Kari Leon
Broker/Owner
Agio Real Estate, Inc.
I have been a resident of the High Desert since 1967. I graduated in 1980 from Apple Valley High School. I have 29 years in the Real Estate Field and Related Industries. My experience consists of Title, Escrow, Construction, Real Estate and Property Management. I have purchased 4 homes and a 4 Unit Apartment Complex and a Commercial Building, in San Bernardino County. Under my direction some of the properties were rehabilitated, rented and sold at a later date. I won the 2006 Take Pride in Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce Award for the Commercial Building. I employ 65 Brokers and Real Estate Agents and have 10 staff members. I am involved with the community and different events. I keep myself up to date on current events of the High Desert and regularly attend City, Town and Chamber meetings.
Employment
1980-1981
I started my professional career working for First American Title Company as a messenger delivering documents to the Real Estate and Lending Community. I was promoted to customer service and I had the following responsibilities:
1. Taking calls from Realtors to assist with researching properties for history of Ownership and Deeds of Trust.
2. Finding and locating properties with Assessors Parcel Maps.
3. Completing Property Profiles.
1982-1994
I joined the team of Union Escrow, Inc., as a messenger delivering documents to the Real Estate and Lending Community. I was promoted to Escrow Officer Assistant, Escrow Officer, Assistant Manager and eventually Manager. I managed 24 employees at which time we had a day shift and a night shift. During my employment at Union Escrow, Inc., I handled all different types of transactions including but not limited to Residential Resale, REO, Relocation, Vacant Land, Commercial, Business Sales, Refinances and Mobile Homes. I bid on and won two Government Contracts for escrow services and worked several years closely with HUD and VA, closing more than 4500 escrows in 11 different counties. I was complemented by HUD and VA for the quality of work I performed. I worked with HUD on the San Bernardino County Program at which time we were doing the double escrows. I worked with HUD on several different Auctions and handled hundreds of Auction properties in a weekend. I helped VA with the drawing of loan document on the Seller Financing transactions. The responsibilities I handled as a Manager/Escrow Officer included but were not limited to:
- Serve as the communication link to all parties in the transaction.
- Prepare escrow instructions.
- Request a preliminary title search to determine the basis upon which a title insurance policy may be issued.
- Request a beneficiary's statement or pay-off demand relating to existing financing.
- Comply with lender's requirements, specified in escrow agreement.
- Receive purchase funds from the buyer.
- Prepare or secure the deed or other documents related to escrow.
- Prorate taxes, interest, insurance and rents according to instructions.
- Secure releases of all contingencies or other conditions as imposed on any particular escrow.
- Record deeds and any other documents as instructed.
- Request issuance of the title insurance policy.
- Close escrow when all of the instructions of buyer and seller have been carried out.
- Disburse funds as authorized by instructions including charges for title insurance, recording fees, real estate commissions and loan payoffs.
- Prepare final accounting for the parties’ HUD 1 statement for the disposition of all funds deposited in escrow
1994-1996
I received my California Real Estate License and went to work for Coldwell Banker Yucca Loma Realty in Victorville. I listed and sold Residential, REO (which included HUD and VA properties), Vacant Land, Mobile Homes and Commercial properties.
1996-1998
I went back to work for Union Escrow, Inc. as the Manager at which time Union Escrow, Inc. was purchased by Universal Title Company.
1998-2001
I went to work for Coldwell Banker Yucca Loma Realty, Inc. and became the co-owner. I listed and sold over 80 transactions (mostly HUD/VA properties) in this time period and managed approximately 20 agents.
2001-Present
I proudly received my Broker license in 2001 and changed our name to Agio Real Estate, Inc. a Certified Woman Owned Small Business with its Corporate Office located in Apple Valley, California. I have transferred title, listed, sold and overseen thousands of properties of all types.
During this time I opened Advanced Home Investments, Inc. and officially owned two businesses. I hired General Contractors and Sub- Contractors to build more than 20 homes in the High Desert area.
