My Unique Voyage: a Beverly Hills Realtor’s Perspective on Life, Business, Ethics and Morals. Thanks to Anna Banana Kruchten Phoenix Arizona & Carol Williams for the motivation and inspiration to reflect on my unique voyage!
The consistent readers know that I grew up in Communist Hungary with my parents who, at the time, were affluent and powerful during those years in Hungary. My father held a high-ranking position; we had a new car while virtually none of the other workers could buy or even get on the list to buy one. In spite of his position, even my father was on the waiting list for five years before he was able to get a new Skoda in 1961.
Alas, in 1964 all life changed as we immigrated to Austria with only that car and the clothes on our backs. We were welcomed to neutral Catholic Austria, where I learned very quickly that I was a “f’n foreigner” who could not read, write or speak German. Then came the lesson that not only did my father have to find work, but my mother did as well just to make ends meet. Needless to say, the circumstances were trying but the key takeaway for me was seeing how hard my parents worked just so we could live better with their ultimate goal being that I would have the best life possibilities. Probably the best advice they bestowed upon me was work hard, do not compromise your ethics, your morals or principles just because there are stumbling blocks on the road to success.
All the while, my father dreamed of living in the United States, a country where your vote counts unlike the Communist regime to which we were accustomed that was run by political and business influencers. A country where you could speak your mind and not be punished by the powers to be. Fast forward to 1967 when we got accepted to come to the United States legally thanks to a letter my father personally wrote to then President Lyndon Johnson (this tells you how badly my father wanted to immigrate to the U.S.) I still have that letter and it is very powerful to me to this day to read my father’s words of why he wanted to live in the United States.
I was lucky enough to attend three different Universities in the U.S., Eastern Michigan University (EMU), University of Connecticut (UCONN) and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Ah, West Point - as a patriotic and proud American citizen to be accepted into West Point was a dream come true for me and my parents. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of the Long Gray Line as others before me Patton, McArthur, Eisenhower to name a few. Instead, I was again met with being treated like an “f’n foreigner" the difference being this time I actually could speak, read and write English. Lesson learned how to stay strong and not get distracted by all the negative pressures and influence. I was and still am what you might call a stubborn Hungarian😊 and to prove I was tough, I became an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer and left the Army as an Infantry CPT.
What does all of this mean? Well, I had to join the business world because I did not want to be a typical ex-military and join the FBI, CIA or similar profession. And with all of that background (including the advice and examples provided by my parents) my business style and approach has always been to take a hard stance when it comes to ethics, morals and doing the right thing. Sadly, over these many years I have seen businesspeople, politicians and others who do not have my same approach.
As my parents did when we arrived in the U.S., I too started fresh, from the bottom up. For about six months, I dabbled in insurance which I quickly learned was not my comfort zone. A funny memory now is my first sales appointment thinking back on this young guy sweating and stumbling as the "client" walked me out and wished me good luck😊 Next I tried my hand at contract security management when the dream hit me to become a Realtor. Having bought and sold my first house subsequently buying a townhome (ultimately becoming an absentee landlord) real estate was clearly where I wanted to be. As Realtors know, this was a huge leap of faith, going from having a steady income and a business expense account in the mid to late 1980’s to getting paid only if and when you close a transaction.
I always had and still have empathy for those who have to sell due to life changes. I also could relate to first- and multiple-time buyers and sellers. And having international buyers and a niche market I also have the pleasure of representing principals from all over the globe. The cultural differences when it comes to negotiations is fascinating, as well as what they share and do not share with the Realtor representing them. That could be a book, not a blog post.
If you've gotten this far, I commend you! And my most profound insight to share would be this: Be clear about your vision and stick to your goals, thick or thin, and do not get discouraged when there are obstacles in the way. Get through them and move forward, it is a journey not a destination, so don't forget to enjoy the journey because when the journey ends well you know life ends. Never compromise your ethics, morals or principles.
I'll leave you with a quote from Aristotle that you should read and heed:
"The life of money-making is one undertaken under compulsion, and wealth is evidently not the good we are seeking; for it is merely useful and for the sake of something else." — Aristotle,
Wishing you a safe and healthy life and I look forward to your comments. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, focused and goal-oriented Realtor in the Beverly Hills area who will help you achieve your Real Estate goals, please reach out to me directly! If you are looking for a pet friendly Beverly Hills Realtor who can handle and sell the most difficult properties that no one else could, please reach out to me directly!! If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu, feel free to contact me at 310.486.1002 ( m) homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com I contribute a portion of my commission to local animal rescue organizations. Endre Barath, Jr. Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties DRE#01238708
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