS is where I belong. This is my world. I’ll never get this time back, SO THANK YOU to those that have and continue to view me as a professional in my field. Thank you for choosing me.
Contact Info:
- Address: The Alchemy Company
BRE#02053569 - Website: www.TheRealEstateMama.com
- Phone: (619) 738-0725
- Email: Celeste@TheRealEstateMama.com
- Instagram: the_realestatemama
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/realestatemama
- Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/CelesteHansen/
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
