Having Fun Selling the San Diego Lifestyle This mother-son real estate team provides award-winning service to clients by means of their multi-generational perspective and shared commitment to the highest standards of professional excellence. As long-time residents of the greater San Diego area, they are passionate about their community and love selling the extraordinary coastal lifestyle that buyers from all over the world come here to experience. Charlotte began her career as a medical researcher, but spending all day sequestered in the lab did not satisfy her outgoing personality. She then became one of the first women in pharmaceutical sales, where she enjoyed a successful, 20-year career. After having her two sons, she was looking for a more flexible vocation to apply her superlative sales skills. Real estate was the perfect match for her personal talents, as well as her genuine enthusiasm for helping people find a place to call home. Brandon earned his degree in global business/economics and came back home to begin work with a real estate investment group. He oversaw both acquisitions and asset management, ensuring that properties were rehabbed within budget with quality results. When he obtained his broker’s license, Brandon decided to team up with Charlotte at Coldwell Banker. Since 2012, the twosome has leveraged their combined strengths to continue the legacy begun by Charlotte 17 years ago. R-E-S-P-E-C-T Respect is the cornerstone of their working relationship. They agree to leave personal matters outside the door and treat one another as professionals, sometimes stepping outside their office and into the conference room to converse in a more formal environment. “When we’re working, we’re not family, we’re business partners,” Brandon says. “Charlotte is one of the hardest working people I know, and she’s very honest.” “We each bring a unique perspective to our business,” Charlotte says. “We respect each other. We don’t always agree, but I respect Brandon’s education and point of view. He has a really creative way of looking at things which brings real value to our clients.” Working with two agents means that clients receive twice the service: from two generations and two different vantage points. Together, Charlotte and Brandon can relate to a broad spectrum of people and work in tandem to make the real estate experience not only seamless, but fun! Charlotte recalls the three days they spent showing properties to a couple from Chicago. “I was in the back seat with the wife, and Brandon was in the front with the husband. We were laughing the whole time. One day, Brandon saw a taco truck and said, ‘Let’s stop for fish tacos.’ These people were from the Midwest and had probably never had a fish taco, let alone from a food truck. We had a blast. We can take people we’ve never met before and, after a day or two, we all feel like family.” Charlotte began her real estate career at Coldwell Banker due to the brand’s exceptional reputation, collegial culture and superior training. She and Brandon have remained for those same reasons. Since 1998, Charlotte has been a member of the International President’s Circle, a distinction that she and Brandon now share. They were just named among the top 1000 agents nationally, and they are also designated as Previews Property Specialists – certifying them as luxury home experts. Acting Both Locally & Globally As Previews Property Specialists, Charlotte and Brandon represent a number of influential clients, many of them from overseas. All of their listings are marketed internationally and listed on the international MLS. They strive to serve these clients with the utmost respect and sensitivity to their cultural customs. Charlotte, who spent much of her childhood in Europe, speaks German and French, and even went so far as to begin learning Japanese in order to better assist a Japanese buyer. “I took a Rosetta Stone course between their buying trips,” Charlotte recalls, “and the next time they came I greeted them with several phrases in Japanese. They were so thrilled I had taken that effort.” The exclusive networking opportunities they enjoy as Previews agents further add to the preeminent service they offer. “Through these networking events, we often encounter off-market properties for our buyers or are able to sell our own listings before they’ve even hit the market,” Brandon says. This is a tremendous asset for high-profile clients whose privacy is of special concern. The Next Generation of Homeowners As Millennials are entering the home market, so are new strategies for marketing homes and meeting client expectations. Brandon speaks their language and is at ease with the technological tools that facilitate communication with clients when and how they require it. “The way they look at buying a home is different than the older generation,” he observes. “They like to communicate by text much of the time. I stay in touch with my friends from high school and college on social media, and I like being a resource to them when they have questions about real estate.” Brandon recently became a homeowner himself. “It helps me relate even more to what my clients are going through and to treat every transaction as if it were my own. It’s so important to go through every detail with them so they know what to expect. There is so much excitement and worry – especially for first-time buyers.” Home as a Haven Charlotte was raised in an Air Force family, and she spent her childhood moving from place to place in the U.S. and Europe. “Home is so important to me,” she says, “because when we moved, I had to changes schools and friends so much. But wherever we were, home was where we put our heads down, the place where there was love, family and happiness. I truly love the challenge of helping clients find a sanctuary to raise their children, play with their dogs or enjoy their retired life. We’re helping them not only find a house, but a place that fits their lifestyle.”