Tami Humphrey
Tami Humphrey helps clients find their dream homes in Playa Vista
By Sara Edwards / Photo by Chris Mortenson
Real estate has been a big part of Tami Humphrey’s life since she was a child. Her parents were real estate partners who owned a brokerage, and family conversations at the dinner table were often centered around new clients, interesting escrows and solving real estate problems.
Initially, Humphrey didn’t intend to follow in her family’s footsteps. She knew that she wanted to help people, but at the time she didn’t know what career path she wanted to pursue.
“I helped my parents along the way, but I never felt like I was going to work in real estate until I received my license at 24,” Humphrey says. “I fell in love with helping people on their real estate journeys and that set me on my path to where I am now.”
Humphrey has been a real estate agent in Playa Vista and its surrounding areas for over 16 years. She grew up in Thousand Oaks and moved to Playa Vista when she was 24. Humphrey truly knows and loves the area, and has watched it evolve over time. In 2015, she wrote “Your Guide to Buying, Selling and Living in Playa Vista,” a book that lays out everything potential buyers and renters need to know about the community from floor plans to shopping and amenities. She was also previously featured on an episode of the HGTV series “House Hunters” in 2013.
“One of the reasons I wanted to do the episode was because not everyone knew about the community, people would drive by and think it was just apartment complexes,” Humphrey says. “Playa Vista is so different from the rest of Los Angeles.”
Seven years ago, her husband, Chad Aronson, joined her in real estate and they officially started their team, Team Tami, with Palm Realty Boutique. Humphrey has since grown the team to nine people with an office manager, marketing manager, a leasing agent and four buyers agents, allowing the couple to focus on helping people sell their homes. During the Great Recession, much of Humphrey’s business consisted of short sales and helping people avoid foreclosure by negotiating with banks. Now her business serves a much different purpose.
“Housing inventory is so low within the community,” Humphrey says. “Playa Vista is a special place and people are just out there waiting for that right property.”
Humphrey says it’s the trust she has established with the community plus her experience and repeat clientele that keeps her in Playa Vista. From helping people find their first home to working with savvy investors, she prides herself on educating her clients and helping them achieve their real estate goals.
She and her husband also give back to the community through sponsorships and community outreach like music in the park with ice cream sundaes or hosting a block party for everyone in the area.
“Playa Vista is where we do business, it’s where we’re trusted and we’re super grateful for that,” Humphrey says. “It’s great to see the communities grow and we love to give back as much as possible so we’re constantly looking for ways to continue doing that.”
When Humphrey sits down with new or returning clients looking to sell their homes or move to the area, she makes it a point to learn what their goals are and find out what’s most important to them. For buyers, she also shares what makes Playa Vista so unique and explains the different complexes and floor plans.
Humphrey also teaches clients about past sales and walks them through the process so that when the right house becomes available, they will be prepared and ready.
“We want buyers to feel more confident in their choices because there’s so little housing inventory right now,” Humphrey says. “We’ve had so many first-time buyers and first-time sellers, and we try to do as much as possible to make it an enjoyable experience.”
For people looking to buy or rent in the area, Humphrey says they should have a feel for what’s important to them, as well as what they want and don’t want in their new home.
“It’s such a huge milestone,” Humphrey says. “It’s amazing to be able to experience the excitement of our clients’ successes.”
Tami Humphrey
Team Tami
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