Today we’d like to introduce you to Yana Beranek.
Hi Yana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to the United States over 15 years ago with my daughter to pursue a better future for myself and my family after living under the soviet regime in my youth and later experiencing governmental instability in the 90s. Today, I am an experienced Real Estate industry professional, a mom, a dog lover and a founder of Beranek Realty Group.
I support strong community values and actively participate in my Russian-speaking population. In light of recent events, I have been helping many immigrants from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus find homes in the United States that came here due to war. I feel compassion for those who had to leave their homes in yearnings to find a safer place. I help many families daily and assist them with any relocation needs.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I didn’t become a successful real estate agent overnight. My path was rather winding. When I lived in Russia, I was an optics store owner. Since I had experience in entrepreneurship, when I arrived in Los Angeles, I tried various career paths, including being a restaurant owner and working in the fashion industry. It was later when I got involved with real estate by becoming an investor.
It has been a bumpy road. Any realtor, including me, feels unemployed whenever they sell a house. We have to look for new clients constantly. In the beginning, it was especially rough to get clients because I was a new agent. As time passed by – I received more referrals. However, in Real Estate, you never know what will come next. It is an unstable and unpredictable job. The time you wait for a new client is always the most stressful because there’s no timeline estimate of how long you will have to wait. It’s all a part of the process.
Nevertheless, I love my job and what I am doing. There are people that constantly recognize me for my ambitions. Since joining the industry eight years ago, I’ve done my best to deliver the best experience to my clients. Due to my dedication to my job, I have received President’s Circle Gold (’19 & ’20) and Diamond Awards (’21) for my excellence in sales and National Award Recognition. I have also held a title of Top 100 Agent in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura County. In 2022, I received it for the second time in a row. Lastly, my company also recognized me as an agent in top half of 1% of the network within Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.
We’ve been impressed with Beranek Realty Group, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When working with clients, I always seek to make personal connections. I love looking at people’s homes from a personal angle, as each has its own story. So, I often conduct interviews with homeowners, architects, and designers to better understand the house’s history and what story to tell. I incorporate these stories and interviews into my social media channels and use them in advertisements for the property to get better publicity. My client base consists of people from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. So, whenever I am selling someone’s home, I focus on local, nationwide, and international markets. After learning about the property, I can instantly think about a past client who would match the home’s personality and character. Another trick that I have is people-watching. When I host open houses, I often look at the demographics. Later this data allows me to tailor my targeted advertisements on social media to appropriate audiences.
This year I worked on creating Beranek Realty Group, which has been an exciting process. I worked with a graphic designer to create branding for my team and make it look professional. Consistency is vital in many businesses, and I choose to be consistent with my branding and relationships.
All my communications channels are branded accordingly, whether email or social media. I have two websites and social media accounts in Russian and English across different platforms, which allows me to get exposure from the bilingual community. In both languages, my branding assets are visible throughout, and they serve as a constant reflection of Beranek Realty Group’s values. Being bilingual is a big plus in the ever-growing Russian-speaking market within Los Angeles. Speaking two languages helps me negotiate for my client’s best interest. It also allows me to explain the dynamics of the U.S. market to foreigners just moving to the U.S. and create a pleasant experience for them.
Since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, many people have been planning to relocate to Los Angeles. People are constantly reaching out to me asking to find homes for lease or purchase. Every day I get calls from clients who seek my help to move from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus! I would not be able to handle this increased demand if it wasn’t for my team.
I am very proud of the team I have built so far, and I am excited about what will come next year. I have motivated, dedicated and creative professionals on my team who constantly seek opportunities in real estate and strive to satisfy the needs of buyers and sellers.
BRG is uniquely consistent with the relationships we build with clients. My team provides full-circle services: from property evaluation and discovering investor opportunities in real estate to selling or buying new homes. We even help our clients to find tenants whenever they need to. The relationships we create with our clients are meant to be life-long connections. I always encourage my team to stay in touch with our clientele by sharing market updates, holiday wishes, or open-house invitations. We improve our client base and build meaningful and loyal relationships with each transaction.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I constantly read and learn new things about real estate, business and life. Recently, I’ve been listening to TED radio hour which shares unique storytelling from different inspiring individuals.
A book that I recently read and enjoyed is Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book teaches you a lot about managing your habits: good and bad ones and teaches you to create more mindful decisions in terms of your time and energy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beranekrealtygroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beranekrealtygroup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yanarealtorlosangeles/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2uPO6sL7USP0grAGXnXmnQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beranek-realty-group-santa-monica-2
