Tim and Karen Branoff are Honored as Recipients of the First Team Lifetime Achievement Award

Dependable, diligent, and driven, Tim and Karen Branoff have played a major role in the First Team family for over three decades. An Orange County pair of professionals, the Branoff’s have been with the agency for 35 years. Recently, Karen and Tim were awarded with the very prestigious lifetime achievement award for their unwavering dedication to real estate and First Team. 

Real Estate requires a tremendous amount of hard work and challenges in order to “break into” the industry. How did you begin building your real estate business?

Karen: Tim and I started selling in the area 35 years ago. Through open houses, door knocking and social networking, we now have a name in the area that people recognize. Consistent marketing via print ads and social media keeps our names top of mind. 85% of our business is now repeat and referral business.

How has your outlook on real estate led to your continued success? 

K: We have seen everything in the market, from recession to high points, no matter what happens, we keep working. Keeping a positive attitude and consistency are key.

Working as a pair with different approaches to work, how do you two balance each other out?

K: Tim likes to doorknock, he has an amazing memory of people, names, dogs names, boat names, houses owned . He recognizes faces in foreign locations. He once spotted a neighbor in the Madrid airport. I enjoy open houses, scheduling appointments and organizing all the events needed to make a seamless escrow for our clients. We are rarely together except when we meet with our clients for listing presentations and showings. It’s just the two of us, if a client needs something, they will hear from one of us, not a rookie from a large “team”.

With First Team being in the real estate industry for as long as it has, what was the landscape of the business when you first joined First Team? What was the main thing that made you want to join and stay with First Team?

K: When we first started, the market was really great. Interest rates were 18% but houses were selling like hotcakes. We would work the “up” desk (agents oncall at the office front desk) and get calls from buyers in front of homes wanting to buy them. Listings were printed in massive volumes that we would pick up at the Board of Realtor’s office. There were no cell phones, no gps. We would drive with a Thomas guide balanced on one knee and the MLS book balanced on the other.  Our main draw to First Team was the high level of support; from on-site managers to instructional webinars to in-house lawyers available at any time. Cam Merage is very proactive, always looking into his crystal ball and foreseeing the next trend. His support of his agents is heart-felt and interactive.

When it comes to First Team, what has made this your lifetime brokerage?

K: Tim and I believe consistent hard work is the key to success. First Team has supported us over the last 25 years.

If you could sell anyone’s house, whose would it be and why?

K: Ellen Degeneres, she is very creative and loves her houses. I’d like to know what she is up to next.

With consecutively winning the Hall of Fame Award, receiving this lifetime achievement award is just icing on the cake for Tim and Karen. If you’re interested in learning more about the Branoff team, please visit their website www.TheBranoffs.com or via phone 714.655.5719, 714.322.7997.