There's a solemn role and responsibility that you take on each time you take on a new client. It's the understanding that you are coming alongside an individual or family who, at a very pivotal moment in their lives, needs you to do what you do very well. Brandon Brown is one of those who embrace that role and opportunity, too.

 

Brandon is adept at helping both clients and team members navigate what can be turbulent waters to reach the place they want.

 

"I love solving a problem when someone asks me a question ... having the chance to figure it out and give them an answer. My father passed a couple of years ago, and I can empathize with families who are dealing with tough life situations. It is so rewarding to help those people and see the relief on their faces once a transaction is finished," Brandon says with a smile.

 

"There's a lot of pressure, stress, and unknowns that come with all of this. It's a whole new world for new homebuyers and people who haven't bought or sold in 40 to 50 years. I want to give them the counsel they deserve. Working with a wide range of clientele makes me happy, and navigating them through the emotional process of home buying and selling is truly rewarding."

 

Brandon grew up in Orange County, having been here since 1977. "My parents owned a bike store in Laguna Hills. Through that process, I saw how my dad interacted with a lot of his clients," he says. "I always would run into people throughout the community, and they would say, 'That's your dad? He is so nice.' That interested me in working with people and helping them too."

 

High school came and went. Then, it was on to college for Brandon as he attended Cal State Fullerton. "Along the way, I worked in many service-related jobs. In college, I didn't know what I was going to do when I got out," he remembers. "One of the paths that stood out for me at the time was one that my friends' father was on. He was in real estate then and is still a managing broker in Laguna Beach. He was such an inspiration to me. When we were still in college, he encouraged his two sons and me to buy a property together."

 

That's exactly what they did. It wasn't long before the three young men had their first home. Getting there was an experience that Brandon will never forget. "It was the most unusual first-time homebuying experience that you can imagine. We were in escrow with a seller that was an investor. They bought a home in foreclosure and we were buying it from them. Ultimately, the IRS redeemed the property from them while we were in escrow. Knowing that we loved the home, we had to figure out how to buy it directly from the IRS. It was an auction situation. We were the highest bidder, and we got it in 2001."

 

After he graduated from college, Brandon began his working career as an analyst with Pacific Life Insurance Company, though his active interest in real estate never left. In fact, while at Pacific Life, Brandon obtained his real estate license. "That was the point when I read 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' by Robert Kiyosaki, and it inspired me," Brandon says.

 

He jumped into the business and found his own individual path to learning and growing. "My first foray into real estate was different. I had a friend who was buying defaulted debt. The banks sell off that debt. So I jumped in and helped by analyzing properties in all 50 states to bid on, purchase, and ultimately, service the debt," Brandon says. "What I had to learn to accomplish that was amazing in itself, but it also taught me a lot about how debt, mortgages, title, and banks work.

 

Then, in 2007, the market crashed. Still, the efforts that Brandon and his team had expended helped to insulate them a bit. "Luckily, we had a great debt portfolio and were able to smoothly transition into buying homes at auction. We bought our first foreclosure in 2008. At that point, there were more than 300 homes every day going to auction in San Diego alone," he recalls. "It's still something we do to this day. We have bought and sold more than 2,400 homes throughout the years."

 

As Brandon continued learning and growing while working in portfolio and asset management, his separate brokerage, BayBrook Realty, named after his daughters, Baylie and Brooklynn, continued to expand. "At first, my goal was to help friends and family only," he says. "Then, all at once, I started getting a lot of calls from agents asking me questions, so I moved forward with developing and expanding the brokerage."

 

Today, Brandon is proud to lead a team of 10 agents. "I like being there to help them. I also really enjoy being a 'step-broker' of sorts to other agents when they have questions," he says.

 

As Brandon thinks back through all of the chapters, milestones, and happenings that have shaped the man he is today, he humbly recounts one indelible mark ... when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

 

"It changed my life in the best way possible. It made me realize that the success I achieved wasn't mine to take credit for; it was a blessing orchestrated by God," he emphasizes. "He brought me to where I am today. Success is fleeting; it can be there one moment and gone the next — just like life itself. It's all God-given. With that in mind, I know that the Lord has brought people into my life with perfect purpose — nothing happens by coincidence."

 

Success has definitely been there. In fact, in 2021, BayBrook Realty recorded 50 closings for $45 million in sales volume, with another 31 closings representing $30 million in sales volume in 2022.

 

Family time is an enriching time for Brandon too. He cherishes time with his wife, Meghan, who is also an agent, and their two daughters, 14-year-old Baylie and 12-year-old Brooklynn.

 

Since Brandon's parents owned a bicycle store while he was growing up, he has carried that love into his free time as an adult. "I really like pretty much anything to do with bicycling, including road riding and mountain bike racing," he smiles. "I did a 24-hour relay race in Arizona a month ago. We do that every year." Other favorites for Brandon include traveling and surfing.

 

Most importantly, his faith continues to sustain him. "Church is the most important thing in our lives. I love being an usher at Compass Bible Church," he says. "Seeing the joy in people's eyes each week brings a smile to my face, and one of my favorite groups to support is Make-A-Wish."

 

Empowered by his faith and driven to serve others with honesty and integrity, Brandon Brown is a giver who fully invests in each person he has the privilege to help.

 

"I never want any client to think of themselves as a transaction. I don't look at clients that way. I think of it more as 'Who can I serve? Who can I serve and be a useful vessel for?'"