Curb appeal

Barry Fox

Hometown: New Orleans

Age: 35

WORKS FOR: Sunset Boulevard office of DBL Realtors

TERRITORY: Hollywood Hills

PREVIOUS LIFE: Producer for MTV in New York.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Subway

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: Saab

CHA-CHING MOMENT: No longer caring if I go over my “anytime” minutes.

WEIRDEST REQUEST: “A really great space for our teepee.”

YOUR CURB APPEAL: Directness -- I can’t fake enthusiasm for a house I really don’t appreciate.

SLOGAN: Listen to the client.

DEAL-BREAKERS: Shabby Chic, gold hardware or too much marble.

HOBBIES: Art collecting, drawing, swimming, grilling.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: 1940s Modern home in the Bird Streets with lots of Billy Haines influence.

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Barry Sloane

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

Age: Very youthful mid-fifties

WORKS FOR: Sotheby’s International Realty

TERRITORY: Silver Lake to Malibu; properties that are historic or architecturally significant

PREVIOUS LIFE: Producer/director/writer for TV, documentaries and specials.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Mercedes-Benz sport coupe

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: BMW 745Li

CHA-CHING MOMENT: Not the biggest sale by any means, but the biggest thrill was selling Frank Lloyd Wright’s “La Miniatura” in Pasadena.

WEIRDEST REQUEST: A primal scream room and a panic room.

YOUR CURB APPEAL: Energy and knowledge.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? Move-in condition (but with humility).

SLOGAN: The client always comes first.

DEAL-BREAKERS: Rudeness and screaming.

HOBBIES: Collecting contemporary art.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: 1924 Spanish by a great architect.

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Michael Slater

Hometown: Arcadia

Age: 44

WORKS FOR: Prudential California Realty A John Aaroe Division

TERRITORY: Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills and Elysian Heights

PREVIOUS LIFE: Catering.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Honda Accord

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: Lexus

CHA-CHING MOMENT: Finalizing architectural plans for the vacation house I’m building in Maui.

WEIRDEST REQUEST: A buyer asked me to help finance the purchase of their house.

YOUR CURB APPEAL: I’m very accessible--and have a good sense of humor.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? I am a “move-in condition with character.”

SLOGAN: I bow before the divinity in myself and others.

DEAL-BREAKERS: When people are dishonest or will not listen to reason.

HOBBIES: Playing the piano, gardening, writing and studying Italian.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: A serene Spanish in the hills with a wonderful garden and great tomatoes.

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Steven Kaufman

Hometown: Los Angeles

Age: 37

WORKS FOR: Coldwell Banker Previews International

TERRITORY: North of the 10 Freeway to Ventura Boulevard

PREVIOUS LIFE: Home interior design.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Ford pickup

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: Cadillac

CHA-CHING MOMENT: At the register at Gucci.

WEIRDEST REQUEST: “Is there a way we can find out if

the bathtub fits two?”

YOUR CURB APPEAL: I get it.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? Move-in, but always renovating.

SLOGAN: I didn’t know she was your girlfriend.

HOBBIES: Furniture and more furniture.

YOU LIVE IN: Mies van der Rohe and concrete.

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Lance Eng

Hometown: Brainerd, Minn., a town of 10,000 made famous by the movie “Fargo.”

Age: 30

WORKS FOR: Hancock Park office of Coldwell Banker

TERRITORY: Have Deal, Will Travel

PREVIOUS LIFE: Restaurateur.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Honda Civic

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: A Lexus that’s a Ferrari poser

CHA-CHING MOMENT: When I made $5,000 for less than eight hours of work.

WEIRDEST EXPERIENCE: When the buyer rented a limousine to look at houses in the Hollywood Hills and it got stuck in the narrow streets, the driver got lost and I got car sick.

YOUR CURB APPEAL: Service, service, service.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? Move-in condition with gourmet kitchen, pool, tennis court, hot tub and 10-year warranty.

