Marla Hovland
Vice President, Sales and Marketing, CA DRE License #01369015
Marla’s Listings
About Marla
Growing up in the East County in San Diego, graduating from San Diego State University, married, and a mother of two very energetic young girls, living in San Diego at the beach is like living a dream for this vibrant, San Diego native.
Her career path from real estate agent to new homes sales person, to leading the CityMark Realty office has been a combination of “true love for the business ….hard work…and dedication to a profession she believes in…”
(619) 518-7444
Q: How long have you been doing real estate?
A: I began my real estate journey in 1998 as an appointment setter at Prudential in La Jolla. I became an assistant and office manager for a top-producing agent and even tried my hand in escrow for a brief stint. I decided to shift my focus from business administration to real estate sales when I got my license in 2001. I started working at CityMark in 2006 as a new home community specialist and ascended to VP of Sales and Marketing in 2011.
Q: What is your philosophy on home selling?
A: I love the Buffet quote “you know you hit the bottom {or top} of the market when you missed it”. Well-meaning friends, social media influencers, and financial analysts may have opinions that don’t align with your real estate goals, and that’s ok. Stay focused on your own path.
Q: What is your favorite hot spot in San Diego?
A: Probably not considered a “hot spot”, but I love Old Town. Nothing beats a freshly made tortilla from Café Coyote and a stroll through Heritage Park.
Q: What’s your dream home?
A: You mean my dream home collection? Beach house (check), desert property (check), mountain cabin (check), and city townhouse (still need). Plus a solid investment portfolio.
Q: What sets CityMark apart from other realty companies?
A: We work with people, not just property.
Q: What drew you to real estate?
A: I initially wanted to focus my career on the business admin side of real estate, but found that I really enjoyed contract negotiation and marketing.
Q: What experience in your career are you most proud of?
A: I have received several sales and marketing accolades over the years and have been consistently produced at Gold Level for SDAR’s Circle of Excellence for the past 5 years. However, I am most proud of the award I received from the BIA for Urban Leadership in 2008, an achievement for which I was nominated by my peers.
Q: What does your ideal San Diego weekend involve?
A: In the spring and summer, you can find me in my garden. I grew a green thumb over Covid, and now have 8 productive garden beds. In the fall or winter, you will find me and the family out on our desert property. I am a certified rock-hound, and our property is covered in rose quartz, jasper, and huge veins of selenite.
Get In Touch With Marla
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