Inspiring Conversations with Susan Boettner of Broker Associate with Vista Sotheby’s International Realty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Boettner.

Hi Susan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been in Manhattan Beach since I was seven years old, raised by a single mom who was involved in banking/escrow services and owning investment properties. I was a scrappy kid in a quiet beach town (yes, Manhattan Beach used to be a quiet beach town!) who grew up playing competitive sports and spent time helping my mom & brothers paint and renovate apartments. So, my introduction to hard work and investing started early!

I graduated from UCLA (Go Bruins!) with a degree in Psychology and Business, did a stint in entertainment finance right out of college, and then got my real estate brokers license quite young. I found I was not made out to work for someone else. My independent entrepreneurial spirit could not be squelched:) So real estate was a perfect fit.

There is nothing more fulfilling than helping buyers get started on their dream of homeownership and not being beholden to a landlord or rents that they have no control over. Every transaction is an opportunity to creatively solve someone’s challenge, and no deal is really ever the same- so it takes a certain personality to handle this career long term. I have been through 3 major economic recessions while being a full time realtor – 1991, 2000-2004, 2008, and then the Covid 19 pandemic. All of those times presented both opportunities and hardships, which make me the empathetic, hardworking, trusted professional I am today.

Early on in my career, I became involved with business coaches who have always supported a work/life balanced and business philosophy built by exceptional customer service – so my customers have been happy to refer me. After over 30 years, I’ve become respected and trusted by peers and clients alike, and now I’m working with the children of my original clients! Whether it’s helping them handle an aging parent sell the family home, or buy an investment property to pay for college, I’m there to assist. I would not have it any other way. I love what I do, I have learned a lot along the way, and plan to continue helping people buy and sell their homes, one client at a time.

Some fun facts: I’ve always been a “granola head” at heart who loves camping, all animals, gardens and cooking! When a deal has me stressed – I power clean (sorry to admit but it’s true). When I’m not working, I am usually exploring creative healthy cooking ideas and experimenting with them (think Kefir, Kombucha, pickling veggies), biking (A Lot), doing pilates, or nerding out on science podcasts while dog walking (RIP Macy:/). Giving back matters to me, so I am active in Neighborhood Watch, Community Emergency Response and other community endeavors and love to bring a smile or laugh to whomever I meet:)

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I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Struggles are part of the package, no? A Big One.. long-term real estate careers are not easy, or free! Being a full time realtor in 3 financial downturns and not only surviving but thriving took (and continues to take) perseverance and grit. They don’t teach you that in school. Those were tough seasons, not gonna lie, but through grit and hard work, lessons were learned, character was built, and I am a better realtor because of those times.

Parenthood: Having to juggle small kids while being a realtor at the same time can also be a struggle at times. But I have learned it’s not about having a balanced life. Its about balanc-ING your life. It’s true what they say: “The difference between money and time is that you know how much money you have, but you don’t know how much time you have.” I practice that daily and learned it early.
Lastly, to be honest, Covid and the real estate frenzy it brought — with unrealistically low rates, and zero inventory — was absolutely exhausting. From the velocity of transactions, to the paperwork involved, I hope I never need to go through another period like that again. Thankfully we are in more of a “professionals” market now, where my expertise is valued, not commoditized! And that’s a good thing for everyone.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Broker Associate with Vista Sotheby’s International Realty?
I am a distinguished real estate professional with deep roots in Manhattan Beach with over three decades of experience as a trusted broker in the coastal Los Angeles area. As a lifetime local, I’ve helped people buy and sell homes and investment properties through three economic downturns, while consistently maintaining my status as a top-producing agent. Real Trends and The Wall Street Journal has recently recognized me with sales volume in the top 1.5 percent of realtors across the United States, but my main focus is truly focusing on “one-client-at-a-time”.

My emphasis is on the more challenging transactions – 1031 exchanges, family trusts/estates, or high end luxury homes here in the beach cities. The best properties are usually ones by word of mouth and I have been known to “manufacture” a sale through my networking. I take pride in being part of multiple business coaching concerns not only across the United States, but globally, which puts me in front of like minded realtor professionals whom I can collaborate with. My resources run wide. For example, an agent I may know in Tennessee can call me with confidence and refer their Los Angeles seller to me because that seller has an offer in on a home in Tennessee. Or, the European agent has a client whose kid just got into UCLA, is moving soon and his parents want to buy housing – they can just call me.. it’ll get done. That, my friend, is client-centric customer service, and I am proud of being able to provide that service.

I’ve been with other real estate companies throughout my career – I chose to stay with Vista Sotheby’s International Realty because the Sotheby’s brand elicits the same professional standards that I identify with myself: exceptional quality, true professionalism, integrity, expertise, and “the client comes first” philosophy. Partnering with this global brand allows me to truly provide the service to my clients that I know they deserve.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
My view on risk taking is that risk is part of life. If you don’t embrace it, you are either watching from the sidelines, or playing “not to lose” instead of playing “to win”.

One major risk I actually took during my career was putting my own home on the market to sell during the very bottom of the 2008 recession. After 4 years of being sidelined as a realtor (we all were, unfortunately), I felt I could hold out no longer and needed to sell my family home and downsize. After 3 immediate offers of what was at that time top dollar….I pulled out of the sale against the advice of many. My instincts were to stay the course and find a way. That may not sound like much of a risk when many actually lost their homes during that time. But much was at stake for me and it was a gamble that I took, and won.

Another major risk is of a more personal nature. I suffered a stroke at age 29 from being on birth control pills for only 3 months. Luckily, the damage was minimal, but it abruptly stopped my real estate business for 10 months while I recovered. The risk was not getting back into the real estate business. The risk I took was deciding to get pregnant with this type of medical history. It was a risk I grappled with and decided to take….and again, I am thankful I did as I have two wonderful children because of it. Life really is a game, and continue to choose to get in the game, and go for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: susanboettner.sothebysrealty.com
• Instagram: @susanboettner
• Facebook: facebook.com/susanboettnerrealestate
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/susanboettner