Dawn has a heart for people. She has a deep sense of admiration for her parents who didn’t just talk about loving their neighbor, they lived a life of love and service for others. Her father and mother served as volunteer probation officers, led the teen choir at church, and served in a Catholic youth organization.

 

“Watching them always helping others created that same spirit within me,” Dawn reflected. “When I was younger, I dreamed of getting into the medical field so I could serve others in practical and meaningful ways.” 

 

Dawn also has a head for business and an entrepreneurial spirit. By the time she was 12, Dawn was running a babysitting empire. Later, as a pre-med student, she owned and managed not one but two tanning salons while successfully navigating challenging classes. 

 

“Even as a child it never occurred to me that I might not succeed,” reflected Dawn. “My parents’ unconditional love gave me confidence to pursue my dreams. My friends were supportive and encouraging, and many recognized gifts within me that I didn’t know I had. Two long-time family friends who owned a Coldwell Banker brokerage knew that my positivity and my passion for service would take me far in life. They encouraged me to consider changing my career plans from medicine to real estate.”  

Hearing her real estate friends’ passion for impacting their community sparked something deep within Dawn, and at the age of 22 she decided to “shelve” her biology degree and become a licensed REALTOR®. She started her career at a boutique brokerage that focused on training and applied herself diligently. Her teachable spirit, diligence, and discipline caused her to be recognized as Rookie of the Year. 

 

She remained active in the real estate industry from 1990 to 1996 and was consistently considered one of the top agents before she put her career (mostly) on hold. For the next 15 years Dawn focused her attention on raising her sons, starting an investment group, and actively expanding her investment property portfolio.

 

Dawn served as School Board President at St. Johns in Folsom and truly enjoyed participating in classroom events. She was grateful for every opportunity she had to interact with her sons’ peers and the other students’ parents.  

 

When she re-entered the world of real estate in 2011, Dawn was determined to help others succeed. She became a top salesperson in the office and was soon recognized as a Top 1% Agent as well as being in the Top 5% of Google agents. 

 

“I come from a place of service,” Dawn explained, “whether that means helping facilitate a sale or talking someone out of a sale. A home is a person’s biggest investment, and I am passionate about helping clients succeed! Life-changing events make people sell, and REALTORS® have the privilege of helping people during those critical times of change.”

Dawn has learned a lot through Tom Ferry’s coaching program and from the wisdom of mentors who taught her systems and foundations for running an efficient and effective real estate business. She enjoys using her knowledge and experience to mentor agents on two teams.

 

For Dawn, the seven-member Baltar Group is like a family. As The Nordstrom of Real Estate, service to clients is a top goal. The team starts each day by sending each other texts that include something they are grateful for and one thing that made them happy the previous day. She feels blessed that her son Robbie joined her team after completing his degree. She is also grateful to work with her long-time friend Manny Cazares on The Cazares & Baltar Team. 

 

During the summer of 2021 Dawn joined the virtual brokerage eXp. She loves their emphasis on helping others succeed and appreciates the collaborative environment encouraged by corporate leadership, especially in the luxury field. 

 

“My ultimate goal is to create a win-win scenario every time,” Dawn explained. “I work hard to make everyone happy. I enjoy helping clients, and I want to make things seamless for agents, too. Even for those on the other side of the table.” 

 

She intentionally fosters relationships with all Bay Area agents. Along with professional and timely communication, and positive interactions when she sees them in the community, Dawn does little  “extra” things to promote goodwill and collaboration. For example, each January she sends a Starbucks card to every agent with whom she had a transaction the previous year. 

Because of the selfless example her parents set, giving back is a lifestyle for Dawn. She loves to shed light on the need for positive multi-generational relationships and is an active participant with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  

 

She has also been very active in supporting Cristo Rey High School through fundraisers and by volunteering as needed. Dawn explained that Cristo Rey empowers qualifying students from lower income families to enroll in college prep courses and gain real-world employment experience. 99% of the participating students go on to attend college after graduation. 

 

Her sons have been packing lunches for the local Loaves and Fishes feeding program for years (sacloaves.org). Her husband volunteers with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and her son Nicholas, who is in med school, joined the service group Street Medicine.  

Dawn loves her family above anything! The Baltars enjoy cooking together, and during the COVID lockdown (when they were all living at Dawn’s house) Nicholas perfected his sourdough breadmaking skills. They also love to travel together and have made great memories on trips to Greece, Italy, and Mexico. Dawn enjoys bike-riding near her second home in Oceanside where she sometimes declares a “no-car weekend.” 

 

“Luxury is a level of service, not a price point,” Dawn observed. “Whether a client is looking for their first house or their forever home, my teams and I can help them achieve their dreams! We create a collaborative, trusting environment. For my family, my teams, and myself, giving back is a way of life.”