ALLISON GELBRICH-DOWNING

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

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Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

llison Gelbrich-Downing’s path to the American Dream is a unique one. Born in Seoul, Korea, Allison was adopted by an American couple, Ron and Peggy Gelbrich, when she was 5 years old. “I feel very blessed,” she says. “I adore my parents and brothers, and I feel so fortunate to have them as my family.”

Allison grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska - the “Salmon Capital of the World” - where her father worked his way

up to an executive position in the lumber industry. It was a close-knit island community governed by a strong work ethic and traditional family values. But Allison, who was always known to her family as strong-willed and persistent, had plans to leave the island for a big city in a warmer climate. While her two brothers took the more conventional route to college, Allison blazed her own trail, one that took her first to Arizona, and ultimately to Southern California.

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She achieved a management position at a telecom company in San Diego, where many of her clients were Realtors®. Allison was inspired by the idea of helping people achieve the American Dream, and obtained her real estate license in 2006. When she relocated to Temecula to be with her future husband, Allison faced the challenge of launching her career in a place where she had no sphere of influence. But true to her character, she accepted the challenge with fearlessness and a sense of adventure. She began her career at Century 21, where she proved a consistent top producer and earned an array of the company’s most prestigious awards.

In 2017, Allison was ready for the next challenge. She joined Big Block Realty, an innovative new firm recognized as one of the country’s fastest-growing privately owned real estate companies by “Inc.” magazine. Big Block Realty’s young, dynamic leadership and tech-driven, entrepreneurial business model is commanding the attention of the real estate world and raising the bar on the competition. Big Block Realty is now opening its fourth office location in Temecula.

Joining forces with this bold new agency has reignited

Allison’s passion for real estate and given her fresh tools and resources that enhance her service and bolster her brand. “Over time, I came to see more value in advertising and marketing myself and my own brand. I realized clients were working with me for me, not necessarily for my broker. I was looking to step up my game with more marketing and a stronger online presence. I saw what this company was doing with its cutting edge technology and wealth of training opportunities, and I wanted to be a part of it.”

Allison’s top-producer status earned her a place in Big Block Realty’s mastermind group, made up of the company’s top five percent of agents. She recently returned from the first of two annual mastermind retreats. “We brainstorm, share ideas and talk about our big wins and big challenges. We also have amazing guest speakers. Our owners, Sam, Oliver and Spencer, travel around the country and talk with a lot of successful business people - in and out of the industry - about ways to market and build business. I think I learned more in two-and-a-half days than in the last five years of my career. I’m always open to learning new things, and it’s exciting to be working with a company that is defining where real estate is going in the future and how to market.”

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One of the many things Allison’s clients love about working with her is this: when they hire her, they get her. “I don’t have a team of assistants or buyers’ agents.

I’m hands-on and my clients’ main point of contact from start to finish. I think all my clients ask me if I ever sleep, because I always respond to them, even if it’s 11:00 at night. There is nothing more important than communication in a real estate transaction. If I’m awake and someone sends me a text or email because they’re worrying about something, I’d rather reply and put their mind at ease so they can get a good night’s sleep.”

Allison’s happy clients frequently refer their friends and family or share their experiences online. One said: “I knew I had chosen the right real estate professional when Allison returned my call within five minutes of leaving a message. It was very important to me to select a responsive professional Realtor® because I was trying to sell

a house in California while remaining in my home state 3,000 miles away. I couldn’t have been happier with Allison, who handled everything from interacting with my tenants to hiring contractors to fix anything that needed fixing, to showing prospective buyers the house when their Realtor® could not be present. All this took place with me miles away and with frequent, reliable communication with Allison. She is a joy to work with, and I highly recommend her.”

Another shared: “Allison Gelbrich-Downing did a fantastic job selling our home! She gave us a lot of valuable advice and put a ton of effort into marketing our home. She did professional photos and video, high quality color flyers and plenty of online marking. All of her hard work and advice paid off, and we received multiple offers within two days! We highly recommend Allison and will be using her to help us find a new home!”

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Allison has also developed strong relationships with her network of industry affiliates, creating a cycle of goodwill that helps her deliver unparalleled service to her clients at every stage of a transaction. “Service doesn’t stop with my clients; it includes everybody I deal with - escrow and title reps, lenders and other agents. I think of my affiliates as my team, and when I refer my clients to them, I want to do so with confidence. The way to do that is to treat them with professionalism, kindness and communication, as well. So many times, a seller has accepted my client’s offer because I’ve worked with the listing agent before, and they knew the transaction would go smoothly through close of escrow.”

Real estate offers Allison an opportunity to build community in the neighborhoods where she does business.

Every year, she sponsors a pet food drive benefiting Animal Friends of the Valleys and a holiday food drive for

the Temecula Community Mission of Hope. Her greatest motivation to succeed remains her family, and she describes herself as the “bonus mom” to her husband’s four sons. “I’ve been in their lives since they were little, and they are all adults now. I think coming from an adoptive family and not my biological one, helps me relate to them as a step-parent.”

Allison has found purpose in helping others achieve the American Dream. “It means a lot to me to help people fulfill that dream, since I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to achieve it myself. My goal is to create a positive experience for everyone in a real estate transaction. I’m the person who will be with you for every step of the process, and I’ll be your advocate from start to finish.”

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Allison Gelbrich-Downing

Big Block Realty 27450 Ynez Rd., Suite 316, Temecula, CA 92591 Tel: 951.710.0382 - Email: Allison@homesbyallison.org Web: www.HomesByAllison.org - CalBRE # 01885775 ExecutiveAgent Magazine