There are two things I love most about real estate: How much I get to help my clients, and how my practice utilizes my IQ skills, as well as my EQ skills (more commonly referred to as emotional intelligence) that I’ve derived through my educational experiences. Both Berkeley Law School (f.k.a. Boalt Hall) and the Stanford Graduate School of Business provided me with distinct tools that allow me to best represent my clients.

Berkeley Law School taught me to think critically and consider all alternatives. As a result, I have been able to offer a world-class buying experience to my clients through the innovative incorporation of the following:

1. DeLeon Realty's brokerage model mirrors that of elite law firms. Drawing on my background from the major international law firm Wilson Sonsini, I have seamlessly incorporated “white-shoe” law firm efficiency into our own innovative, client-centric approach, which has revolutionized the real estate industry.
   
   Other traditional brokerages are composed of commission-based independent contractors acting as agents. These agents do not have formal training in the professional trades important to clients, and consequently they become jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none. 
   
   Conversely, DeLeon’s team of salaried specialists provides much greater expertise and economies of scale, allowing us to pass along these benefits to our clients. For example, the Buyers I represent on our listings each have their own agent advocating for them, get access to our designers and construction consultant, and can use our moving truck, all for a total cost of 3%.
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2. My expertise in negotiations comes from both professional training at Berkeley, Stanford and Harvard, as well as extensive practical experience from representing many hundreds of buyers in their home purchases. Through this experience, I have mastered the art of the deal and overcome zero sum issues. As an experienced negotiator, I have learned to leave a little for the other side and to highlight what we offer them in the negotiation, so that even while my clients come out on top, both parties walk away satisfied.  
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3. California has the nation’s highest capital gains tax rate, which provides great incentives for tax-efficient deal structuring. Michael and I use our legal expertise in tax law and estate planning to structure agreements that can lower capital gains taxes and related tax costs, while enhancing the other deal benefits. Although these techniques are commonly used by attorneys to help their clients, many Realtors® are unaware of these tools and opportunities—often leaving considerable money on the table. By way of example, we recently put together a win-win structure that utilized seller financing, which lowered the seller’s tax burden while helping the Buyer get a slightly lower mortgage rate.  
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4. Being a lawyer with training from world-class institutions, and having experience at one of the nation’s most elite law firms, I developed an intense work ethic inside me that I carry forward to this day. At Wilson Sonsini, I regularly worked 75 hours per week, always being available to our clients at all hours. Whereas many in real estate fail due to a lack of self-discipline, the work ethic I honed in the intense environment of Wilson Sonsini allows me to be fully available day or night to my buyers.
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5. My legal background is arguably the best background for real estate. With my expertise, I can help clients with many legal issues such as deciphering planning ordinances, helping explore SB 9 lot subdivisions, or Prop 19 transfers of their property tax basis. Unlike any other brokerage of which I am aware, all of our in-house legal services are complimentary for our clients. 
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6. While I enjoyed law school, I loved business school! My classmates at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business were as brilliant as my Berkeley Law classmates, but in addition to IQ, they also had exceptional EQ skills. The following insights were honed during my time at Stanford:
   • The ability to deeply analyze the market and individual homes. With a greater understanding of all factors impacting valuation, I can really calculate my thoughts on the ideal time to purchase a property and where the greatest deals can be found. Through data science, I am able to find out what variables most correlate with a great deal, and use that information to obtain homes below market value for my clients.
   • Additionally, I have learned powerful, quantitative programs that help me forecast trends to accurately predict which areas will see the most appreciation.
   • In business school, the focus was on solving pain points to provide value to clients. At DeLeon Realty, our VP of Development Matt Griffis helps our clients on a complimentary basis to orchestrate their remodel. We also have interior designers on staff to help our clients further improve their homes. DeLeon’s integrated team has varied strengths, providing solutions to nearly any issue a client may encounter. 

One final and considerably large benefit is the trusted relationships that I tend to instantly form with Stanford and Berkeley alumni. While my formal education is likely over, I will forever be a life-long learner, and the knowledge that I have gained from law and business school allows me to continually grow and assist my clients with every facet of purchasing a home. 

A better education, stronger work ethic, more experience, and a highly client-centric business model focused exclusively on Buyers has positioned me to be the best option for any Silicon Valley Buyer.  Meet with me in person, or chat with my teammate Alex, a trained California real estate attorney and elite Buyer’s Agent, to understand why I am the only Silicon Valley Agent ever ranked as the Number One (#1) real estate agent in the United States, as published in the Wall Steet Journal by Real Trends.