Community Highlights: Meet Karine Aslanian of The Agency

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karine Aslanian.

Hi Karine, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 1999 with a degree in Business Management and an emphasis in Information Systems. That August, I joined Health Net as a Systems Analyst supporting their membership and billing systems, right in the thick of Y2K. The company had brought in programmers from around the world to ensure every system would roll over smoothly to the year 2000, and I was paired with a programmer named Michael Lavin. Michael also happened to own a successful Real Estate company named Century 21 office on Balboa.

Michael saw something in me I hadn’t yet recognized. He kept telling me I should be in real estate and not behind a desk in IT. He didn’t just talk about it; he organized it and got a few of us from IT to take our real estate courses, booked our exam dates, and followed through until I was licensed in 2002.

That leap changed everything. I brought the discipline and systems mindset from tech process, data, and problem-solving into real estate, where the stakes are human and immediate. Fast forward to today: that nudge during the Y2K crunch set me on the path to a career I love in Los Angeles real estate, and the rest, as they say, is history.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not a smooth road, and I’m grateful for that.

In the early 2000s I was learning everything at once: prospecting from zero, juggling a tech day job while building a real estate pipeline at night, and absorbing a steep regulatory and contracts learning curve. There were plenty of “no’s” before the first “yes.”

The 2008–2012 Financing dried up, lenders changed terms, and many clients were underwater. I pivoted into leases, small multifamily, and distressed transactions—short sales, REOs, notes, and helping owners navigate loan workouts, because that’s where I could actually move the needle for people. It wasn’t glamorous, but it built resilience, deal mechanics, and trust.

As the market recovered, a new set of challenges arrived: competing with online portals and “instant offer” models, compressing margins, and clients expecting perfect information in real time. I leaned on my systems background—clean data, process, and consistent follow-ups. Relationship capital became my competitive edge.

The pandemic forced another reinvention overnight: virtual showings, remote disclosures, safety protocols, and keeping deals alive amid uncertainty. Then came rapid interest-rate hikes and shifting underwriting—cap rates moved, seller psychology lagged, and some deals needed to be re-underwritten mid-process. Add in evolving local policies and rent-control debates that created uncertainty for multifamily owners, and you get a market where education and expectation management matter as much as marketing.

Through all of it, the lessons have been consistent: stay humble and curious, over-communicate, keep your pipeline diversified (sales, leases, owner-users, investors), and treat every client like a long-term relationship, not a transaction. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s made me a steadier advisor. .

As you know, we’re big fans of The Agency. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Agency’s headquarters are in Beverly Hills. I focus on helping owners, investors, and owner-users make confident decisions across the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys—Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, La Cañada, and neighboring submarkets. I specialize in industrial, multifamily and mixed-use sales, retail, office, hotel/motel and NNN assets.

What you do day-to-day? Underwrite assets , real-time comp work, prepare “sale-ready” properties, navigate complex transactions and manage people and different personalities which is the hardest job to do.

What sets you apart? I have Integrity, I am Loyal, I am Committed and I am Transparent! I tell the truth about pricing, timing, and risk, even when it’s inconvenient. I measure success in repeat business and long-term relationships. I stay in your corner before, during, and long after closing. I don’t disappear at the first hurdle. I re-underwrite when rates move, solve problems proactively, and keep momentum through closing. I would rather lose a listing than promise a number the market won’t support.

What are you most proud of? Being steady, trustworthy, loyal, supportive, and always available

What you want readers to know? If you’re looking for someone you can count on, someone who will guard your interests, anticipate risk, and carry the ball across the goal line, I’m that person. I run tight processes, communicate early and often, and make hard calls when it protects you. My commitment is simple: I’ll get you to closing with clarity, confidence, and zero drama.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Integrity always wins! Deals come and go, but the trust you earn by telling the truth about pricing, risk, and timing, pays you back for years. When I put a client’s interests ahead of the quick win, everything else follows: better decisions, calmer escrows, and relationships that last beyond a single transaction.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://KarineAslanian.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karineaslanian/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karine-aslanian-1b408415/