STEVE OSBORNE

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Steve Osborne Executive Agent of the Month

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Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

Steve Osborne

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teve Osborne has spent his 27-year career in real estate helping others get what they want. It is a life in harmony with a philosophy he learned many years ago from Napoleon Hill, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

Today, Steve is a top-producing Realtor® with the number one selling real estate brand in California, First Team. His breadth of real estate wisdom, derived from his expertise in resale, new home sales and real estate auctions, gives his clients a decided edge. But it is his passion for bringing people together to manifest their dreams that makes him phenomenal at his craft.

While he was in college studying psychology, Steve was influenced by his aunt and uncle, who were successful real estate professionals. He altered course, earned an associate’s degree in real estate, and then went to work for an office in Riverside. He put a house in escrow during his first week, and by the end of his first month, he had lined up a few more.

As a hungry young agent, he welcomed opportunities more seasoned agents rejected, and developed a niche that would resonate throughout his career. “My first real estate job was in a little office with six agents in an old, converted house,” Steve remembers. “My broker had a buddy who built spec homes, and he gave our office the exclusive listings. The others weren’t interested in sitting on those new homes, but I was. A big part of what I do now is working with homebuilders.”

When the market experienced a significant downturn in the early ‘90s, Steve adapted by going to work with real estate auction group Kennedy Wilson. “We worked primarily with new home builders who had standing inventory when the market died. We would come in and market the property for about four weeks, and then hold an auction and sell 15 to 20 million dollars’ worth of property in an hour. Then I would go out and resell properties that fell out of escrow from auction.”

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Succeeding by Helping Others to Succeed Steve became a manager, doing everything from hiring and training agents, to planning auction events, to directing the auction process. He went on to work in new home sales for builders Kaufman Broad and Centex Homes, as well as Capital Pacific Homes, where he had the opportunity to represent luxury properties.

After the market cycled yet again, Steve established himself with First Team, where he found a forward thinking, tech savvy real estate culture. This was a place where he could leverage cutting edge industry tools with his wideranging experience to more efficiently and elegantly help his clients succeed.

“I am a Techy” A self-proclaimed techy, Steve is energized by working in an environment where technology is driving bigger, better service. He teaches classes at First Team, where he helps other agents learn to use the company’s tools and innovations to run their real estate business. “I was already paperless when I started here, and I love that First Team has a platform where I can be paperless. I’m always

walking around with an iPad, and I have clients e-sign everything possible. It makes it easy for people to work with me. I don’t waste time making copies. It has set me free.”

Steve has the answers in his hands at all times, and from anywhere in the world, he can provide clients with upto-the-minute information, photos and vital documents.

Further, his proficiency with technology has solidified his relationships with local homebuilders, who have come to rely upon his responsiveness and efficiency. He is a regular consultant and listing agent for Pardee and Brookfield, for whom he diplomatically manages the divide between the resale and builder markets.

Steve also participates in a mastermind group with First Team’s founder, Cameron Merage, and enjoys being part of a company where there is ongoing collaboration. It is a progressive environment where ideas are welcome. “I can have a meeting with the owner of the company, and he waives his hand and something is changed,” Steve says.

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According to Steve, if he isn’t five steps ahead of everyone else in the crowd, he’s behind. He was using aerial drones when people still thought of them as military toys, and he is a pioneer of digital staging.

Steve had a client from a major tech company. The client had two properties in wine country that were previously listed with three other agents, and they hadn’t sold. “I sold him on a whole different idea,” Steve explains. “First Team was one of the first companies to have a really cool international luxury marketing program for sellers through Luxury Portfolio. One of his properties was about 6,000 square feet, and it would have cost a couple thousand dollars a month to stage it. So instead, I had it professionally shot and then sent the pictures to have them digitally staged. They added everything: furnishings, throw rugs and plants. Then we had professional boards made with the photos and set them on easels in each room so buyers could see how they would look furnished. We got top dollar for the listing, and now I use digital staging for all kinds of things.”

Digital staging is a big asset when listing new, vacant homes. “An empty room just doesn’t get your imagination

going. These photos help people to imagine what a property could look like if they lived there. It’s just like what builders do when they design their models.”

In another scenario, a seller had a car sitting in the driveway that wasn’t running. “The guy I use is a magician, and he got rid of the car in the photos. It was seamless.”

Steve is also sure to disclose when a property has been digitally staged, so that there is no confusion on the part of the buyer.

Room to Grow No matter how many years he is in the business, Steve is always seeking opportunities to hone his professional abilities. He has invested in coaching with the Tom Ferry organization, and his current mentor, Don Jacks, is helping him reach the next milestone in his personal and professional development.

Steve is also growing his real estate team. He has added a buyer’s agent, DeeAnn Slife, and is looking to build a larger, creative family who share his commitment to helping people.

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Steve’s parents have always been his greatest supporters, ever since his earliest years when his life’s ambition was to become a “master of time, space and dimension.” And like his father, Steve says he is “never stuck for words.

Like him, I’ve done a lot of public speaking. I was on the radio a lot last year, on the Bloomberg Radio Network, doing real estate analysis once or twice a week.” Steve has a gift for finding the spotlight. He was in a rock-n-roll band for many years, and his gregarious nature makes real estate an ideal fit.

ways encourage them to buy if they can. Real estate differs from stocks because it is tangible. They have to live somewhere, and they can either pay their own mortgage, or pay someone else’s.”

Steve recently received some sound financial advice: “If it flies, floats, or rolls, rent it. Buy real estate.”

“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

Sometimes, Steve’s advice to a client is to wait. Real estate is his only career. He will still be there when the market is more favorable, or when the client has a more compelling reason to move. And because his clients know that, they always call Steve first.

“No matter what the economy is doing, people still need a place to live. Most of the people I work with are families, not investors. They are looking for a home. I al-

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Steve Osborne

First Team Real Estate 200 South Main Street, Suite 100 Corona, CA 92882 Tel: 951-313-1439 Email: AgentSteveOsborne@gmail.com Web: www.HomeFindersEdge.com CalBRE # 01052687

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