SLOGAN: Take care of the client.

HOBBIES: Reading books on how to make more money.

DEAL-BREAKERS: People with Champagne tastes and beer budgets.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: A cozy nest with great views that’s one block from my Starbucks.

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Jon Root

Hometown: Santa Monica

Age: 40

WORKS FOR: Synthesis Realty Group, LLC

TERRITORY: Luxury estate and resort properties here and abroad

PREVIOUS LIFE: 1988 Olympic gold medalist in volleyball.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: A white Yugo with a USA Volleyball logo across both sides of the car. Imagine a 6-foot-6 guy getting out of that car.

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: Upgrading to a Cadillac Escalade SUV.

CHA-CHING MOMENTS: $200,000 contract to play professional volleyball in Italy.

EIRDEST REQUEST: A buyer in California who wanted to make the master bathroom open-air (a pretty cool idea to me).

YOUR CURB APPEAL: I tell it like it is. From my days representing the U.S. as an athlete, I learned to represent with integrity.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION?

Fixer-upper. I like to be creative in enhancing a property.

SLOGAN: Everything is connected.

DEAL-BREAKERS: Passive-aggressive buyers.

HOBBIES: Hiking, mountain biking, cooking, creative arts, participating in sacred Native American ceremonies.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: A triplex in Venice with wood floors and original trompe l’oeil mural on living room wall.

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Brett Bodrato

Hometown: Northvale, N.J.

Age: 39

WORKS FOR: Sotheby’s International Realty

TERRITORY: Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood

PREVIOUS LIFE: Interior designer in New York.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: BMW

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: BMW

CHA-CHING MOMENT: My first sale as an agent was to Dr. Phil McGraw in Beverly Hills.

WEIRDEST REQUEST: Nothing surprises me here; in L.A., the weird request seems to be the norm.

YOUR CURB APPEAL: Outgoing and friendly; try to make looking for a home as stress-free as possible. Treating clients to a good meal never hurts either.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? I’m happier with myself as I get older.

SLOGAN: Treat others as you would like to be treated.

HOBBIES: Riding horses (spent years showing hunter jumpers), rollerblading, travel.

DEAL-BREAKERS: Lack of integrity and loyalty.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: Just sold my house in the Hollywood Hills.

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Chris Dickson

Hometown: Pasadena

Age: 38

WORKS FOR: Dickson Podley Realtors

TERRITORY: San Gabriel Valley

PREVIOUS LIFE: Began real estate career directly out of college, later taking over operation of father’s company, Jim Dickson Realtors. Last year merged with Podley & Associates.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Honda Accord

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: BMW 740i

CHA-CHING MOMENT: Biggest sale was a $3.25-million home in La Canada.

YOUR CURB APPEAL: My insightfulness, calming objectivity and enthusiastic, visionary spirit.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? Just as no home is ever without potential for improvement, I believe that I will always need and desire to grow.

HOBBIES: Surfing, playing guitar and music production.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: A restored 1932 English cottage.

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Stan Roy

Hometown: Maineville, Ohio

Age: 38

WORKS FOR: Mitchell Roy & Associates Real Estate

TERRITORY: Leona Valley, Eagle Rock, Aliso Viejo, Los Feliz, Westwood

PREVIOUS LIFE: Photographer/climber.

WHAT YOU DROVE THEN: Old truck

WHAT YOU DRIVE NOW: New truck

CHA-CHING MOMENT: A house that had 30 offers, and my buyer got it.

WEIRDEST QUESTION: “Why is there a toilet in that closet?”

YOUR CURB APPEAL: Midwestern calm.

ARE YOU A FIXER-UPPER OR IN MOVE-IN CONDITION? Rustic charmer.

SLOGAN: Energy is like an echo.

DEAL-BREAKERS: Nuclear waste, disclosed or not.

HOBBIES: Climbing, cycling, riding horses, trying to golf.

WHAT YOU LIVE IN: Mid-century traditional.