Alain Pinel
ABOUT ALAIN PINEL
The itinerary of a French journalist / American real estate icon,
or the eternal search for business excellence


Alain Pinel entered professional life in 1965 as a political writer for the French daily newspaper "L'Aurore", covering such topics as Congress and the Prime Minister. Over the next 6 years, Alain Pinel wrote for several newspapers and magazines or commented the news on the radio, i.e.

  • "France Soir" (largest French newspaper then ) - European Common Market.
  • "Nouvel Observateur" (weekly magazine) - Western and Eastern Europe.
  • "L'Ouest Industriel" (monthly economic/business magazine) - Editor-in-Chief.
  • "R.T.L" (largest European radio broadcasting)

In 1972, Alain Pinel's life took another direction. Together with his wife and a one-year-old son, Alain sailed to a new adventure and a new career in California. In his new country, he successively became Regional Manager for La Salle Extension University in Northern California and Western Zone Manager for U.S Industries/Beacon, before settling in a business arena where his name soon became well known: Real Estate.

Alain started his real estate career in 1976 with Fox & Carskadon Realtors, in Los Altos, California. Three years later, he became the Managing Broker of the new Saratoga office, in the heart of the Silicon Valley. In 1984, Alain was made Senior Vice President in charge of the South Bay region and a year later, became the Executive Vice President and General Sales Manager of the company. Over his five year tenure in such position, Fox & Carskadon tripled its volume of sales (to $3 billion) and emerged as one of the top residential firms in the country.

In 1990, Alain Pinel left Fox & Carskadon/Better Homes & Gardens and founded a new company by his name: Alain Pinel Realtors. As President and CEO of his new venture, he used international marketing and state-of-the art technology to leverage and identify with the booming Silicon Valley. After having established Alain Pinel Realtors on the path of an ambitious business plan, Alain left the company with his two partners and decided to live another dream: International Real Estate.

In 1991, Alain returned to France and took the position of Sales & Marketing Director for Sofap Helvim, one of the leading development firms in France. He then became Sales & Marketing Director for Sefimeg, then the largest investment firm traded on the French stock exchange, specializing in the buying and selling of large office/industrial/apartment buildings.

The American love affair resumed in 1995. Coldwell Banker brought Alain back to California as Senior Vice President to manage the West Bay region, subsequent to the acquisition of... Fox & Carskadon Realtors.

In 2000, Alain's region, comprised of San Francisco, the Peninsula and the Silicon Valley, was the leading region in the country with an annual sales volume of nearly $13 billion and about 14,000 homes sold.

In July of 2002, well on the way to another record breaking year, Alain returned to Europe and settled in the South of France to pursue other interests with his wife Corinne.

Leisurely life on the Riviera was not meant to last very long. Shortly after his arrival, Alain, together with three partners, founded Imminence, a start-up which soon changed the way real estate is done in France and parts of Europe. With a core business built around a comprehensive adaptation of the American MLS system of brokers' cooperation, Imminence quickly expanded to provide a complete menu of services to the industry, from marketing, financials, productivity and planning tools to training and educational programs.

In Winter 2007, Alain spent a few days in Massachusetts to visit his son. Little did he know then that his "vacation" would eventually lead to a new exciting chapter of his real estate career... After succumbing to the charm of the coastal village of Cohasset, he and Corinne bought a pied-a-terre there and, six months later, decided to leave the Riviera to experience New England living.

Well, they liked it enough for Alain to decide to get the state broker's license and resume his real estate odyssey in the US, although this time on the East Coast. He soon became SVP & General Manager in Massachusetts for William Raveis, the leading independent company in New England and the 11th largest real estate company in the US.

During Alain's tenure, William Raveis was voted #1 "Best Place to Work in Massachusetts" by the Boston Business Journal and "Best Real Estate Company in Massachusetts" 4 years in a row by the readers of Banker & Tradesman. Over the same 4 years, William Raveis saw its Massachussetts MLS market share jump 50%.

