Maria Garate-Lavalle grew up in real estate, but she did not always picture herself working in the industry. But eventually, she found herself falling in love with real estate and realized that what she was looking for – growth, success, challenges, and all – can be found in real estate. Maria has thrived through the challenges and opportunities that came along her way, and it allowed her to evolve into the person she has always dreamed of.
“I grew up with real estate in my blood. My grandmother immigrated from Mexico to Coronado, California, in 1985 and has been selling real estate for 35 years. My mom, brother, and I joined and immigrated to Coronado 20 years ago, and my mom followed my grandmother’s footsteps in becoming a realtor. I grew up in Coronado and getting to visit beautiful homes and being at open houses. Our family hangouts revolved around the real estate market and what house had closed for that week,” Maria shared. “It seems everywhere I turned, we were always talking about real estate. Everyone always asks you what you want to be when you grow up. The one thing I knew was I did not want to be a realtor.”
Maria studied Business Management at San Diego State University and Economics at Tokyo International University, Japan. Following her time pursuing studies abroad, she found herself needing a job, and it just so happened that her grandmother needed help with her business. Maria’s initial plan was to help her just until she found her calling, but months after working in the real estate industry, she realized that being a realtor actually fulfilled her business-savvy spirit and satisfied the entrepreneurial characteristics she was looking for in a long-term career.
She found how fast-paced, dynamic, competitive, and demanding the real estate industry can be, and it challenged her creativity, independence, and social connectivity. Through it all, Maria thrived and embraced every aspect of her newfound passion, realizing that what she was looking for had always been within reach. As time went on, her career grew, and Maria found out that she was actually good at it. After five years, she quickly evolved into one of the most successful realtors in San Diego County.
Over the years, Maria also realized that one of her ultimate goals was to continue her family’s legacy and continue what her grandmother had started. She is passionate about seeing her clients happy and helping them secure the properties of their dreams. In 2021, the thriving real estate professional was awarded as the third agent in Willis Allen, Coronado Branch. She was also recognized as one of the top 1% realtors in all of San Diego Country by the Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS and received the prestigious Real Estate Achievement and Leadership (R.E.A.L.) award.
“I have devoted all of my careers to specializing in a community called Coronado Shores. The Shores are ten luxury oceanfront buildings located in the city of Coronado, a fairytale-like peninsula in San Diego Bay, California. Coronado is known for the grand Victorian Hotel Del Coronado, which was built in 1888 and sits next to The Shores community. In 2021, we were fortunate enough to sold over 35% of the inventory at The Shores,” Maria shared.
Recognized for her unrivaled devotion and top-level service, Maria aims to continue serving clients not only in California but also those from Arizona, Utah, Maine, Florida, New York, Texas, and even China. In five years, she wants to be the go-to real estate agent for Coronado Shores, known for her knowledge, trustworthiness, and work ethic. She also aspires to grow her grandmother’s business and expand their team by welcoming more passionate real estate associates.