Top Agent Magazine: JODI DERANJA-Area Specialist
It is not often that a car break down leads to a new career, but that is what happened for Jodi Deranja. She was happily working at a hospital when on the way to work one day, her car broke down. She ended up at a car dealership where they thought she would be a natural at sales and offered her a job. She declined, but intrigued by this new idea, Jodi called the closest real estate firm and inquired about becoming an agent. A broker saw her potential and hired her as an assistant. Just five months later, she had her license. This was over 18 years ago.
She is now based out of Glendale and works throughout the San Fernando Valley, NELA, and Pasadena. She used to consider Glendale her hidden treasure, built at the same time as Los Feliz, but its charm is no longer a secret. Well known for great schools and parks, Glendale also has many local businesses that Jodi likes to feature in her monthly newsletter. Being a lover of culinary arts, Jodi loves to frequent restaurants.Two of her favorites are Cafe Beaujolais and Little Beast, both in Eagle Rock. Her favorite place to meet with clients and colleagues is at any of the eateries in Glendale’s Kenneth Village.
With a network of friends and past clients, Jodi has nearly 80% referral and repeat clients. She feels this is due to her custom tailoring of services. “Every client is different, and everyone needs a different level of service. Some people want to be involved with everything, and others want me to keep it simple. Everyone has a different schedule and preference. I work to do whatever best suits each client’s lifestyle in order to custom tailor their experience.”
She keeps in touch with her monthly newsletter, community outreach and also sends out mailers. Each quarter she sends out home-related gifts and also anniversary cards for buyers because she feels that purchasing a home is a big deal and should be celebrated yearly. For marketing, she uses social media, local publications and a strong presence online. With these methods, she is seeing a steady incline in volume which is right around $20million. What Jodi loves the most is the day she gives the client the keys. “Their excitement is through the roof!”
The mother of three young children, she is involved with the Glendale Educational Foundation, a group that raises funds for local public schools. She also supports the local YWCA and the Campbell Center. When she can, she likes to go to her local spin studio and loves to hike and garden with her kids. She and her husband like to attend local events and visit local restaurants. For her future business she looks forward to growing a small team. “I have an assistant now but would love to mentor her into a buyer’s agent and we can grow from there. I had a great mentor in the beginning, and I know how much this benefited me. I would like to pay it forward and help someone else get their start in this industry.”
To reach Jodi Deranja
Phone: 818.660.5196 and 310.310.9006
Email: jodi@jodideranja.com
Website: www.jodideranja.com