A knack for marketing, a devotion to serving others, an outstanding work ethic and a longtime passion for education are the hallmarks of Krista Mashore’s real estate career. Krista, the producing Broker/Owner of Brentwood, CA, based Homes by Krista, doesn’t take anything for granted. Having entered the industry in 2001, during a period of Northern California’s most explosive growth, her hard work and boundless energy soon propelled her through the most difficult market in recent memory. And with perseverance, Krista later earned a spot among the top 1% of REALTORS® nationwide.

As early as her first days in the business, Krista, a listings specialist, has applied groundbreaking techniques to real estate marketing and business development. “I’ve always been an early adopter,” she says, explaining that she hit the ground running in 2001, selling 69 homes that year after leaving her first career as a third-grade teacher to work exclusively as a REALTOR®. “I poured myself into my career and did as much education and research as I could in order to stand out,” says Krista, who at the time already held both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. “I’ve done things differently than other agents for a long time, marketing from the ground up and staying ahead of the curve.” When other agents grew frustrated with the surge of short sales and foreclosures, for instance, Krista found inspiration. “I became a Certified Distressed Property Expert so I could help people exit gracefully during short sales.”

Her multiple designations and her consultative approach to client relations prove that, if there’s something to learn, top real estate agent in California Krista Mashore will embrace it. Fortunately, she doesn’t keep her education to herself; she recently began sharing her belief in continuing education with tens of thousands of other REALTORS®. “I’m in the process of developing a training program for real estate agents around the country,” she says, explaining that in 2016 she conducted a webinar for 44,000 REALTORS® on the topic of online marketing. After all, she says it’s more important now than ever for buyers and sellers to hire experienced, trained agents. “The more every agent knows, the better off every client and agent will be,” she says. “And the better job each agent does with marketing and selling homes, the better we all do.”

Krista places such great importance on marketing that her three full-time staff members include a digital marketer and a marketing specialist in addition to a transaction coordinator. “I market my homes the same way they market the multi-million dollar homes over the hills,” says Krista, noting that every house gets the full package, whether priced at $400,000 or $1 million. Before a home is listed, Homes by Krista pays for basic staging and conducts professional photography, videography and drone photography; the team then produces property-specific websites and four-page color brochures. “Our digital marketing gets the maximum exposure with SEO techniques and enhanced online placements. We’re also doing target marketing and text-message marketing from signs and brochures.”

All of this effort helps Krista achieve her primary goal – happy clients. “I love being able to educate clients and to help people,” she says. “It’s about the person, not the money. Around our office we say, ‘People before things,’ and we know that as long as we’re taking great care of people, the best will come.” Having sold more than 1,500 homes, Krista’s vast experience enables her to be proactive, not reactive, during each transaction. “I’ve been in this business more than 15 years and closed so many deals that I know what can go wrong!” Krista says with a self-deprecating laugh. She and her team create the best possible outcomes with the utmost professionalism. Clients notice, telling Krista that the experience of working with her is smoother and more enjoyable than they expected. As a result, the word spreads about Homes by Krista.

Given her strong reputation and high rate of referrals, Krista is on track to close 140 sales in 2016, a figure approximately 10 times that of the average California agent. “I want to continue to serve my clients and be the best I can be for them,” she says. And despite how busy she is as a top agent and mother of two teenagers, Krista still devotes energy to supporting the community. As a former teacher, the schools hold a special place in her heart; she contributes a good deal of time and treasure to the schools’ various programs and scholarship funds. “We’ve also hosted major special events and given all the money to a local food bank. I want to keep helping people however I can,” she says, echoing a running theme behind her success.

For more information about Krista Mashore, visit kristahomes.com, email krista@kristahomes.com or call 925-325-4663