Ken Simonds
Ken is a fifteen year Big Bear Lake property owner, residing in Castle Glen Estates. He has invested in various Big Bear Lake properties for over 18 years, and invested in various Southern California properties for over 34 years. He is highly motivated and detail oriented, with extensive construction expertise specializing in residential, commercial, industrial and retail real estate, with a C-10 license in California. Having also been in the construction industry for over 37 years, he was owner and President of KCS Electric, Inc. in Anaheim, California for 23 years, with over $90M in projects provided to satisfied repeat customers.
Including co-agent Cathy McCabe provides clients with the power of 2 key points of contact to constantly watch over and work on each transaction. Ken and Cathy have worked on and closed short sales, REO, traditional resales, cash transactions with short escrow periods, HUD homes with first time homebuyer assisted funding. Their excellent track record of closing escrows in the vastly diverse arena of home sales makes them great candidates to handle your next transaction. Fully realizing that homeownership is one of the most important decisions and investments a person will ever make, Ken and Cathy are committed to handling that responsibility with the utmost professionalism and with your best interests as a constant motivation.
As part of this framework, their membership in Hirschler & Associates provides their clients with constant access to an experienced and reliable Realtor, even on Ken’s days off. With team leader Steve Hirschler, as well as fellow associate Lisha Kenny, the team provides over 20 years of combined experience. In 2016, Hirschler & Associates was #3 in sales volume in Big Bear with over $35M sold, and closed over 120 transactions.
In the past 6 years, Ken and Cathy have sold $36M, averaging 28 transactions per year. In the past 2 years, their transactions have averaged $7.3M each year, and 28 transactions per year.
Ken is certified by the Big Bear Association of Realtors as a Big Bear Resort Specialist. In addition, Ken is trained in Short Sale and REO transactions, and has completed short sale transactions representing both buyers and sellers. He has worked with numerous lenders on both standard and FHA short sales, involving notes secured with both first and second trust deeds. He has successfully negotiated on his clients, and maintaining communication with negotiators and closers to ensure successful closure of the transaction.
Ken and Cathy have kept their business to a healthy balance with regard to number of clients, listings, and transactions so that the can be available to each client, aware of the details in each transaction, and have the framework in place to increase their volume to even above their best years at 42 transactions and $8.8M sold, without decreasing the level of service provided.
Additionally, Ken personally meets with home inspectors and appraisers, where his experience with contracting, construction, and electrical engineering helps home to keep an eye out for issues. Ken also maintains direct contact with escrow officers and lenders to ensure timely and efficient closings. His 37 years of business ownership, negotiating thousands of contracts, makes him well equipped to be a strong negotiator on behalf of his clients, always handling each transaction as if it was his own.
Ken has extensive background in the following related areas, and his clients have found his to knowledge to have enhanced their real estate experience: c-10 Business License in California, college level studies including Business Accounting, Tax Planning, Commercial and Residential Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Energy Efficient Lighting Systems, and Certified LED and Solar Energy Installations.
Affiliations: National Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, East Valley Association of Realtors, Big Bear Association of Realtors, and Associated Builders and Contractors of Southern California.
Personal Interests: Ken is family oriented. He has been married 35 years, and has one son. Ken competed as a drag boat racer, and was 2008-2010 President of the National Jet Boat Association. He is NHRA licensed, and enjoys snow and water skiing, deep sea fishing, and golfing.
CA BRE lic# 01877829