Pinnacle Estate Properties Awards | Davis Bartels Real Estate Group

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Pinnacle Estate Properties Awards Night: Ranking Top 10 Out of 1,200 Agents

Awards nights are strange for me. I love seeing our team dressed up, celebrating together, and getting recognized alongside people we respect. I also know that every single award on that table traces back to a family who trusted us with one of the biggest financial decisions of their life. The plaque goes on a wall. The trust is the actual accomplishment.

So when Dana Potter, one of the owners and the CEO of Pinnacle Estate Properties, stood up to say a few words about our group, it meant something. Not because of the recognition itself, but because of what he chose to highlight.

What did the CEO of Pinnacle Estate Properties say about Davis Bartels?

Here is the part that stuck with me. Dana did not lead with production numbers. He led with work ethic and with clients.

In his words, I am "often times the first one in and the last one to leave," and my clients "mean the world" to me. He said I dedicate my life toward each of those clients while we are working together, and that I do "all the things that you want a real estate professional to do."

Then he mentioned the number that made the room go quiet: rising into the top 10 out of 1,200 agents at Pinnacle Estate Properties.

I want to be clear about something. I did not do that. Our team did that, and our clients made it possible. But I will take the compliment about being the first one in and the last one to leave, because that part is true, and it is the only real strategy I have ever had.

What does ranking in the top 10 out of 1,200 agents actually mean?

Pinnacle Estate Properties is one of the largest and most established brokerages in Southern California, with roughly 1,200 agents working across Ventura County and Los Angeles County. That is not a small sample size. It includes veterans who have been selling homes in the Conejo Valley since before I got my license in 2009, plus teams with deep roots in Simi Valley, the San Fernando Valley, and everywhere in between.

Ranking inside the top 10 of that group is not a popularity contest and it is not a marketing badge you can buy. It is measured by closed transactions and closed sales volume. In other words, it is measured by how many families actually got to the finish line.

Here is why I think that distinction matters for anyone interviewing agents right now. Plenty of people can talk about listings. Fewer people can talk about closings. The gap between those two things is where deals fall apart, where escrows blow up over inspection items, where appraisals come in short, and where a buyer gets cold feet on day 14. Volume at that level means we have seen almost every version of a problem before, and we usually know what happens next.

Why does a "first one in, last one to leave" approach matter in real estate?

Real estate is a service business disguised as a sales business. The listing presentation is maybe two percent of the job. The other 98 percent is availability, follow up, negotiation, and problem solving at inconvenient hours.

A few examples of what that actually looks like in practice:

• Calling every showing agent back. Feedback is data. If four buyers in a row mention the same thing, we adjust before the market decides for us.
• Answering the phone on a Sunday night. Offers rarely arrive between 9 and 5, and neither do the questions that unlock them.
• Preparing the property before it hits the market. Pricing, staging, photography, and pre listing disclosures all get handled before day one, because the first week is when a home earns its highest level of attention.
• Managing the escrow, not just opening it. Appraisers, lenders, termite reports, roof certifications, HOA documents, and city retrofit requirements all need someone chasing them down.

None of that is glamorous. All of it is why deals close.

What made 2021 such a unique year for the Conejo Valley market?

I said it in the video and I still believe it. 2021 was "such a unique opportunity" and an exciting year for us. It was also one of the most unusual markets I have worked in.

Inventory was historically tight across Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, and Calabasas. Interest rates were near record lows. Buyers relocating out of Los Angeles proper were competing for homes in our area, and sellers were fielding multiple offers within days of going live. It created real opportunity on both sides, but it also required very careful strategy. Overpricing into a hot market still produces a price reduction. Writing an aggressive offer without protecting your client still produces regret.

What that year taught me is that market conditions change faster than most people expect, and the fundamentals do not. Price it correctly. Prepare it properly. Negotiate hard. Communicate constantly.

Which communities does the DB Real Estate Group serve?

Our group is based in Westlake Village and works throughout the Conejo Valley, Ventura County, and Los Angeles County. That includes Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Simi Valley, Sherman Oaks, and Encino.

Local knowledge is not a talking point in these communities. It is the job. Knowing how North Ranch prices differ from Lake Sherwood, how Dos Vientos compares to Lynn Ranch, how school boundaries influence buyer pools in Oak Park, and how HOA structures affect value in Calabasas gated communities is what allows us to price accurately and negotiate from a position of information rather than guesswork.

Who deserves the credit for a year worth celebrating?

The people who hired us. It is that simple.

Every award we have received since 2009, across more than 500 closed transactions and nearly $500 million in career sales volume, exists because a family decided to let us handle something enormous. First time buyers. Sellers moving out of state. Families upsizing after a third kid. Longtime owners downsizing after 30 years in the same house. Those are the actual stories behind the numbers.

And credit to our team, who carry the standard every day whether or not anyone is watching. And to Pinnacle Estate Properties, for building a brokerage where independent agents can operate at a high level with real support behind them.

So thank you to everyone we work with, work alongside, and have the opportunity to be of service to. It genuinely is the best part of this job.

How do you work with the Davis Bartels Real Estate Group?

If you are thinking about selling, buying, or simply want a straight answer about what your home is worth in today's market, I am happy to have that conversation with no pressure attached. We will look at recent comparable sales in your specific neighborhood, talk through timing, and figure out whether moving now actually makes sense for you. Sometimes the honest answer is to wait, and I will tell you that too.

Reach out anytime at 805-341-6125, email [email protected], or visit davisbartels.com to start a conversation.

Davis Bartels, Licensed Real Estate Broker, DRE #01933814. DB Real Estate Group at Pinnacle Estate Properties, serving the Conejo Valley, Ventura County, and Los Angeles County.