Very few mid-peninsula top producers can say their family has seen the city’s changing tides since the 1920s. For Palo Alto native and Alain Pinel Realtor, Derk Brill, the local community not only sits close to his heart, but also serves as a strong foundation to his successful career.
“I’m a born and raised Palo Altan…There aren’t many of us around,” says Derk. “I know the neighborhoods like the back of my hand, and I think that advantage really benefits my clients.”
Yet, his expertise goes far deeper than his local stomping grounds. Raised in a family with a legacy in commercial real estate, some would say the business is in his blood. After 25 years in corporate marketing and sales, Derk became a Realtor in 1999, teaming up with Alan Dunckel, a veteran with over 25-years experience under his belt.
This partnership served as an invaluable mentorship, giving Derk the opportunity to soak up the skills of a seasoned expert in just a few years before his partner relocated. “[That partnership] gave me a real head start. It gave me an advantage over people who came in at the same time, but didn’t benefit from being mentored by someone who really knew the business.”
Since his early days in the industry, Derk has built a strong reputation for treating clients, Realtors, and his team of contractors with honesty and respect.
“When you treat people fairly and honestly, the next time you cross paths you’ll be treated fairly, as well. I really believe you get what you give, but first you have to give before you can receive,” says Derk.
“I have a very strong reputation in the agent community for treating people fairly… which really benefits my clients,” says Derk. “Because when you sit across the table from another agent and their clients, past experiences color current perspectives. If those experiences aren’t positive, it’s the clients that end up paying for it.”
Known for his balanced perspective, Derk understands the emotional reality of buying and selling homes. So, he not only focuses on his clients’ needs and goals, but their feelings and emotions throughout the process. A prominent listing agent and the top-producing agent in the Palo Alto office, Derk doesn’t dictate what updates need to be made to a home, but rather cooperatively advises as one part of a team effort. He’s found success in blending the seller’s wants with his experiential knowledge, and staying within the client’s comfort-zone while preparing his listing to generate the highest possible sales price.
“People appreciate the fact that I’m not there just to sell a house. I’m listening to what they have to say, listening to what’s important to them.”
Well rounded in nature, Derk knows how to balance client-centered care with impeccable marketing and savvy business skills. Having worked with a negotiation and marketing coach for many years, he is known to be quite tenacious when it comes time to talk business, enabling sellers to get top dollar for listings.
“I really enjoy negotiating, and that’s one of the things people generally don’t have a stomach for,” he says. Aside from helping his clients, Derk also values contributing to the community by donating a percentage of every transaction to Menlo Park’s InVision Shelter Network, an organization that helps homeless families get on their feet. A product of Palo Alto’s local school system, he gives back through Partners in Education, and the Realtor Service Volunteer Program.
When he’s not touring houses or advising clients, Derk enjoys spending his downtime in the outdoors, hiking, fishing and camping with his three daughters and wife of 20 years. As one of 5 children, Derk feels lucky to have his large, tight-knit family living in the same community they’ve called home for nearly 90 years.
HomeFolio Media is a cross-channel communications firm, which provides marketing, advertising and public relations services for top-producing real estate professionals and affiliate businesses who want to target local home owners, buyers and sellers.
We combine the power of a high-quality magazine with proven direct mail strategies, and a content-rich online platform, consciously designed using the latest search engine optimization best practices.
Our goal is to increase our clients’ visibility, enhance their image with prospects, and ultimately, make a positive contribution to their bottom line.
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