Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Cianciulli and Daniel Taylor.
Mark and Daniel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Our story is not the typical one for most real estate brokers. I started off working as a CPA for an accounting firm, I used to audit real estate companies. Then, I left the accounting firm to go to law school, where I specialized in real estate law – that was where I met Daniel Taylor, my partner, and co-founder. We essentially took all of the same classes and studied together for hours during the next three years. After law school, Daniel became a litigator, and I became an active real estate investor, doing some real estate law on the side.
It wasn’t until about three years after we graduated that we decided to team up and start our OWN real estate brokerage. Daniel had grown tired of all of the contentiousness of going to trial, and I needed the right partner to launch the company with. We decided to start our own brokerage and build it from the ground up so we would be able to do things the way we wanted and create our own identity. The real estate brokerage industry felt very corporate to us in its presentation and marketing – we wanted a more streamlined feel, where we could incorporate an artistic feel into our marketing pieces (video/music, photos, 3D virtual tours, etc.).
In addition, we felt we could use our professional background for our clients’ benefit. We are constantly using our legal, tax and real estate investing background to add value to our clients’ transactions. Lastly, we wanted to keep things personal and maintain a small, intimate environment.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Is it ever smooth? Our road was definitely met with some challenges. Specifically, building the foundation of the company all by ourselves. Most realtors join a national or established company and can focus on client building from day one. We had to try and build our client base while also doing everything else that is involved with building a new business. But the good thing was, we were well equipped to accomplish the challenging tasks that came our way and meet our goals.
The CREM Group – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are a real estate brokerage company, meaning we represent buyers and sellers of real estate. Our home base areas are Los Feliz and Long Beach, so we specialize in those areas and their surrounding areas. We also specialize in probate real estate sales, which is representing people who need or want to sell real estate during the probate process (i.e., when someone passes away without trust and the court must be involved in the overseeing of the administrate of the estate).
While this is not the most glamorous specialization, it is extremely useful for our clients to be represented by brokers who are also attorneys and have an intimate knowledge of the legal system. There are three things that set us apart: our personalized, modern marketing approach; our professional backgrounds in law, accounting and real estate investing; and our small, boutique structure. These three things also happen to be what we are most proud of and what differentiates us from other real estate companies out there.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Being proficient at something you love doing. We are looking to set the standard of what it means to be a “real estate professional” – we want that to mean someone who can represent and advise their real estate clients with the highest level of expertise.
I think our sought-after standard makes a lot of sense since most real estate transactions will be the largest ones made by our clients in their lifetimes. Representing another person on a multi-million dollar transaction should be reserved for only the most qualified.
Contact Info:
- Address: Los Feliz: 5500 Hollywood Blvd, Suite 212, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Long Beach: 301 Ocean Ave, Suite 1700, Long Beach, CA 90402 - Website: cremgroupre.com
- Phone: (855) 655-5544
- Email: info@cremgroupre.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thecremgroup
- Facebook: facebook.com/thecremgroup
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