GAIL ANDERSON

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Gail Anderson Executive Agent of the Month

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Gail Anderson Helping Your Family Make History Written by H. K. Wilson

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hen you meet Gail Anderson, award-winning broker/agent in Anaheim, it is immediately evident that for her, real estate is more than a job — it’s a passion. In particular, Gail’s passion centers on the restoration of historic homes, a specialty for which she has become known as an area authority. She is the recipient of three Anaheim Beautiful awards, a Woman of the Year award from the California Assembly for her work in historic preservation, and an award from the Anaheim Historical Society for her efforts in the preservation of Anaheim’s history.

Gail studied sociology at UC Berkeley in the 1960s, an experience she says influenced her enduringly progressive spirit. She began her career as a social worker for 12 years, then after adopting her son, she wanted to be home with him, so she began producing custom draperies in her garage. Her creative talents and entrepreneurial drive eventually resulted in two successful retail stores. Gail took her design career to the next level as a custom design con-

sultant for several major retailers, before she was recruited to the real estate industry as a mortgage lender. She soon became a top producer known as “The Gailinator” by her peers. Finally, Gail turned her creative flair and love of people to real estate sales.

Gail discovered the Anaheim Colony Historic District totally by accident. She was doing a mortgage for a client on a home that was located in the Colony, and saw the photos of the house in the appraisal. She was surprised to see how lovely this historic home was for such an affordable price, so she drove to Anaheim to see the house in person. Not only was the house lovely, but so was the neighborhood. She began driving the neighborhood daily to acquaint herself with available homes. She found a jewel of a home in the heart of the Colony, and she purchased that home with her 91 year old Dad, and her passion for historic homes began! That was 20 years ago.

She states “It was total luck to discover the Colony District of Anaheim. It’s a beautiful neighborhood, and everyone opened their arms to us. It is truly the most bonded community I’ve ever lived in.”

In 2003, Gail and her soon to be husband, Eric, purchased an investment home in the area, a dilapidated 1910 Craftsman bungalow that had been converted into a fourplex in the 1940s. With consultation from another Realtor® and mentor, Barbara Gonzalez, they created a stunning home from a neighborhood eyesore, winning the first in a series of Anaheim Beautiful awards. They went on to buy the two adjoining properties, and soon that block was changed from blight to beautiful.

For more than a decade, Gail has been in the business of bringing the past to life by helping others purchase, refurbish and sell these one-of-a-kind properties. She says, “I’ve learned so much about how to salvage and restore the original features and bring them back to life. I love homes with character.”

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Gail describes herself as a “roll-up-your-sleeves kind of agent” who has both the know-how and the willingness to get her hands dirty helping her clients breathe new life into a declining home. “The first time I walk through a house I make notes on what needs to be done to make the home shine. I create a punch list of what I can

do myself and what needs to be hired out. I have enough experience to know things like when the floor needs to be refinished, how much it will cost and what it will add to the value of the home. And I have an amazing list of craftsmen to call on who are skilled and reliable when it comes to restoring these historic gems.”

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BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE Eric is Gail’s partner in historic home restoration. “He is a mechanical engineer by trade, but also an incredibly creative landscaper. He’s been collecting exotic plants for 40 years. Together, we can transform the landscaping of a listing without making it an expensive proposition for my client.”

By way of example, Gail, Eric and family helped a neighbor rehab a remarkable Anaheim home that had fallen into disrepair and was in danger of foreclosure.

In just weeks, they had cleaned, repaired and restored the home, attracting more than 200 eager visitors to a much-anticipated open house. The seller was delighted when a bidding war resulted in six competing offers, driving the sale price to more than $700,000! In the end, the home achieved a record-breaking appraisal, and the grateful seller made back 11 times her rehab investment.

That seller wrote Gail a note that said “Who would have thought a few months ago that this could be happening?

Talk about God and you moving in wondrous ways! I’m speechless and happy! Thank you for everything that you, your family, and all of your crew who worked so hard on the house accomplished. You made this happen! I’m so grateful.”

Gail provides the same enthusiastic attention to buyers, using her expertise to help them identify the ideal home for their budget and lifestyle. “For buyers, I search tirelessly, and I know how to negotiate a contract. I’m not afraid to reach for the moon.”

For Gail, preserving Orange County’s rich architectural heritage is an enterprise that never gets old. She has served on the Anaheim Historic Preservation Committee for 15 years.“Making a home shine is a joy for me no matter the age of the home or where it is. But what I love most is making people’s dreams come true.”

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Gail Anderson

Inet Realty, Inc. Tel: 714.343.7531 Email: gail@gailandersonhomes.com Web: http://www.gailandersonhomes.com DRE #01255505 ExecutiveAgent Magazine