Achieving Excellence and Making a Difference
by Geraldine Zialcita
Peruz Jelveh is a successful business professional who balances multiple hats with passion, excellence, and purpose.
As a Licensed Loan Officer, Certified Mortgage Planner, Liability Advisor, and Branch Manager with 24 years of experience, Peruz’s journey began with a childhood dream that manifested into a reality. “My grandfather was a self-made real estate tycoon back in the old country, and I have always been intrigued by his accomplishments in real estate; especially with his utmost aim and emphasis to help folks obtain their dream of acquiring home ownership regardless of their shortcomings and of financial status,” he shares.
Born and raised in Paris, France, Peruz has lived on virtually every continent as his father was a high-ranking diplomat and attaché to the Shah of Iran. Their last assignment was in Senegal, Africa; and the Jelveh family left Iran on short notice due to internal knowledge of instability which led to what they later realized was their final diplomatic assignment and residency to the United States. Living on four continents exposed Peruz to diverse cultures, religions, and culinary which enabled him to become extremely cultured and fluent in French, Farsi, and English over the years. “My dad was the highest-ranking diplomat in charge of affairs to the former Princess Shams, the King of Iran’s sister; and was assigned to a different post every two years. The Shah’s cabinet appointed my Father to be assigned to the Iranian Embassy in San Francisco in 1978, but that assignment was short-lived after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran transpired,” he reveals.
At twelve years of age, Peruz who was used to trotting around the globe with his family was once again bound to embrace a new people, country, language, and culture as his home and to start over from scratch. But as a citizen of the world who was already resilient and adaptable to change, Peruz quickly assimilated into the American lifestyle, spreading his wings with vigor, and America became Home Sweet Home until this present day. Being keen on numbers and equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit compelled Peruz to explore the world of real estate and finance. He acquired his Associates in Real Estate Finance at the College of San Mateo.
After graduating, Peruz worked for a fortune 500 company and climbed the ranks in sales and finance in the automotive industry for nearly 10 years well into his late 20s. Having acquired extensive negotiation skills and knowledge in finance is what propelled Peruz to venture into becoming a broker in the real estate and mortgage fields. From that point, for nearly 24 years, Peruz has successfully serviced his own clientele and managed his agents and branches putting them in the Top Production Tier as he has always directed his teams of agents by leading by example. To date, Peruz stands to be a Producing Branch Manager who’s usually in the Top Producers bracket of the entire company. Since inception, Peruz has built a strong portfolio of eighteen thousand loyal clients and counting; for whom he and his team provide seasoned mortgage plans for acquiring the most suitable loans for purchasing residential & commercial properties in an ever-changing landscape. With a proven track record in both the real estate and mortgage industries, Peruz has been acclaimed as the “Top Producer” and “Branch Manager” year after year.
The process of acquiring a home or investment property entails different stages which Peruz oversees from initial client consultation until the ink has dried on the Deed of Sale. “The best part is when I first communicate with a client since I get to feel their enthusiasm in buying their dream home or investment property. Although people may have different objectives for buying a property, the end goal is to provide a comprehensive analysis that meets my clients’ short or long-term goals yielding a tangible benefit within any given market climate. Proper analysis of my clients’ specific scenarios enables me to assess their debt-to-income ratio, eligibility, and price ranges matching their financial capacity. Once we get our clients pre-approved for a purchase loan or a cash-out refinance, my team and I search the MLS, as well as my internal database and pocket listings which are not available to the broader market to find properties that meet our clients’ criteria, budget, and desired location with total exclusivity. Once our clients narrow down their preferences, we schedule physical viewings of the properties. Once our buyers/borrowers have selected their desired properties, we begin to interview the sellers or sellers’ agents depending on the agency relationships to strategically place a comprehensive and well-thought-out purchase offer to maximize our clients’ probability ratios of success. Once the seller and buyer come to an agreement, we begin to sift through all of our banking channels to obtain the best loan products and rates. From that point the close of escrow can take anywhere from 14 to 30 days,” he informs.
