Real estate has been a part of Michelle and Nicole Artinian’s lives for as long as they can remember. The sisters were raised by an avid residential and commercial property investor father who instilled in them the value of property ownership from an early age.
“Our father always told us, ‘No matter what you do, own the land,’” Michelle recalls. With his advice and guidance, the sisters started on the path to becoming professionals in the real estate industry.
Michelle and Nicole both worked alongside their father, building a solid foundation of business knowledge before attending the University of San Diego, where they both graduated with business degrees at the same time. “We started at a young age managing our father’s rental properties in the Palm Springs area, doing everything from cleaning to managing the tenants,” Nicole explains. “From there, we transitioned into managing his commercial properties in the Los Angeles area before getting our residential real estate licenses.”
Today, the sisters make up the Artinian Realty Group of Corcoran Global Living, serving clients across the Valley and the greater Los Angeles area in residential real estate, as well as some commercial and multifamily transactions.
Over the past year, the two have been hard at work meeting their clients’ needs, which, they note, reflect real estate trends shaped by the pandemic.
“In 2020, we saw a huge shift due to people moving for work-related issues,” Michelle explains. “We believe this trend will continue in 2021. With most jobs being remote, commute times are not as big a priority as they once were. Having a yard and outdoor space is becoming a bigger necessity, as well as a home office.”
The market has also been “extremely hot” in this area. “We have seen many houses being sold within only a few days on market,” Nicole says. “The buyer pool is bigger than ever, with people being stuck at home and wanting a change of scenery or needing more space. Interest rates are at an all-time low, which has caused high competition.”
The sisters note that a big challenge buyers will face this year is multiple-offer situations. “As always, Los Angeles will be dealing with low inventory,” they say, “so working with a great lender who can give competitive timelines is one way to help your offer stand out when you are competing for a property.” Another suggestion they give buyers when inventory is low is to look outside of their ideal locations. “Some of our past clients have found their dream homes in areas they never imagined to look at in the beginning of the process,” they say.
But to get to their dream homes, prospective buyers and sellers must first choose the right representative. “Finding the right realtor is the first step to a smooth buying or selling experience,” Michelle says. “You want to be able to work with someone you connect with and who fully understands your needs. It starts with trusting your realtor and knowing they always have your best interests in mind.”
The sisters say their passion for real estate and tireless work ethic set them apart from the rest, and that their unique skill sets complement each other.
“We motivate each other and deliver twice the support and accessibility. We act as each other’s extra pair of eyes and ears to make sure every detail is handled,” Michelle says. “We know instinctively how to work well together to the benefit of our clients.”
In between serving their clients, Michelle and Nicole spend their time enjoying life in Toluca Lake, which has felt like a kind of homecoming for them. “Funny enough, our parents built their dream home over 30 years ago on Forman Avenue,” they say. “When we returned to the area after college, it felt like we had been here forever.” Now, the sisters are proud to live and work in the neighborhood they know so well.
“A huge part of Toluca Lake’s charm is the fact that it is small, but full of some great people and businesses,” they say. “During the pandemic, we have felt lucky to be able to go on walks in the area. Not only are there beautiful homes here, but we have also enjoyed being able to support the local small businesses.”