Pleasanton, CA — October 2nd, 2020 —
The brokerage represents the 79th office location opened in California for the NextHome franchise and the 516th NextHome office opened nationally.
Located just 40 miles east of Los Angeles, NextHome Champion Elite will serve clients across the Inland Empire. The brokerage is set up to serve all types of residential real estate needs including first-time homebuyers, investors, luxury homes, and relocations.
NextHome Champion Elite is owned by California real estate veteran Stephanie Velez who began her real estate career in 1999 after purchasing her own first home.
“After I bought my home, I was a new homebuyer magnet,” Stephanie recalled with a smile. “Everyone would ask me about the programs I used and how I did it. I realized then how much I loved real estate, and especially helping other people.”
Stephanie started working with a Century 21 brokerage in Diamond Bar, California. Five years later, she obtained her broker’s license and opened her own independent company – Champion Realtors.
“It was a really interesting experience because I literally learned everything from the ground up,” Stephanie recalled.
Stephanie grew the brokerage to 14 agents, and it continued to serve clients until 2009. After that, the national housing market downturn toppled brokerages in Stephanie’s market and beyond.
Stephanie shut down Champion Realtors and went to work for a nationally franchised brand.
Then, in 2016, Stephanie felt it was the right time to revive her independent office and brand.
“I changed the name to Champion Elite Realty just to give it a fresh start, and I’ve been doing great ever since,” Stephanie said.
As Stephanie continued to grow her business and her brand, she started taking real estate coaching classes. Her sales volume began to soar into the six digits, and then Stephanie began thinking about the next steps in her career – specifically franchising.
“I have a degree in Organizational Leadership and I really started thinking about how I could put that to good use,” she said.
Stephanie brought up the idea to her business coach.
“My coach started telling me about a company called NextHome,” Stephanie recalled. “She called me and said, ‘you should look at this franchise, I think it would be a perfect fit for you.’”
After looking into all that NextHome offered, Stephanie was sold.
“The branding is what initially caught my eye and then all of the technology and tools the franchise offered. Everything I saw, I wanted for myself as an agent,” Stephanie said. “I knew that having these tools to support my office would make recruiting and supporting my agents so much easier.”
Today, Stephanie is using NextHome’s tools and branding to elevate the agent culture in her office and market.
Stephanie is active in her local REALTORS® association, serving in various leadership roles. In 2021, she will serve as a Director of the Citrus Valley Association of Realtors. In the past, Stephanie has served on the board’s Grievances Committee, Realtor Action Fund, and Membership Value Committee.
Stephanie and her husband also pastor a local church in her community called Inspire International Ministries. Each week she and her husband, Ray Valez, encourage and bring hope online through weekly video sermons. In addition to this ministry, Stephanie leads Inspire Business Network and the Small Business Prayer Network where local small business leaders can connect weekly and uplift each other through their faith and prayer.
Please join us in congratulating Stephanie on the opening of NextHome Champion Elite in Rancho Cucamonga, California!
Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.
Each office is an independently owned and operated business.