Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricarda Olander.
Ricarda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I came to LA in 2019 with my Austrian boyfriend, a commercial producer. We broke up in 2020 right before the pandemic and I went back to Austria for 8 months knowing I’d come back. I came back to LA in November 2020 without having a job, car or apartment and being single. When volunteering at my church, I met Fredrik Eklund, a famous real estate agent, and his team. They hired me as their assistant which got me right into the luxury real estate market from the beginning of my career. At the same time, I got introduced to my now husband, Jannik Olander, a Danish jewelry designer here in LA. Both my career in real estate and my relationship with Jannik just unfolded in the best possible way – totally unexpected. After working for Fredrik’s team as an assistant for two years – which was quite an exciting ride – I decided to become my own agent and started with James Harris and David Parnes, known from Million Dollar Listing on Bravo TV, from The Agency in Beverly Hills. I felt like I had just graduated from the “Harvard of Real Estate” and enjoyed the transition very much although the market took quite a turn. In the meantime, Jannik and I moved into a new house and got married on paper (the big wedding in Europe is still to come!). I just recently transitioned from The Agency Beverly Hills to Brentwood to work alongside Santiago Arana, one of the top agents nationwide. The transition to the Westside means I am closer to my clients since I cater mostly to clients on the Westside of LA meaning Pacific Palisades, Brentwood Park and Bel Air. I feel truly blessed about being able to live my “American Dream” the way I do and I am incredibly excited about what’s to come.
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 strongly believe that life is not supposed to be a smooth ride – it’s all about your attitude and perspective. I personally like to see obstacles as “challenges” than “hurdles”. In other words, something that excites rather than scares me.
Challenging about luxury real estate in LA is certainly to find your own place in this industry – it’s a very competitive business. I deliberately remind myself every day of my own values which I stick to no matter what. Trust, loyalty and respect are on the very top of those.
Secondly, LA is a non-stop city. There is so much happening at an incredibly fast pace. More, new, bigger, better… If you don’t learn to set your boundaries, it can suck out the life of you. But this environment also offers a lot of opportunities. I just had to learn how to define what and who is worth my time and energy.
Thirdly, a challenge of mine is to keep the excitement and appreciation for my life here in LA. Human nature is so tricky, we always strive for more and get used to things way too quickly. I will never forget the adrenaline that I felt rushing through my body every single day during my first months here. Magical! This definitely changed whenever I started working here and was jumping from one busy day to the other. But I am aware and try to remind myself constantly that LIFE IS GOOD!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Real Estate Brokerage in LA as seen on “Buying Beverly Hills” on Netflix; what sets us apart is the culture within our brokerage – there is a certain degree of collaboration and trust that is not seen in other brokerages the people I work directly within the Brentwood office are one of the most successful agents nationwide and we do 30% of our business off market. This means we are literally “match makers” – bringing together elite buyers with exclusive sellers who don’t want to sell their homes in the eye of the public
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am Austrian but I was never really into skiing – most people whom I tell this little secret can’t believe it since Austria is THE skiing nation. What I don’t like about it is the cold and the speed – both life-threatening to me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theagencyre.com/agent/ricarda-olander
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricardaxrose/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricarda.rosenstatter/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
Image Credits
Jannik Olander Susy Diab Tyler Siegl John Effin Daisy Olander
