Page 2 March 18, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Bill Ruane from front page
mother, and have gained momentum, a loyal
following, and a shift to a more efficient online
and digital support that has taken RE/MAX
Estate Properties to new levels.”
Sanders said that RE/Max Estate Properties
“has been the #1 real estate firm in sale
volume in the South Bay since 2010,” and that
the company “recently earned the Los Angeles
Business Journal’s distinction of being one of
the Top-Family-owned businesses.”
Ruane is not only a top producer in the South
Bay and the United States, but in the entire
world of real estate agents working under the
RE/MAX umbrella. “Bill is amazing,” Sanders
said. “His production, and how he cares for
his clients, is unbelievable. He is the number
three agent in the world and number two in the
United States out of all the RE/MAX agents.
And has probably been in the top five agents,
worldwide, for the past ten years.”
Sanders believes that Ruane is successful
because “he works hard, he gives good service,
and he can ‘compartmentalize’ client’s needs.
Sanders said that Ruane is unique in that he
“doesn’t stress-out over anything,” noting that
Ruane constantly has multiple deals in the
works. “He did over 100 transactions in 2020.”
Sanders said. “He seems to know the market
better than anybody I know,” continued Sanders.
“He has specialized knowledge in the Beach
Cities,” Sanders noted, with Ruane expanding
his empire to include listings in, among other
areas, Westchester, Marina Del Rey, and Venice.
“He is just a great guy,” Sanders said. “We, as
a company, as you can imagine, take care of
him. He has a lot of balls in the air.”
RE/MAX is a worldwide realtor network,
boasting 130,000 agents. Of the approximately
70,000 stateside agents, Ruane ranked #2 in the
U.S. in 2020 and #3 worldwide. “That is pretty
impressive,” said Sanders. “He is always thinking
ahead, thinking what he can do to give back to
the community and how to help others.” Sanders
noted that the RE/MAX team racked-up
more than four billion dollars in sales in 2020
and completed more than 4,000 transactions.
Discussing the state of the real estate market
in March of 2021, Sanders said that RE/MAX
had approximately 500 properties in escrow,
pre-pandemic, but that once the realities of
COVID-19 hit, 30 percent of the proposed
buyers, he said, canceled. “Scary times,” he
said. “The world was going to end…I think a
lot of people felt that way…We didn’t know
what was going to happen. Who knew that” he
continued, as the COVID pandemic escalated,
“people would actually realize the value of
having a home?”
Sanders noted that, currently, the clamoring
to own a home has led to a low inventory of
available properties because many people now
look at their home as their office, their workout
facility, and, at least at this point, their
children’s classroom, all the while (mostly)
following social distancing guidelines, somewhat
quarantining with their family members.
“Homes became (more) valuable,” Sanders
said. “People are really seeing the value of
(homeownership), as more than just as an asset,
but as a place to raise a family, go to school,
work-out, and cook. It has changed the whole
perspective of what owning a home means.
And that is why we have low supply, high
demand, and prices are coming up.”
Towards the end of our interview, Ruane
was asked, if he had not chosen the real estate
pathway, what other profession may he have
pursued? He laughed and paused a bit, “that’s
a good question,” he said, before answering
that “I don’t know in what other career they
would have tolerated me.”
Suffice to say that the buyers and sellers
that Ruane has worked with and for over his
career are very satisfied that he stuck to the
field of real estate. Summed-up Sanders: “Bill
is the consummate professional, always taking
care of his clients.” •
to property owners in the South Bay.
An El Segundo resident, Ruane, who is the
youngest of six siblings, was raised by parents
who worked in the medical field (his mother
was a physician), said his interest in becoming
a realtor was piqued by palling around with a
friend whose father had his own El Segundo
real estate business. Asked what makes El
Segundo such a perfect fit for his real estate
talents, Ruane succinctly summed it up: “I grew
up here, I live here, I like it, it’s enjoyable.”
James Sanders, a local RE/MAX CEO and
co-owner, feels that Ruane is successful because
he “really cares about the outcome. He is helping
(his clients) achieve the American dream. Since
he is so connected, he can often connect the
buyer with the seller. He thinks, deep and hard,
always thinking about the client.”
“I am super competitive and like the challenge
that real estate offers,” Ruane said, noting that
his level of client service does not change depending
on the value of the property, whether it
be a start-up home or a megabucks residential
property. Ruane said that he likes the feeling
of “winning for your client” and the satisfaction
he receives from closing the transaction
with a satisfied client. “A win-win,” he said.
Said Sanders about the traits of a successful
agent: “It is really about just helping people,”
mentioning that he often receives a note from
a very satisfied client, post-sale, about Ruane’s
top-notch customer service,
Ruane has become a featured media star,
with appearances on the RE/MAX Zoom
production “Good Morning RE/MAX” that is
available for viewing by 130,000 agents and
has also been spotlighted on segments run on
the American Dream TV channel.
As for industry recognition, Ruane has
garnered numerous tributes. He was feted in
2020 as a winner of the “Paramount of Excellence”
award, one of “only three agents in
the entire RE/MAX network of 130,000” to
be so honored, Sanders emailed. Ruane also
picked-up the industry’s prestigious “Pinnacle
Award” in 2020. Both awards recognize high
echelon, top producing agents.
On winning realty top producer accolades,
Ruane chuckled and said, “staying number two
or three is great, because if you are #1, the
only way that you go is down, right?”
Sanders’s mother, Sandra Sanders, established
the RE/MAX Palos Verdes office in 1984,
and, emailed James Sanders, “had the vision
to establish a brokerage with an environment
for the real estate agent that is positive, professional,
and supportive in order to deliver
the best possible service to their customers.”
Ruane continues to embody the aspirations
established by Sandra Sanders more than
three decades ago. James Sanders said that,
some 37 years later, he and his siblings have
attempted to “foster the same values as their
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RE/MAX Realtor Bill Ruane
Love Thy Neighbor
Dear El Segundoans,
The Herald staff and I only know so many El Segundoans,
but we want to learn about more of you. With 8,000
residents, we’re sure there are some gems we may have
overlooked or not been aware of them. Do you have an
interesting friend, neighbor or student? With most of El
Segundo sports and events on hold, we are looking to do
more El Segundo residents’ profiles. All you have to do
is ask their permission and send us
their contact information. Of course,
if you find yourself fascinating, send
us your information too.
– Best to you all. HM.
Send your suggestions in
to letters@heraldpublications.com
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