One more Wednesday, one more Get to Know Your Agent blog! Our fourth edition of this blog series brings you: Alvaro Ortiz. Alvaro is known professionally for being the “King” of referrals, thanks to his strong networking skills and acute knowledge of the area. In the Escazu office, however, he is known for his sense of humor. A renowned golfer, aviation enthusiast, and skillful agent, today’s interview shows us a side of Alvaro we probably did not know.
Here it is:
1. What was your dream job as a child?
My dream job as a child was to be an airline or private pilot. I remember as a child, running to the yard every time I heard an airplane, and my mom always kept my drawings that illustrated airplanes.
2. Why did you decide to become a real estate agent?
It was an awesome coincidence! Working as director of golf in Westin Conchal at the end of 2000, a cousin of mine called me since he had a beachfront property measuring about 40 hectares in Guanacaste that he wanted to sell. As I obviously had no expertise in real estate, I referred him to a personal friend, Bob Davey, who has an office in Playa Flamingo that ended up finding a buyer, and I was awarded a 6-figure referral fee. The next day, I resigned and started learning more about real estate!
3. What do you love most about being a real estate agent?
The opportunities to meet new people, explore amazing properties, and get to know my country better. Being in this business is pure joy. The most important thing about this and my success in the business is the trust and confidence that I have generated through the years with sellers or buyers who call me and know my ethics, moral values, professionalism, and transparency. This also has to do with the leadership that I have from Scott and Todd Cutter; their professionalism, skills, and deal-making mentality, along with their unquestionable ethical and moral values, are awesome conditions for me to develop as an efficient agent.
4. What is the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge in this business has been working with sellers who understandably believe that their property is worth more than what market conditions are indicating. Our job is to educate sellers with market conditions, comparables, tendencies, and our experience in order to dictate the ideal price to go on the market. We always try to maximize sale prices, but at the same time, it has to have absorption, and if not, we have failed as real estate advisors.
5. What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
As every transaction has a certain level of complexity, reaching the ultimate goal at closing is extremely rewarding, not only for me financially but for the seller and buyer. We all share the joy of reaching our objectives.
6. What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I watch sports on TV, play golf, spend time in my flight simulator, and enjoy dinner with friends and family.
7. If you did not live in Costa Rica, where would you want to be?
Maui, Hawaii amazing golf courses, weather, quality of life, good seafood and sushi, and awesome landscaping.
8. What is your most ambitious goal in life?
Retire when the time is right, having real estate investments that pay for my everyday needs!
Remember to tune in every Wednesday to find out who will be featured next in our blog series.
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