Jan Skrentny

It seemed bazaar that it came on September 11^th, in light of what happened seven years before. This event did not have national significance or perhaps in a small way it did, as in the detail manifesting the greater picture.

Century-21 High Country in Lake Arrowhead sent an e-mail to all its employees and agents saying they were closing their doors for good in four days. That’s 45 agents and a dozen employees given four days notice.

Some say they saw signs of the impending closure months before, reduced sales trying to support local and national advertising and expansive office space.

The hardest part is for the clients: By law the Broker owns the listings. Will the clients see their agents maintain control? Who will handle escrows? Will commissions be paid?

In a down economy the big agencies are not all they are cracked up to be. Just look at Wall Street as financial giant crumble.

A flashy name will never replace “someone you can depend on.” And it has to be more than just an advertising slogan.

My broker at Prime Properties is Jeff Perls. Jeff has been a real estate agent for 25 years. During that time he has seen the good, the bad and the really ugly of real estate happen in the San Bernardino mountains.

A year ago, Jeff came up with a new concept for real estate; he calls it Transforming Real Estate.

So how do we transfor real estate? Well, to proverbially put his money where his mouth is, Jeff bougth an old, run-down gas station on the corner of Hwy 189 and Daley Canyon, truly an eye-sore and transformed it, made it into an utterly beautiful building (“eye-popping”) which is our new office as well as the Lake Arrowhead Welcome Center.

The building is like a giant living room with comfortable seating, music, a fire place, sitting garden, fountains, large screen video projection. Not a cubical or desk in sight. The idea here is to be helpful: answer questions, give out information, help those who come in better focus their ideas on what is important for them and their families.

Jeff has also gathered an eclectic group of agents: Interior designers, builders, commercial developers, landscape planners, engineers, accountants and me – a former Hollywood screenwriter and film maker for PBS, The Smithsonian and National Geographic.

We help each other do the best job for our clients from buying land, designing a home, building, remodeling, improving exterior design or finding the perfect home be it horse property, view property, lake front property, secluded property.

Here’s the scoop: for most agents real estate is just about making money – it’s very gratifying to be helpful, too.

When you come to Lake Arrowhead or the surrounding communities stop by the Welcome Center and let us welcome you.