Peruz integrates his finance knowledge with marketing and seasoned negotiations, and in conjunction with his superior people skills behind the scenes delivers a smooth transaction for all parties involved. “Being in this industry involves a whole production from initial consultation to final execution. It requires a thorough understanding of the licenses required, dealing with federal and state real estate & mortgage laws, negotiating with the banks to get the best rates, and finding the ideal home for our clients. My team and I go above and beyond the call of duty to accommodate our clientele’s needs. I have always made it a point to train myself and my agents to handle both real estate and loans since the two combined traits exemplify the epitome of being a well-versed agent proficient as both a realtor and loan officer; as the two go hand in hand on any given transaction. Our clients appreciate having a one-stop shop for all of their realty and mortgage needs,” he conveys.
Instilled with a strong drive to succeed matched with hard work and discipline has reaped a very productive and functioning business for Peruz. “I’m an early riser and like to get ahead of the ball. . . By 5 A.M. I’m at the gym at least 4 days a week for an intense 1 1/2 hour workout which releases endorphins and sets the positive energy and drive for excelling through the day. I’ve been working out since I was 13 years old and this habit and discipline have proven to be invaluable to me in every aspect of both my personal and business life. By 6:30 AM I’m already pumped and on the phone with East Coast and Mid-West lenders whose time zones are ahead of ours here in California and talk about a head-start. . . By the time 9 A.M. rolls around, I’ve already accomplished so much more than most people in my time zone (PST) and can focus on other preset tasks, functions, and meetings for the day,” he relays.
Peruz and his teams have always grown to be reputable among their peers and affiliates with an unmatched “by referral only” base of loyal and steady clientele. Their positive experience with Peruz and his team has given birth to more clients and repeat customers. Peruz values and uses his time to think outside the box, develop innovative strategies, and always includes a boutique experience with a personal touch for his clients. “Although I have trained my agents to make cold calls, buy leads, structure deals, and get the best rates, at the end of the day it boils down to nurturing our clients and walking them through the entire process. My goal has always been to focus on building these relationships with favorable and pleasant experiences for our clientele and affiliates. And it is through this personalized approach that I have established a solid and extremely loyal clientele base that continues to grow my business organically. I remind my agents to always answer their calls, cater to their client’s needs; and go above and beyond what they ask for. We treat our clients how we wish to be treated. And as I always say: Either do it right or don’t do it at all,” he states.
Having spent a quarter century in the industry, Peruz has learned that it’s an ever-changing climate and there is no one thesis that can be 100% accurate. “There is always a flip side to what people think or believe. For example, in this current market, many people think a major recession is looming, yet there also seem to be no major indicators as we look at the latest jobs reports, unemployment, inflation, and GDP. As for the latest housing statistics, even with interest rates at decade highs, there is a low supply in inventory and a fairly high demand still yet. This is the very reason that we must always use our charting skills as our most effective barometer when it comes to forecasting the markets for all real estate acquisitions as well as securing windows of opportunity as the markets trade to lock-in dips and seizing favorable interest rates for our clients in a timely manner,” he briefs.
Despite all of his accolades and successes, Peruz has encountered many challenges ranging from a very competitive and volatile market to fluctuating interest rates and major market crashes. Through market ups and downs, with trial and tribulation, a seasoned veteran of the industry has been born over 2 decades ago and is well-versed in his profession. Peruz continues to be a student of the game as he leads his team skillfully to forge ahead and focus on their goal of helping their clients achieve the American Dream.
When away from work, Peruz spends quality time with his beautiful wife and kids. He and his wife are self-motivated business owners by the virtue of passion, love, and live life as avid contributors and supporters of their community. Looking back, Peruz realizes that every experience he has encountered, whether good or bad, has always brought him to new heights and set the stage for achieving his fervent goals. “My inspiration has always been to help people realize their dreams of owning real estate and achieving financial security to leave a legacy for their family & children,” he concludes.
Peruz’s strong work ethic, discipline, and drive to succeed have made him a reputable entrepreneur with loyal clients throughout California. Peruz constantly strives to improve, innovate, and offer a personal touch for his clients and serve as an inspiration to those around him.
Peruz Jelveh’s mission is to continually strive for excellence with the aim to procure tangible benefits for his clients and affiliates one transaction at a time.
PERUZ JELVEH @peruzj
Writer: GERALDINE ZIALCITA @geraldineauthor
Grooming: JOSETTE VIGIL JELVEH @onsetwithjosette
Copy Editor: KIEDO VILLANUEVA @kei_villanueva
Art Director: NIGEL JOHN DEL MUNDO @nigeldelmundo
Photographer: VINCENT GOTTI @vinniegotti