After 4 years of harsh winters and lots of snow shaveling, Alain resolved to leave Massachusetts and return to "his turf", the San Francisco Bay Area. A meeting with an old friend, Gino Blefari, was enough to convince him to join Intero Real Estate Services (the leading brokerage in the Silicon Valley) on Day One of 2012, as SVP, Managing Officer and General Manager of Prestigio International, Intero's luxury estates division.

Over the following 6 years, Alain wrote a weekly online blog regarding all aspects of the business (marketing, financial, fiscal, luxury, etc.) which became an industry standard and a must-read for a worldwide audience.

In early 2018, a year and a half after the Pinels permanently moved to their vacation home in Palm Desert, Alain said goodbye to Intero. Commuting for that long, back & forth between Southern California and the Bay Area is no fun. Besides, when you live in paradise, you might as well take the time to enjoy it for a while and relax in the pool under the sun or in the shade from the mountains and the palm trees, right?

Good time to write a book or two, about real estate of course. Done.

The titles:

  • Real Estate Behind The Scenes - Games People Play REAL ESTATE
    BEHIND THE SCENES
    - GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

    (Release Date: May 1, 2020)

  • Real Estate Management Strategies & Tactics REAL ESTATE
    MANAGEMENT
    STRATEGIES & TACTICS

    (Release Date: June 1, 2021)


The adventure continues...

Alain and Bruno
Alain with Bruno in his Palm Desert home.


ALAIN PINEL'S BOOKS
  • Real Estate Behind The Scenes - Games People Play REAL ESTATE
    BEHIND THE SCENES
    - GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

    The Dos and Dont's for Ultimate Success. The Winning Guide for Agents, Managers, Brokers, Company Owners, Buyers and Sellers.

    (Release Date: May 1, 2020)

    TO ORDER GO TO AMAZON.COM
  • Real Estate Management Strategies & Tactics REAL ESTATE
    MANAGEMENT
    STRATEGIES
    & TACTICS

    How to Lead Agents and Managers to Peak Performance. For Managers of all levels, from Office Sales Managers to CEOs.

    (Release Date: June 1, 2021)

    TO PRE-ORDER GO TO AMAZON.COM



REAL ESTATE BEHIND THE SCENES
- GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

The Dos and Dont's for Ultimate Success
The Winning Guide for Agents, Managers, Brokers, Company Owners,
Buyers and Sellers

Real Estate Behind The Scenes - Games People Play

ORDER TODAY ON AMAZON.COM
(Release Date: May 1, 2020)


This book, "Real Estate Behind The Scenes - Games People Play", is as engaging and captivating as any exciting novel you have ever read. As a former successful journalist, Alain Pinel knows how to capture your attention, set up the stage with real-life scenarios showing why the property industry is potentially so hazardous and deliver powerful personal messages of wisdom to keep professionals and principals alike out of trouble and in the winning mode.

A must read for professionals and principals alike. It has never been more enjoyable to learn.

Who said a business book had to be daunting, tedious or plain boring? Well, get ready for a welcome delight.

The subtitle "The Dos and Don'ts for ultimate success" is right on point. Nobody knows residential real estate like Alain Pinel and nobody can explain its intricacies better than he does. Over the years, Alain founded or ran several of the top real estate organizations in the country and beyond. He hired and coached hundreds of the most successful managers and agents in the business. In the high-end business, his DNA, he is the recognized master with no equal.

Alain's ambition and passion have always been to "reinvent" the real estate industry, to make it more responsive to the evolving expectations of both the clients and the Realtors. That's why he was the first real estate leader to use state of the art technology and international marketing to bring buyers from all horizons to local listings and facilitate the transaction process for all concerned.

"Real Estate Behind The Scenes - Games People Play" is the perfect go-to-guide and a must read for agents, managers, brokers, company owners as well as for buyers and sellers. Learning made fun. Enjoy!


