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Sheila Santwani Real Estate in 5 Useful Answers

[Music] So, my background is actually in optics. Um, I have a degree in it and I spent about 25 years in the photonics industry managing high-profile uh jobs and doing product management. Um, back in 2012, we did a modest remodel to our home and I realized that I loved the entire process. I loved that the construction world allowed me to mix my uh problem-solving skills and my creative side. After that, I started became I started investing in um in real estate and continued to stay in the real estate industry as an investor. Um, I got my license and I was primarily focused on doing transactions for myself. Um, after I got my license, I did a few transactions for my network and I realized I absolutely love being a realtor. I loved helping my buyers and sellers transact with and make their real estate dreams come true. So, you know, over the years, my business has grown mostly through word of mouth, and here I am today. One of my favorite books is called The Slight Edge. It's by Jeff Olsen. Um, and it's all about the power of small and consistent actions that we can take and how they compound over time. The idea is that the simple daily tasks that we do, the choices that we make that are easy to do and just as easy not to do, they don't seem to be a big deal in the beginning. There's really not much of a discernible difference between the between what you're doing and what you're not doing. But over time, they make all the difference. They either lead you to a path of success or of failure. Um breakthroughs don't happen suddenly. Neither do collapses. It's really a result of tiny choices adding up over time. So I've applied this philosophy to both my personal and my business life. I whenever I'm tempted to skip doing a task, um like working out, I ask myself, you know, am I okay with giving up the compound interest for the day? And that little reminder gets me back on track and stay disciplined throughout. So, I found that to be a very powerful book. So, most realtors like being listing agents and selling homes for their clients, and I enjoy that, too. But what I really love is being a buyer's agent. I think it's there's something about the challenge of finding my clients their perfect home is really rewarding. Like when they walk in and they instantly fall in love with the home and they have to have that home and me getting that, helping them get that is really what brings the satisfaction for me. Um I work a lot with first-time home buyers and when we start the journey I see how unsettled they are. There's just there's a lot of uncertainty about whether they can afford to buy a home or not or whether they should. And then once they are in their home that they love, they're in the right place. There's a shift. They are much more at ease. They are ready to put down roots. They're ready to perhaps start their family. They're much more engaged in the community. Um, and they're just overall enjoying life more. And I think being part of that journey, seeing that transformation, that's what keeps me going. So early on in my real estate career, I think it was one of my first few transactions that I did. I was representing an all-cash international buyer. Um, and so on paper, it looked like a very straightforward deal. It was a 7-day close. There was a tenant in the property, but he had agreed to move out before the closing. Um, and you know, everything looked great until we got closer into the uh closer towards the closing date and we found out that the tenant has actually filed a lawsuit against the seller and was refusing to vacate the property. So, this easy deal kind of turned into a mess. Um, we had to get the legal team involved. Um, I was making late-night phone calls to my clients overseas, updating him and honestly kind of trying to keep him calm. Um, it was a very tense transaction because we really didn't know what was going to happen. Um, and what end, what should have been a really quick transaction ended up taking a month and a half. But when I finally got my buyer into his home, he was very grateful and he told me, you know, I honestly didn't realize that these things can happen, and I don't think that it would have been possible without you keeping everything under control. Um, and what I learned from that, what stuck with me, was that I realized that most buyers and sellers really have no idea how much can go wrong in a transaction. There are two sides to a transaction, and you can control your side, but you are at the mercy of the other party as well. You're at the mercy of their agents, their sellers, and unexpected surprises that can happen on the other side. So, a lot can happen, and my job is to guide my clients through all of it, no matter what. Um, and it's in these tricky moments that you can really tell the difference between a good agent and a great one. The one that's going to keep the deal together and get the clients to the finish line. So, it was it was a great learning transaction for me pretty early in my career that I always remember. So, there are a lot of real estate agents as you know in our area. Um, I feel what really sets me apart from others is my construction background and my analytical mindset. Uh, when I'm representing the sellers, I'm able to guide them. I don't just list their home. I'm able to guide them on what changes they can make that are going to really resonate with the buyers and get them the highest price. And on the flip side, when I'm representing buyers, I'm able to that I dive deep into the disclosures with them, identify any red flags that they could possibly have with the property, and also, you know, really understand what is important and what's not in the disclosure packet. I find it's very overwhelming for most people to know what's a big deal and what's not a big deal, and I really help break them down for them. Um, and sometimes when they find this home, it's got great bones, the home, but it doesn't have the right finishes and it doesn't have the right layout. So, having designed spaces for 10 years or so, I'm able to help them envision the space, help them understand what the cost impact is going to be, and then when they're actually ready to do the work, I set them up with all my, you know, my network of architects and contractors and um, and painters and all of that that they can actually get the work done. Um, the second thing that I do that I think differentiates me is that having worked in the high-tech industry for so long, I have a very data-driven mindset, and I dive deep into the comps for my clients. If we have to overbid in a situation, I will quantify the risk for them. I'll help them understand, you know, at what point will they be able to come out of that overbidding situation and and catch up with the market. Um, for my investor clients, I calculate cap rates and help them assess the rental situation and appreciation projections. So, my goal is to equip my clients with all the data that they need so they can make confident, informed decisions about their real estate process.