In early June this year, JohnHart REALTOR® Kelli Dunaway was likely experiencing a much-appreciated case of déjà vu. It’s then she received a notification from the San Gabriel Valley News that she (for the second time) had been voted a Favorite REALTOR® of the San Gabriel Valley. People from around the region sent in their votes to make official what we already knew: Kelli’s an irreplaceable asset to her clients and the industry as a whole. And every day, Kelli’s doing what she can to show her clients that they’re her favorites. She took some time out of her demanding schedule to talk about her nearly 28 years in the industry, staying connected with her community, and why she’ll never get tired of handing keys to all of her valued clients.
Did you always know you wanted to be a REALTOR®? If not, what was the main influence that guided you down this path?
Kelli Dunaway: When I was in college, real estate wasn’t on my mind. I got into sales, which I absolutely loved, and then, as the years went on, I got married and decided I wanted to have a strong career that still allowed me time to raise a family.
Coming from your sales background, what did you notice as the biggest difference in a real estate career?
KD: I don’t know that there’s actually a huge difference. For me, it’s always been about personalized service, no matter what I’m selling. With real estate, I’m actually able to give the same personalized service as I gave my clients before, but now it’s just so much bigger! Real estate is such a big sale or purchase in someone’s life that I feel like I’m doing a lot of good by being a guiding part of something so big.
Being an officially voted “favorite” means you must get plenty of repeat clients and referrals. What do you think keeps clients coming back?
KD: Again, it always comes back to personalized service for me, but that’s just what I know. A lot of my clients have become my friends after working with me. It’s important for me to keep up that relationship and continue working with people until they become an important presence in my life – they become friends! Now, after 28 years in real estate, most of my business comes from referrals because of the relationships I’ve kept with others.
“If you actually care about your clients and they can see that you want the best for them, it keeps them coming back.“
How crucial do you think repeat clients and referrals are to success in modern real estate?
KD: Well, real estate is a business, and you have to treat it like a business, but I always try to personalize it and put my heart and soul into it as much as possible. That’s what people remember. If you actually care about your clients and they can see that you want the best for them, it keeps them coming back. Recognizing that they trust you enough to refer their family and friends is huge.
This is actually your second time being voted a Favorite REALTOR® of the Year by the people of the San Gabriel Valley. What’s the secret to keeping clients consistently happy and, more importantly, staying at the top of their minds? How do you stay connected with a client after the dust has settled on a deal?
KD: It’s always been about touching base, for me. I check in with them. I make sure that everything is going smoothly after the sale. I always do a little something to celebrate their first anniversary. And, again, it always makes it a little easier when a client becomes a friend. But I also keep notes. It’s just about doing what you need to do to maintain that personal touch through the years.
Being an accessible agent can be intensely demanding. How do you effectively balance your family life while serving as your community’s favorite REALTOR®?
KD: It’s a little easier now that my children are older, so I don’t have as many demands like sports and those sorts of things. I just recognize priorities in my life, and I’m able to block out time for my clients, just like I’m able to block out time for my family. That’s always worked well for me. Or maybe I’ve been lucky! I mean, I’ll still jump up and run out to show a property if it’s a last-minute thing, but I’m usually able to block out time and plan accordingly.
“Everybody knows everybody, and that’s very important to the people of Glendora. It’s just a wonderful place to live.“
As a REALTOR® who connects with your clients in a very personal, down-to-earth way, how big of a role does technology play in the way you do business? Do you feel like advances have made things more efficient for your clients?
KD: Oh, absolutely. Well, for one, working with JohnHart is just amazing because of the custom CRM that they give us. And I have a whole team because of JohnHart! I have someone for marketing. I have someone for my paperwork, escrow, lending. They put such a big team behind us that we’re able to give our clients 110%. Social media also helps. If I’m not always able to touch base with my clients in person, they will at least see my face through social media, and I’m able to remind them of what I offer.
You work out of JohnHart’s Glendora office, which has a very special energy to it. Can you tell us a bit about what you think makes Glendora such a unique city?
KD: Oh my gosh, it’s wonderful. Even though it’s got a lot of the new big-town amenities like the huge shopping centers, Glendora manages to keep that small-town feel for one reason or another. Everybody walks or drives past Glendora Boulevard daily. Everybody knows what’s going on in Glendora, so it keeps this small-town feel. Everybody knows everybody, and that’s very important to the people of Glendora. It’s just a wonderful place to live.
You’ve been working your magic in this industry for nearly 28 years now. What do you think has changed the most about the market from the time that you started until today?
KD: Obviously, the highs and lows of real estate depend on factors like the economy, but besides the really thick contracts these days, it still just always comes back to developing personal relationships with clients, and showing them that you want what’s best for them, no matter what changes throughout the years. So, in a way, I don’t feel like much has changed!
“…I do think the California market will always be moving up in one way or another.“
With Glendora’s market being unique, do you feel it’s somehow insulated from regional market shifts, or is it susceptible to the same challenges despite the smaller-town feel?
KD: I think Glendora’s market is naturally susceptible to the same challenges. But the nice thing about real estate in Glendora is that it’s one of those neighborhoods that people really want to live in. So, despite market craziness, you’ll always find people needing to move away, maybe even out of the state, but you’ll also always find people wanting to move in for the Glendora schools or the small-town feel or any number of reasons. I think people will always want to live in Glendora.
What advice would you give someone considering buying a home in the San Gabriel Valley?
KD: Right now, the market in the San Gabriel Valley is shifting a lot. For buyers, that’s really nice because we’re starting to see more inventory, and that’s huge because it gives buyers more choices. For those looking for a home in the San Gabriel Valley right now, I think it’s definitely a good time because you’ll find so much more on the market. We’re just so blessed to live here.
Would that even extend to first-time homebuyers?
KD: Absolutely!
What does the future of the San Gabriel Valley housing market look like?
KD: The future looks great. We live in California, so whether you’re buying or selling, there’s never a perfect time. It’s just when you’re ready. But I do think the California market will always be moving up in one way or another.
“…no matter how many times it happens, I’ll always see the moment I hand a first-time buyer the keys to their home as a high point…”
Do you have any advice for someone considering or just beginning their real estate career?
KD: You have to treat it as a business, but also make sure that you really love what you do and really care about your clients.
Do you have any transactions or moments that you personally consider a career high point?
KD: I recently helped someone sell the home she grew up in. She’d come to the hard decision of moving her mom into assisted living. Later, she sent me a note, saying, “You helped make the impossible life event of selling my mom’s beloved home fast and seamless. I always knew you had my mom’s best interest at heart.” It’s a thank-you note like this that reminds me of why I love what I do so much! But no matter how many times it happens, I’ll always see the moment I hand a first-time buyer the keys to their home as a high point too. Same with that moment you work with a couple who need more bedrooms because they just had their second kid. The moment they find the perfect house is just magic. It’s all about making clients happy and seeing the joy when they realize they’ve accomplished something so huge to better their lives. Those are the best moments.
Now that you’ve been voted a Favorite REALTOR® of the San Gabriel Valley (again), where do you go from here?
KD: I’m already doing what I love every day, so I’m going to keep doing it! But I’m so grateful to receive this award, and I want to thank my clients who took the time to vote for me. It means so much to me, and I can’t even fully express how much I appreciate each and every one of them!
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
