Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Apelian.
Hi Stephen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Los Angeles to a father that was a builder and architect, I was under his thumb from as early as I can remember. Sadly, he passed away when I was only 6 years old however, he ignited the passion in me for working and creating with my hands. I attended Cal State Northridge majoring in business and after college, 2 friends of mine from high school and I started a clothing line manufacturing young men’s and juniors active wear. We sold all over the US and in 7 other countries however, it just never felt like the right fit for me. I sold my share of the business and started doing set dressing, props, and set construction on commercials, music videos, and major motion pictures. I absolutely loved it because I got to work with my hands again but the hours and physical nature of the job took its toll. In 1999 after finishing work on The Scorpion King and starting on Seabiscuit, I started studying the real estate trends. It seemed like the market was building momentum so later that year I purchased my first home. I remodeled it and did almost all of the work myself and sold it 2 years later for a profit. I then purchased another one in 2002 and did the same thing except I sold it less than a year later for enough of a profit that I was able to quit the film business. I started flipping houses full time and between 1999 and 2009 I bought and sold 12 properties. I got my contractor’s license in 2006 and began building homes, nightclubs, and restaurants for other people as well.
In late 2008 I purchased my last flip that I still refer to as “The Turkey”. It was a beautiful character Spanish home in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles however, about 3 weeks after I put it back up for sale, the bottom fell out of the real estate market. I ended up finally selling it for a huge loss, I basically lost everything and was starting from square one. At the time, I was unable to purchase another property to flip and the construction business became dead almost overnight. My real estate agent at the time suggested that I get my real estate license, she felt that the background I already had with construction would be a great foundation for selling houses.
I got my real estate license in late 2010 and never looked back. I was Rookie of the Year for all of Coldwell Banker in 2011 and my career started to soar. Since obtaining my license I have sold almost $1B in real estate and have had the good fortune to sell some very expensive and beautiful properties throughout Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Pacific Palisades, the Hollywood Hills, Brentwood, and the San Fernando Valley.
In late 2023 my wife and I started thinking that we wanted a change. We had 2 young children and living in Los Angeles had become harder than it used to be with the cost of living, homeless problem, fires, etc. She has family in Austin and I had been there many times and even owned a rental property in Pflugerville that I purchased in 2007. We decided that Austin would be the place for the next chapter of our lives and it was the best move we could have made. One of the things we love the most are the people, everyone is so friendly and many have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. We love all of the outdoor activities, the lakes, biking and hiking trails, and the fact that we get to experience ALL of the seasons. And starting a real estate career in Austin has been a very positive experience, there is some gorgeous architecture in Austin and some incredible neighborhoods. The luxury market is robust and I have sold some gorgeous homes in Driftwood, Old Enfield, and Bee Cave. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else and now I have the best of both worlds because I am still maintaining my business in Los Angeles.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall it has been smooth with the normal ups and downs of starting over in a new market.
We’ve been impressed with Stephen Apelian Real Estate, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I specialize in high-end luxury residential real estate sales in both Austin and Los Angeles. My background in construction and development gives me an edge with selling homes that most other real estate agents don’t have. I have undertaken almost every trade that goes into building a house from demolition to finish carpentry. I can explain how the systems work and how to make repairs (and their costs) in a very fundamental way. I am most proud of some of the higher end homes I have sold such as the J Paul Getty Estate in Bel Air, CA for $28M, the highest sale for new construction south of Sunset Blvd in Beverly Hills for $21M, and the Thomas Mann Estate in Pacific Palisades for $14M. However, the sales I’m most proud of are the ones where other agents had been unable to bring a buyer (sometimes for many years) and I successfully sold the property upon taking the listing. For example, the Alfred Rosenheim Mansion in Los Angeles for $3.2M (it was on the market for over 6 years with 11 different brokers prior to me) and a property in Bee Cave for $6M (which had been on the market for over a year before me). And, I think another thing that sets me apart is I really focus on connecting with people first and foremost, which in turn makes selling the real estate easy. I am relentless with my efforts to properly represent my clients and I pride myself on the fact that my job doesn’t end just because escrow closes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stephenapelian.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephen_apelian1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.apelian
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-apelian-3171645/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stephenapelian4910
Image Credits
Marc Angeles, Unlimited Style Photography
