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REALTOR®: SAMCAR Realtor of the Year Shares Thoughts about the Real Estate Market

Monday, December 10, 2007

He’s a familiar face at the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS®, and often seen at the trade group’s events with his camera in tow. As SAMCAR’s Realtor of the Year and having dealt with real estate for over 50 years, Paul Davis knows the business very well.

Raised in Seattle, Davis obtained an economics and business degree from the University of Washington before moving to California. During World War II, he served in the Pacific as a naval lieutenant aboard the cruiser “Honolulu” and the carrier “Intrepid.” He worked with W.R. Grace & Co. in off-shore timber trade prior to entering real estate in Burlingame in 1955. He began as a real estate agent for AVR Realty in Burlingame, then became a licensed real estate broker with his own office, United Property Sales, in 1958.

“Real estate is a people business. I like people. I was always sales-oriented and successful,” says Davis.

Davis proudly notes he was the first member of the San Mateo-Burlingame Board of Realtors to be awarded the Certified Member Broker of the California Real Estate Association and the coveted professional Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation.

The real estate business has changed a lot in the past five decades, says Davis. Back then, agents still used carbon copies, one-page deposit receipts, listings were relatively easy to get and agents handled all types of real estate. Today, there are more regulations, more documents to fill, technology has brought about online transactions, and agents are more specialized.

One thing has remained the same, according to Davis. “If you take the business seriously and want to be successful, real estate is hard work. That hasn’t changed. People who wanted to make money back then didn’t go into real estate. We worked 10-hour days, six days a week.”

Davis remains undaunted about what some people perceive as a market downturn. Not in San Mateo County, he claims. “Our local market is relatively stable,” he maintains. “San Mateo County is basically a suburb of San Francisco and residents here are salaried people who commute to the city. They’re not prone to layoffs. There have been a few times when the market would level off, but we haven’t had an excess of foreclosures here because the economy and people’s incomes have been stable.”

His advice to homebuyers sitting on the fence: “You’re buying a home to live in and I suggest you buy it now. The market will catch up with you, and you will find your purchase was a good investment.”

His advice to new agents: “You have to keep your nose to the grindstone, and work hard. After six months you need to evaluate yourself and see if you are qualified for this type of business. If you are, then you need to grow your business. Your business will be built by referrals, and after a few years you will be ahead. Keep a clean business with good ethics, put money aside, invest in real estate, then you can retire.”

Davis continues to be an active, well-respected Realtor and SAMCAR member today. He maintains his office in Burlingame.

The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,800 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.

For further information, please contact Julie Ziemelis, Director of Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (650) 696-8214.

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