Meet Sarah Raboff, Senior Advisor in our Multifamily Division

She is strength and grace and dignity. 
She is the epitome of bubbling enthusiasm and determined will. 
She is the mind of a dealmaker, and the heart of a warrior. 
She is the future looking you straight in the eye, saying, “I am here....” and she is fabulous!!
.......and who would she be...........Sarah Raboff, of course. 
Please join me in congratulating Sarah on her advancement from Advisor to Senior Advisor. 
Sarah has work non-stop to reach this goal, and it is just one stop on a long line of achieved goals for her to claim. 
I am honored and pleased to work with such an outstanding individual, and look forward to being part of her on-going success.

Congratulations Sarah.....well done!! 

Q:     What did you do before your career in commercial real estate, and what skills or experiences have transitioned with you?

Before joining NAI SunVista, I interned at a private investment management firm in Santa Fe— Thornburg Investment Management—which primarily manages mutual funds. At the time, I was admitted to and was enrolled in the Masters of Real Estate Development and Urban Planning Program at the University of Miami in Florida, which is where I obtained my bachelor’s degree. While at Thornburg, I was living in Albuquerque with the plan to return to Miami for the MRED + UP program in the Spring of 2020.

Throughout my education, I excelled in public speaking and discussions, which I have leveraged in commercial real estate. Though Thornburg does not handle real estate investments, the client-centric nature of the business relates to commercial real estate. I learned a tremendous amount from my colleagues at Thornburg, primarily client relations and measuring investment metrics.

Q:     What made you choose commercial real estate over other opportunities?

After shadowing students in the MRED + UP program at the University of Miami, I decided to apply to the program. At the time, I had a particular focus on medical center development because two of my close friends are medical center architects in Chicago, and I learned a great deal from them. After getting to know my landlord in Albuquerque—a multifamily developer and former retail broker at NAI SunVista—I developed a strong interest in commercial brokerage. Mr. Rembe provided helpful anecdotal experience, which in part influenced my interest from development to brokerage.

Q:     What part of being a new broker and new to the industry did you find most challenging?

As a new broker, the most challenging component was prospecting. Now it is educating clients on the market and managing expectations. Building a network is emotionally challenging and requires organizational skills. I didn’t have a team because I am the only full-time multifamily broker at NAI SunVista, so at times I felt like I was setting myself up for failure. The addition of Jim Wible to my team was very helpful.

Q:     Who has influenced you the most?

Jim Wible (Senior Director) and Debbie Harms (NAI SunVista CEO) have been incredibly supportive and influential to me. They have a comprehensive understanding of real estate and are excellent communicators. For example, I learned to listen more and ask open-ended questions from Jim. Debbie's industry knowledge is astounding. I have never asked her a question that she didn’t answer with wit. I believe anyone who knows Debbie would agree that she is an excellent leader as well.

Q:     How do you approach risk?

When approaching risk, I remind myself that growth is uncomfortable, and career advancement is directly correlated to discomfort. I do my best to educate myself on the subject before engaging with it. Jim Wible, my mentor, has been very helpful in sharing his expertise when assessing the risk of a situation and strategizing.

Q:     How have you remained successful and hurdled the COVID challenges in your real estate world?

The Multifamily category has done exceptionally well during COVID, which is my focus.

Q:     What advice would you give someone considering a career in CRE?

I would recommend the person assess his or her strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, I advise surveying colleagues, friends and family for natural aptitudes, such as communication and financial understanding. The respective activities will help them better understand if CRE is a good fit. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I recommend speaking to several people in the industry.

Q:     How do you spend your time outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend time with friends, do hot yoga, run, and I just started indoor rock climbing. I also write poetry and paint. As a relatively new resident of Albuquerque, I am enjoying getting to know this multicultural and beautiful city!

Sarah Raboff  is a Senior Advisor in our Multifamily Division. For more information on her properties click here.