By SARAH SHMERLING | Managing Editor
Palisadian Ali Rassekhi, a top producing sales associate Realtor with Coldwell Banker, shares about his over 20 years of experience in the field.
Sarah Shmerling: Tell me about your childhood. Where were you born and where did you grow up? What were some of your hobbies and interests as a child and teenager?
Rassekhi: I was born in Germany and lived there till I was about 10 years old. It was great living in Europe; my family and I got to travel to many different countries while there. Growing up my hobbies consisted of making model airplanes, playing a lot of chess and reading Tin Tin comics, which were very popular internationally.
Shmerling: Where did you go to college and what did you study?
Rassekhi: I went to California Lutheran University and graduated in 1992 with a degree in business administration.
Shmerling: What was your first job out of college? What led you to choose a career in real estate?
Rassekhi: My first job out of college was a marketing coordinator for a top producing real estate team in Santa Monica. Shortly after, as a couple of years went by, the more I became familiar with real estate marketing, services and sales, the more I realized this was the career I wanted to have. So in 1995, I started my business in Pacific Palisades.
Shmerling: How does your background help you when working with clients to buy or sell a home?
Rassekhi: I am educated and very in tune with our economic markets, and have a good understanding of our treasury, bond and stock markets. This knowledge is valuable as the performance of these markets directly affects our local real estate market activity, therefore allows me to give a more educated guidance to my clients. I have also held a contractor’s license for over 20 years, I have a good understanding of building standards and construction costs, which is helpful to clients who are considering building or remodeling.
Shmerling: Do you represent homes in all neighborhoods of the Palisades?
Rassekhi: Yes I do. I have listed and sold properties in The Riviera, The Huntington, Alphabet Streets, The Bluffs and, of course, a lot of view properties in the Upper Marquez Knolls.
Shmerling: Tell me about how you approach new clients who are aiming to buy or sell a home.
Rassekhi: I am in this business to provide a service, the best real estate service possible to people who are in need of this service. Therefore I have been conscious to be very sensitive to my clients’ lifestyles and needs and to educate them and guide them the best that I can but also to allow for them to exercise their expectations in the market.
Shmerling: What are some of the most memorable homes you have sold or helped a client purchase?
Rassekhi: I was a teenager during the ’80s Showtime Lakers and a huge fan of theirs. I played basketball through all of high school during that time. So when I had the opportunity to represent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in purchasing his personal residence, that one was definitely fun!
Shmerling: What are some current trends in real estate?
Rassekhi: Specific to our market place, what I have personally been experiencing is a lot of local homeowners investing in condominiums in town. This is for two reasons. One is that the rental market is very strong and loans are still relatively inexpensive, therefore it makes for a good solid investment. The second reason is that these investors are speculating that as the Caruso project completes, there will be a higher demand for these units. The other trend I have been seeing is the demand for view properties, specifically in The Upper Marquez Knolls neighborhood, where this intense demand is at its highest ever.
Shmerling: Have you lived in the Palisades? If so, for how long and in which neighborhoods? What brought you here and why do you stay?
Rassekhi: I moved to Pacific Palisades in 1995. In 1998 I was blessed to be able to purchase my home on Charmel Lane in the Marquez Knolls. So I have been a resident for over 22 years. What attracted me to the Palisades was the neighborhood feel and the panoramic city and ocean views from the hills. That inspired me to purchase my home where I did.
Shmerling: Thoughts on Caruso’s Palisades Village project?
Rassekhi: Excited! I think its wonderful for the community and especially for our kids—it will allow them local options for entertainment.
Shmerling: What do you and your family like to do for fun?
Rassekhi: We love movies! My fiancée Amanda is a writer and my son and I are big movie fans, so we love going to the movies together. We enjoy travelling to the East Coast during the year and experiencing the different climate and social events. I love playing basketball and my son—Aleksander plays on a team, so we enjoy watching his games and also playing pick up games at the rec center.
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