In this market the majority of our listings are REO properties. The responsibility of pre-listing and listing REO properties with Asset Management Companies include Property Management with the following outline but are not limited to:
1. Check property for Occupancy status
2. Offer Cash for Keys for Occupied Properties
3. Offer Property Management Relocation
4. Order Utilities on
5. Check with the Cities or Town for Liens
6. Secure the Properties
7. Check Properties weekly
8. BPO (Broker Price Opinions)
9. Trash out/Clean Properties
10. Assess repairs and get bids
11. Rehabilitation
12. Have Property in a Marketable Condition
13. List
14. Market
15. Sell
16. Monthly Status Reports
17. Weekly Drive by
The Property Management Division is separate from the Real Estate Division but the transactions however; require duties that are identical to the above list. The division is now managing 30 Residential homes.
Government Contracts
HUD Escrow Services
VA Escrow Services
Duties included but limited to:
- Handled large volumes of properties for the transferring of title.
- I personally made sure HUD/VA received as little as possible, complaint calls.
- I personally made sure HUD/VA received closings funds and statements timely.
- Helped with Auction Properties with the Auction Company of Larry Latham Auctioneers.
- Went to local Real Estate offices to train on the process of escrows and selling, HUD/VA homes, and to answer questions on how to fill out contracts.
- Helped train other Escrow Companies and Realtors in the process of Successfully Closing HUD/VA transactions
Current Memberships
Apartment Association Greater Inland Empire (Certified Property Manager)
Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce
Barstow Association of Realtors
Equator
CREOBA (Commercial Real Estate Owned Broker’s Association)
Hesperia Chamber of Commerce
RES.Net
MRMLS Association of Realtors
Victor Valley Association of Realtors
Victorville Chamber of Commerce
Past Memberships
Certified Commercial Real Estate Investment Member
High Desert Escrow Association
Committee
2011- NAHREP-IE Board Member
2011-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Director
2010-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Government Relations Committee
2010-Town of Apple Valley Country Club Committee
2007-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Chair for the Commercial Committee
2007-Victor Valley Community Hospital Foundation Board
2007-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Co-Chair Government Relations Committee
2007-Victor Valley Community Hospital Foundation Board- Chair for the Gala Committee
2006-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Chair for the Commercial Committee
2006-Victor Valley Community Hospital Foundation Board
2006-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Co-Chair Government Relations Committee
2005-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Chair for the Education Committee
2004-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Chair for the Education Committee
2003-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Education Committee
2003-Victor Valley Association of Realtors Education Committee
1994-High Desert Escrow Association President Elect
1993-High Desert Escrow Association Vice President
1992-High Desert Escrow Association Junior Director
1991-High Desert Escrow Association Junior Director
1979-Victor Valley Community Hospital President of the Volunteers
Education
Advanced Evaluations
Agency
Attended the FiveStarConference 2008-2009
Candidate Training School
Commercial BPO 101
Commercial Real Estate Practices 101
Ethics
Fair Housing
Graduate of Apple Valley High School 1980
How to Screen and Qualify Potential Residents
Liability & Risk Management: Protecting the Investment
Legal and Marketing Update
Maintenance Management: Maintaining a Property
Move-In-Process, Rent Collections & Notices
Preparing the Property for Market
Professional Leasing Skills & the Application Process
Professional Skills for Supervisors
Property Preservation
Providing Broker Price Opinions
Real Estate Principles
Real Estate Escrow
Real Estate Appraisal
Real Estate Property Management
Real Estate Law
Real Estate and the Government Making it Work for You
REO Best Practices
REO BOSS Training
REO Trans Certified
Resident Issues & Ending the Tenancy
Risk Management
Safety in the Workplace
San Bernardino County Crime Free Multi-Housing
Selling Income Property Successfully
Sexual Harassment
Short Sales from A to Z
True Cost of Doing Business
Trust Fund
Uncle Sam Has Homes for Sale: Listing and Selling HUD Homes
Community Involvement
Apple Valley Christian School
Apple Valley Fire Department
Apple Valley Rotary
Immunization Cards at local Hospitals
Kid’s Safety Awareness
Meals on Wheels
Toys for Tots
