EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE
Christy Di Leo & Ellen Henry Executive Agents of the Month
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Christy Di Leo & Ellen Henry
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Written by Haley Freeman
hristy Di Leo is an accomplished professional woman who has excelled in three distinguished careers. From her early post as a trauma nurse, to her role as a national sales representative for critical care patient monitoring systems, to her current position as a topproducing Realtor® at Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance in Long Beach, Christy has set the standard for service excellence. Highly decorated for her achievements in medical sales, she brought her gifts for communicating and negotiating with people to real estate, where she has earned a reputation for caring and competent representation. While real estate allowed Christy to work closer to home and spend more time with her two children, it by no means manifested in a slower professional pace. It simply provided a more comfortable context for her entrepreneurial drive to flourish. “I hit the ground running and started like a determined woman,” she laughs.
“A friend of mine inspired me to get my license, and she became a mentor to me. To this day, we still meet once a week. After 13 years, I can honestly say this is a great career for me and my favorite thing I have done professionally.” In 2016, Christy was joined by her daughter, Ellen Henry. Today, this mother-daughter duo brings their collective talents to seeing clients through the real estate process with minimal worries and maximum rewards. Christy says, “Ellen is the ideal partner, and she has really helped me take it to the next level. She has had training as a volleyball player since she was 8, and she was also a collegiate athlete. It shows in her work ethic — she is always on time, and she is great about meeting goals and making sure the team succeeds. She helps to enhance the service we provide to our clients by bringing a fresh perspective to the process. Our clients love it!”
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Ellen played volleyball and earned her degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, before launching her career in the insurance industry in San Diego. She quickly advanced to management and acquired strengths as a negotiator and problem solver. Ellen recalls, “I used to help my mom in high school and college, and I knew she was incredibly great at what she did. Out of college, she didn’t immediately offer me a job. She takes what she does very seriously, and she wanted me to go out and find my way. By the end of 2015, she came to me and said, ‘Business is booming. I need a partner, and the first person who came to mind was you.’ I was incredibly touched. In my mind it meant I had proved myself to my mom. I was so lucky to grow up with a mom who, in all three of her careers, not only succeeded, but excelled. She is incredibly disciplined and dedicated, and every transaction is a big deal to her, no matter its size. She doesn’t even look at it as a transaction — she looks at creating relationships. It’s inspiring to me.” If this duo has a speciality, it is this: giving the client whatever they need. From first-time and move-up buyers, to trustee estate sales, to luxury and income property, Christy and Ellen possess the know-how and the resolve
to see every transaction through to a successful completion. “We’re committed to going the extra steps so clients get exactly what they need,” Ellen says. “Between the two of us, we can reach all generations and any type of client. I think it’s one of our greatest strengths as a team.” Christy adds, “We spend the time getting to know our clients very well before we start the real estate process. We both have a good idea of which of our strengths will serve the client best so we can bring those to the table. But all of our clients feel comfortable calling either one of us, and they can reach us both anytime they need. We touch our clients every day, even if we don’t have anything new to tell them.” While Christy and Ellen give due credit to the tremendous team of professionals that support them in delivering great service, they maintain trust by being the ones who are in front of their clients at all times. Their personal approach elevates business relationships to the status of family. “We don’t like the idea of handing our clients off to anyone else,” Christy explains. “We hold open houses, go to inspections and write requests for repairs. We are true frontline, people agents.”
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The Joy of Home In response to the high level of care they receive, clients frequently return for future transactions and refer their friends and family. They also post many enthusiastic comments about their experience working with this extraordinary team. One said: “Christy and Ellen have helped me buy two homes and sell one, and I will definitely reach out to them again when I’m ready to buy or sell. They are knowledgeable, responsive and a pleasure to work with. They will go above and beyond for their clients, and I trust their advice and opinion.” Another exclaimed, “Christy and Ellen are incredible! Though we were just clients, we felt more like family with the time and care they provided in our selling process. Both Christy and Ellen were patient, attentive and helped to walk us through the entire process. Christy helped us to both pur-
chase and sell our home, so that is a testament to the level of service she provides.” Together, Christy and Ellen take great pride in the homes they list for sale, and their reputation for turnkey homes and a trouble-free closing process means their listings are much sought after in the Long Beach and Coastal communities. “We always take time to assess each property we list,” Christy says. “We make sure they are clean and staged, and that we make it easy for buyers and their agents to make offers. Ellen brings strength in her creativity and eye for design with staging and marketing pieces. When we take a listing, we also do a little research about the area. Over the years, I’ve done research on every single neighborhood in Long Beach and have a little story about it. We like to hand those out with our marketing materials.”
Some of my Favorite Homes
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Christy and Ellen may be savvy businesswomen, but they are also having great fun introducing people to the unique homes and neighborhoods in the community where they both grew up. “Long Beach has so much character,” Ellen comments. “Real estate here is always an adventure. Every house is completely different, with so many architectural styles and neighborhoods to explore. I grew up here but didn’t know many of the areas. One of the things I love about real estate is that it allows me to be a tourist in my own city!” Their joint passion for community also manifests in an abiding commitment to giving back. Among their many affiliations are the National Charity League, Pathways for Independence and the Long Beach Museum of Art.
Christy says, “I joined the museum’s women’s group called ‘Phoenix,’ and we are bringing art to all kinds of children’s organizations. It gives them an hour of pure joy. Art is a passion I share with my son, and it is such an honor to make this available to kids of all backgrounds.” For Christy and Ellen, real estate is so much more than a transaction. Christy explains, “Our basic premise is family, and family always starts with your home. We are blessed because our home has always been joyful and happy. We want to help other families have a home where they can create a lifetime of happy memories. That’s our joy.”
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Christy Di Leo & Ellen Henry
Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance 1650 Ximeno Ave., Suite #120, Long Beach, CA 90804 Tel: 562.370.3228 - Email: ChristyDiLeo14@gmail.com - Caseycbca@gmail.com Web: http://www.christydileo.net - CalBRE #01797896 / 02000934 ExecutiveAgent Magazine