Setting Real Expectations In Real Estate: Q&A With Jake MacRae, Realtor

By John Grossi

May 2022: I sat down with long-time friend and Long Beach realtor Jake MacRae at Local Grind Coffee Shop to hear how he decided to help his friends, family, and strangers of all ages start buying and selling real estate!

What made you decide to enter real estate in your late 20’s?

I met my first mentor through Long Beach State 49er Camp. I coached his kids for several years and then he asked me to be his assistant. I saw him help the people in his network to navigate a major life purchase and continue helping them along the way. It interested me to be able to do the same. I thought of all the people I’ve met in Long Beach and become friends with; and all the people I would continue to meet in this city over the future. I thought about it and decided that real estate would be a very rewarding career path.

Even though I was interested, I really didn’t fully buy in until a long-time friend asked me if I would help him find a home. I took that very seriously and was able to build a lot of trust and confidence with that friend. Ever since then, I have hit the ground running and fully committed to helping lots of friends, family, and strangers buy and sell their homes. I feel I’ve been able to bond and build trust with a lot of family and friends. Now in my career, I hope to take that bond and trust to the next level with an even broader community.

What has been the most rewarding experience so far?

Two experiences really stood out over the past few years. The first was helping a friend’s dad, someone I whole-heartedly respect as a person and businessman. To see him lean on me for knowledge and expertise and show me the same respect I’ve had for him my whole life, that really made me realize I had chosen the right career.

The second was helping an out-of-state couple buy their forever home in Long Beach. Several major issues came up during the course of the transaction, but we set the expectations correctly. We got all the estimates and bids required to fix the problems and were able to give them the total picture on cost at a time when they could have still backed out of the purchase. For this couple, knowing the full picture gave them the confidence they needed to move forward with purchasing their dream home!

If you could live anywhere in Long Beach where would you live?

Oooh, that’s a good question. I really like Bluff Park. I grew up in Los Altos and I love that area too, but with Bluff Park you’re so close to the ocean. It’s beautiful with lots with big spaces, and you’re close to downtown. I just love being by the ocean. There’s something very beautiful and special about that. Oh, and the wide streets.

What do you feel are your strengths as a realtor?

I feel like my biggest strength is communication— setting the tone early so that clients can understand what to expect. As a person I tend to be hopeful and optimistic, so I bring a levity to the deal, but I also know how or when deals can take a negative turn— so helping folks understand the realistic expectations of the process has helped my clients maintain a positive outlook.

From a team perspective, I joined Ben Fisher Team because I felt it was a good place for me to grow under a mentor who’s had a ton of success at a young age by building a real estate business that is unique, stays on top of current trends, and believes in the power of marketing. When you list your home with me, no matter where it is, we are going to put a ton of money into video and social media marketing because we really believe in that and see success doing that.

What’s it been like working and selling homes as an adult in the city you grew up in? How has your perspective of Long Beach changed?

It’s really cool. As an adult, you start to see the city through a new lens. The availability we have here with everything from 2nd street to the beach and even going up to LBX… we have so much to offer to residents in this one city. As a kid growing up, that’s all you know… you have to see other environments, and then come back from a different perspective and realize wow, this city just has so much to offer.

With that said, all over SoCal you can find a great buy. We’re seeing lots of young professionals moving into Long Beach because it’s prime real estate. We’re seeing lots of folks who have lived here for a long time sell their house at a great value for retirement. And we’re also helping a lot of folks find hidden gems in cities near Long Beach that are still just a stone’s throw away and are not only great areas but great investments that will continue to grow in value over a long time!