A difficult experience early in life motivated me to be the change I wanted to see in real estate. From the very beginning, my goal has been simple: serve people well and truly take care of them. That commitment has guided me ever since.

The day before I left for college in 1960, my father died of cancer. My mother didn’t want to stay in the house where he had passed away. One day while driving, she saw a real estate office, walked in, and told the agent she wanted to sell the house and buy another one as quickly as possible.

The agents handled both the sale and the purchase. But when we arrived at the new house to get the keys, it was a disaster. Water was pouring down the driveway because the main pipe had broken. Two windows were smashed. The kitchen drawers were broken, a door was damaged, and the bathrooms were a mess. The house had clearly been left in terrible condition.

 I walked straight into the real estate office and spoke with the agent. I told him that he had represented my mother in both the sale of her home and the purchase of the new one, and I asked how he could allow her to buy a property in that condition without warning us. His response was simple: California real estate law, he said, was “caveat emptor”—buyer beware. When I asked if he planned to do anything about it, he told me no and asked me to leave his office.

I went home and told my mother what had happened. At that moment, I made a decision that shaped the rest of my life. I told her that this was never going to happen to anyone we knew again. I was going to get a real estate license and do things the right way.

At 19 I earned my license. At the time, I was working two jobs while trying to build a career in real estate. Early on, I was referred to a man named J.L. Hoover, who ran both a real estate company and a mortgage company. Every day I went with him to learn how to appraise properties, studying how real estate was valued. On weekends, I could sell.  

 

In 1962, I completed my first transaction. A man came in looking for a house for his daughter. I found a property for him that he bought for $7,000 in cash. I remember walking into the escrow office with that cash thinking how easy it was. But of course, they weren’t all that easy! My second transaction was a completely destroyed duplex. It was a challenge no doubt.

 

I’ve always focused on education, attending UCLA studying appraisal, finance, and other areas of the business. At age 21—the minimum age allowed—I became the youngest real estate broker in the state of California.

 

 Over the decades, I worked in mortgage and insurance, taught real estate law for several years, and eventually returned fully to real estate in the mid-1980s. I built my business in Laguna Beach and the surrounding communities and eventually ran my own office for more than twenty years. Whether it’s a client or a fellow agent, I enjoy sharing my knowledge and being a resource.

 

Throughout my career, I’ve held onto one guiding principle: real estate is about service. If you focus only on money, you won’t last long. I never forgot how it felt to see someone I love taken advantage of during a vulnerable moment. That’s why I focus on understanding what my clients need, protecting their interests, and guiding them through one of the biggest decisions of their lives. When you simply do right by others, success will follow. If you give me 1% of your confidence, I will work hard to earn the remaining 99%.

 

Outside of work, my wife Linda and I have been married for 34 years. We have three children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. We also have two Bichons Frida and Paloma who we consider our little children in fur coats.  We love to travel, stay active, enjoy great food, and cherish time, friends, and family. 

 
Sincerely,

 

John Veytia