Meet Ellen Pridgen | Realtor, Fitness Enthusiast & Mother of Three

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellen Pridgen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellen, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Real estate can be a difficult field to break into. In 2016, I was pregnant with my first child and navigating the La Jolla real estate market after moving back from being on the East coast for 10 years. I was driven and wanted to get my first deal under my belt, so I was holding open houses regularly for other agents and trying to meet potential clients. I decided to take my first deal with some not-so-favorable economics for myself just to gain experience. From there I was able to grow my businesses through satisfied clients — and their referrals. My clients send me to relatives and friends because I go the extra mile to make sure I am available whenever they need me, I am ethical, hard-working, and most importantly, I always put my clients’ needs first. A real estate transaction is one of the biggest financial decisions people will make in their life, and they want to do it with someone they trust. I pride myself on being trustworthy and dependable. Another important factor in my success has been the relationships I have built outside of clients that may be overlooked, including my relationships with other agents. We are all trying to accomplish the same thing (closing the deal). Of course my clients’ goals come first, but there are several parties involved in a transaction and everyone has to work together in order to get to a successful closing. My relationship with escrow and title companies, mortgage lenders, financial advisors, termite inspectors, sewage line inspectors, home inspectors, home warranty companies, pool inspectors, roof inspectors, painters, electricians, plumbers and repairmen all play a part, and I think that’s why I have such a high success rate in getting my deals to the finish line.

Another layer of my success is definitely in the mundane day to day habits I’ve built in. My number one priority is my family.. my husband and my three young children are my whole world. Making sure I’m taking care of their needs first is paramount (planning healthy meals, making sure they are safe, and feel loved and heard) but I cannot do that without taking care of myself first, so I try to get in a daily workout. Sometimes it’s a quick 20 min peloton or walking my dog around the block, and other days I have time for an hour in the gym. I always feel better after I get in my workout and then can focus on the rest of the tasks for the day. Running property searches for current buyers, jumping on caravan pitch session calls to pitch upcoming properties or learn about other agents off market listings, are all built into my daily calendar. I really feel like I’m thriving when I don’t hit the snooze button and can wake up before my kids get up. This means getting to bed earlier and earlier. These are all part of my overall success!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I got my real estate license in 2016 and joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California in their La Jolla office. I loved that they had a mentorship program for new agents and I still am good friends with my mentor (Hi, Janicke!). I met so many great agents in that office and they have an amazing training program. I really learned a lot quickly. My parents have their own brokerage called West Coast Properties, and they occasionally encouraged me to join them, but I was building my own brand at Berkshire so it was hard to leave. This past fall, after 7 years at Berkshire, I felt like it was the right time to make the jump to West Coast Properties because my youngest was starting preschool and for the first time in 7 years I would have more time to put into my business. I wanted to help update the company’s online presence (website, social media and advertising), and I started sending monthly newsletters. I still work independently on my own deals, but my mom and I help each other whenever we can — and we definitely work seamlessly together. My mom has always been like a best friend to me. And my dad always makes himself available for advice and encouragement.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting the area, I would tell them to get a hotel so they can actually sleep (hello, 3 kids!) so I would put them up at Rancho Valencia! We would definitely fit in a spa/pool day and a meal at the Pony Room, and a trip to San Diego wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Roberto’s for a burrito and a hike at Torrey Pines (the beach trail!). I grew up going to the Del Mar Beach Club so we would definitely get a full beach day in there. I recently did a little staycation at the Hotel Del Coronado with my husband so I would definitely take them there for a day trip so we could do a bike ride around the island, grab some brunch at Parakeet Cafe (LOVE their turmeric latte!) and play tourist on the island. We could end the day with sunset cocktails at my parents’ house and do a casual BBQ/pool party. My parents have lived in the same house in RSF since I was two years old – and if I had a best friend visiting we wouldn’t miss that stop!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shoutout to my husband, Will, for always encouraging me and believing in me, even when I didn’t always believe in myself. It was a hard transition working in television for eight years and then trying to break into a brand new profession and I definitely doubted myself in the beginning. He always was my number one supporter and told me to be patient and keep putting in the effort. He is also an incredible hands-on fun-loving father and I could never do this life without him!

Website: westcoastprop.com

Instagram: @ellenpridgenrealtor

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-pridgen-15b64814/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elle_being?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllenPridgenREALTOR/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ellen-pridgen-west-coast-properties-rancho-santa-fe

Image Credits
Cheryl Polk Photography (family photos), Elyse Cosgrove (headshot), Ryan Horner (all other shots)