How I Give Back

Over my past 40 or so years in the workforce, I have probably split that time equally between the technology field and residential real estate — two very strange bedfellows, to say the least. Having had a foot in both boats, I'm pretty qualified to make the following observation: I'm not aware of another industry whose compensation is more scrutinized than that of residential real estate, which puzzles me. Having done this for nearly two decades, I can attest that Realtors (the good ones, anyway) work their tails off and provide a valuable service. But that's not the purpose of this post.

This varied career experience also qualifies me to make this observation: Realtors are some of the most generous professionals that I've ever encountered. Whether it's donating part of their income to needy charities or their time to worthy causes, this industry has really opened my eyes to the value of philanthropy.

So, in that vein of giving, I thought I'd share with you how I give back to my community:

The San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF)

I'm proud to be a Gold Level Sponsor of SCEF because the consistently high quality of San Carlos schools benefits every resident of San Carlos in one way or another. The direct benefit is that the children of San Carlos get a top-notch education in an era when budget cuts and declining tax revenues are decimating many school districts. All three of my kids navigated the Brittan Acres/Central Middle/Sequoia High School route many years ago, and all got great educations, so I view the significant donation that I provide to SCEF as just paying it forward for future generations.

The indirect impact of having a great school district is that it increases the desirability of housing in San Carlos. That means homeowner equity rises faster than in cities with lower-quality schools, and home values remain much more stable during tough financial times. I've often referred to an excellent school district as an “insurance policy” for home values.

And selfishly speaking, it makes my job MUCH easier — homes in San Carlos just sell more quickly and for higher prices than other cities. Just compare San Carlos to Redwood City — same geography, same weather, adjacent location. Why is the average price of a home in San Carlos more than the same house in Redwood City? It's the schools.

Home for a Home.

This is an organization that I first started supporting over 10 years ago. I have not provided as much support to them as of late since building a real estate brand takes a LOT of time and money, but I'm looking forward to doubling down on this worthy cause.

In a nutshell, Home for a Home was founded by a group of fantastic Realtors who wanted to improve the lives of some of the most impoverished people on the planet in countries like Guatemala, where people live in huts with no running water, electricity, or sanitary sewer services.

They have created an extremely efficient process where they can literally build a small home that has an actual foundation, a real roof, running water, and a front door that locks — all for just a few thousand dollars. I was very proud to have funded this particular family's home:

I look forward to building more!

The Stanford Blood Center.

Some donations are not monetary at all, but can be more valuable than any amount of money can provide. This is one of them.

I started donating whole blood at the Stanford Blood Center many years ago. The only downside to donating whole blood is that you can only do it about 5 times in a given year. That's still super helpful for those in need, but I wanted to contribute somehow more frequently.

That's how I discovered platelet and plasma donations. Unlike the restrictions on whole blood, platelet donors can donate over 20 times in a single year! Platelets are vital parts of the blood composition that basically stop you from bleeding to death if you were to experience a simple cut or bruise. Unfortunately, the platelet levels in cancer patients are often decimated during the course of their treatment, so there seems to be a constant shortage of platelets available.

Each donation takes 2-3 hours, so it's a significant time commitment. As you can imagine, having spent so much time at this Center, the fabulous professionals there are almost like family to me now!

And, I'm absolutely over the moon that my very next visit will be for my 100th donation, which is a milestone that has been a HUGE goal of mine ever since I started donating.

San Carlos AYSO

San Carlos AYSO is an organization that is near and dear to me. There are very few roles in this organization that I have not occupied. I played in the league in 1972 (yes, I'm that old) when we had to recruit kids from Belmont and Redwood City just to field a single U10 team! Now, there are dozens of U10 teams.

I have coached countless teams, served several years on the AYSO board running the U12 and U14 girls' program, and, most recently, as a referee. I don't do this for the money (it's a volunteer organization), nor because my kids are in the league — they have long ago aged out. I do this because they are constantly in need of volunteers, and let's face it — there are worse ways to spend a Saturday morning than working the pitch with a bunch of kids having a great time.

After a several-year hiatus, I'm looking forward to getting back on the pitch this fall.

Why Am I Telling You This?

I'm certainly didn't write this post to give myself a pat on the back, or to imply that others don't also donate to great causes. Many people inside and outside of the real estate industry donate generously to millions of worthy causes.

I just wanted to drive the point home that when you work with me to buy or sell a home, not only are you going to get fabulous service and results, but you're also going to help make a positive impact on our community. Let's do this!