EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE
Executive Agent of the Month
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onna Nazir is the dynamic broker-owner who has poured her heart and soul into The Skye Group, Inc. and Sierra Hills Escrow. She has created a boutique real estate experience that breaks with corporate convention to deliver service that is tailored to the unique needs, circumstances and goals of each individual client.
That professional experience taught Donna to be a good listener, a skill that has served her well in her real estate career. “I left the security of a stable income, retirement plan and great benefits to follow my heart. I went from helping people find the right fit for their careers to helping them find the right home and solutions to their real estate needs.” As a rookie agent working with RE/MAX, Donna surpassed her own goals, earning the 100% Club Award and the Platinum Club Award during her first and second years with the company.
Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer
Donna personifies the American Dream. When she was three years old, she and her family arrived on American soil from Cuba in the care of the U.S. Coast Guard after nearly being lost at sea in a frail vessel crossing the Atlantic in storm conditions. “One of the reasons my mom and dad made that crazy journey across the Atlantic to bring us here is that they wanted us to live what is in our hearts.” Donna has lived her life and career in keeping with that wish. She brings her infec-
tious warmth and enthusiasm to every enterprise. Donna describes her first career as a corporate recruiter, “I dealt with people in a really exciting part of life, when they were getting to know the company and had a glow in their eye.”
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ExecutiveAgent Magazine
In 2007, Donna took another monumental career leap when she obtained her broker’s license and opened The Skye Group. “If you tell me what time it is, I’m eventually going to wonder how the clock is built. My next natural step was to become a broker. I realized that it meant more responsibility, more compliance and more training, but I wanted to be held to that higher standard.” Donna has strategically built a people-focused culture where every client is made to feel like they are the only client. She remains a producing broker who works handson with buyers and sellers. “I want the company to retain its small, boutique feel. I take a consultative approach with my clients – there is no cookie cutter method because every family and every house is different. The client and I decide what strategy is best for them, rather than doing what a corporation has dictated to us.” Donna observes that in recent years, reality television has presented an unrealistic image of the real estate industry. “My client is the star, not the Realtor®. My longterm goal is to continue to put the client first no matter how big we get. My clients are not a number. I know them, their children and their parents by name. I never want to lose that.” Donna has assembled a team of like-minded professionals who share her vision for customer service. While she remains the main point of contact and master negotiator, her executive assistant and buyers’ agents help to ensure that everyone’s needs are met with the highest standard of care. The fact that Donna opened her doors at the beginning of the housing crisis is a testament to both her tenacity and precocity. “By the time I had my corporation and broker’s
license in place, the industry melted right before my eyes. It was an extremely humbling experience that taught me what I’m made of and to be more resourceful than ever. I sat in the living rooms of many families in pain, and by the time they contacted me, there were usually no easy answers. I did what I could to give them peace of mind so that they could walk away with dignity. Part of the plan was to give them hope. I negotiated short sales instead of foreclosures, and got them into a rental with a two-year plan to rebuild – the goal was to make better decisions the next time.” Donna continues to apply the lessons learned in those difficult times, “I don’t want my clients to be house poor. Sometimes I have to tell a family, ‘This is not the house for you. You will not see your wife if you buy this house because you will have to pick up every extra shift. That is not where you want to be five years from now.’ It is so easy in our society to get distracted by all the shiny objects, but spending all that a lender says you qualify for may not allow you to take trips, spend time with your family or pursue the hobbies you enjoy. I think one of the lessons of the crash is that less is more.” Many of Donna’s family and friends are police officers, firefighters, and military personnel. As a result, she provides them with special care when helping them with their housing needs. “My parents instilled in us a strong love for this country, and I still believe we live in the greatest nation on Earth. I have great respect for the hard-working men and women who give back through their service, and I understand the complexity of shift work and the sacrifices that families make to support those who work in these careers. I do all I can to make a home transaction go as smoothly as possible for them.”
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Donna often assists military personnel who are stationed abroad and trying to buy a home for their family. “There are times when the entire family is waiting for me at the airport and they have 48 hours to find a house. There is no time for mistakes, and there has to be a back-up plan. When a family is interested in a house, I personally call the listing agent and tell them the story. People bend over backwards to help. These men and women give so much – they are literally leaving a little piece of themselves out there every time they go.” Donna’s vitality is appreciated by numerous professional associations where she is an active member. Recently, she was sworn in as president of the Rancho Cucamonga chapter of the National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses. In 2014, Donna received the Community Service Award from the Citrus Valley Association of Realtors® for her outstanding work as the co-founder of Rena’s Dresses, a non-profit organization that provides prom attire to disadvantaged young women and has grown to provide
tuxedo vouchers for boys and college scholarships. “The foundation was started in honor of my niece who passed away as an infant. It started with 5 dresses from my closet and year-to-date we have over 2000 dresses in inventory. Prom is a milestone in a young lady’s life, and it’s amazing to watch their self-esteem rise before your eyes.” Donna has two daughters of her own whom she describes as “dynamic little girls who are turning out to be really cool people. Sometimes we just love being together and laughing until our stomachs hurt.” “Your character is defined by what you do when nobody is looking. My mother is the strongest woman I know, and she taught me that Jesus is the greatest example of how a human being should live. His life is the ruler I use to measure myself and the way I treat my clients. I want them to say, ‘Donna’s got this. Let’s just go to sleep.’”
ExecutiveAgent Magazine
Donna Nazir
The Skye Group, Inc. Rancho Cucamonga, CA Tel: 310-339-0688 Donna@theskyegroupinc.com www.TheSkyeGroupInc.com CalBRE # 01420796 ExecutiveAgent Magazine