Includes foreword by Gino Blefari, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and CEO of HomeServices of America



  • BOOK REVIEWS

    REAL ESTATE BEHIND THE SCENES
    - GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

    Gino Blefari
    Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, CEO of HomeServices of America

    "Alain has given so much to real estate and real estate professionals fortunate enough to work with him. I consider him a mentor of mine. His leadership, his pure business intelligence, his values, his insights and his wisdom continue shaping our industry."

    Brian Crane
    CEO Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate

    "Alain's extensive experience and success in all levels of the real estate brokerage business makes him the perfect narrator for this play by play description of the realities of real estate sales in the trenches! I can't wait for the Netflix series!"

    Robert Cruz
    Cupertino Sales Manager, Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate

    "Alain Pinel has spent a lifetime mastering the art of leadership in Real Estate and teaching what he knows. The day after I met him for the first time, I made an appointment to visit him and asked him to teach me. To my surprise, he agreed. Thanks to his knowledge, I created a very successful office in the heart of the Silicon Valley. No easy task. In his book, Alain sends the same message to anyone who should choose to hear it. Whether it is High-End Real Estate, International Real Estate or simply sell the American Dream in the Heartland of America, let Alain be your guide and mentor by not only reading but internalizing the message in his book. It truly is a Winning Guide."

    Monique Lombardelli
    CEO Modern Homes Realty

    "Alain Pinel is one of the greats in real estate. I have watched him and learned from him for over the last 7 years here in the Silicon Valley.I have always been so impressed by his professionalism, elegance, power of negotiation and his impeccable presentation style. I would call him an artist in this field who started so many amazing careers. He is a true leader and I'm thrilled to also call him a friend. Thank you Alain for paving the way for all of us!"

    Chris Moles
    General Counsel, VP and Managing Officer, Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate

    "Alain understands and explains the art and importance of high-end real estate better than anyone. Real Estate Behind The Scenes is full of valuable insight that can be used by real estate agents, consumers and executives alike. It's a must-read for anyone in the industry."

    Dana Cappiello
    Sotheby's International Realty

    "Alain was an inspiring mentor whom I cherish. He taught me to develop my high-end business without being intimidated. Respected, authentic and knowledgeable - Alain is the best real estate professional I have worked with."

    Steve Becerra
    General Manager Intero Commercial, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate

    "Alain Pinel has set the standard for the marketing of luxury real estate for the last 35 years. In an environment known for innovation such as the Silicon Valley, Alain is and has been the leading source for marketing of luxury real estate, not only in the Silicon Valley but in all global markets from San Francisco to Paris and beyond. He has set the benchmark by which all standards are measured."

    William M. Raveis, Jr.
    Chairman & CEO of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage and Insurance

    "The book is informative and it is the winning guide for agents, managers, brokers, company owners and buyers & sellers. The insights regarding company and agents are very well written, based on the many years of experience he has.
    There are many interesting chapters, just to name a few:
    • Best company for the agent and the client
    • What we say and what we do
    • Too big, too small, or just right
    • The "global" fairytale - Very sage advice
    Overall, the book is excellent. Only someone of Alain's experience would have the insight and wisdom that is expressed in this book. The book truly represents an insider viewpoint. It's very special and I enjoyed reading it. It's a must for agents and companies."

    Stuart Blomgren
    CFO Intero, a Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate

    "Fascinating insights and perspectives from an industry leader with an impeccable career, who has mastered the art of high-end real estate sales. A thought provoking and compelling read for all stakeholders in a real estate transaction. Alain continues to build on his many contributions to the advancement of the profession."







REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIES & TACTICS

How to Lead Agents and Managers to Peak Performance
For Managers of all levels, from Office Sales Managers to CEOs

Real Estate Management Strategies & Tactics

PRE-ORDER TODAY ON AMAZON.COM
(Release Date: June 1, 2021)


"Real Estate Management Strategies & Tactics" is another enlightening book from Alain Pinel, the renowned real estate entrepreneur and author who ran several of the top 10 companies in the country and mentored many of the leading managers and agents from one coast to the other.

Success, running a residential real estate sales office or a company, can depend on a variety of factors, including strong economic data, favorable regional market conditions, low cost and abundant mortgage money, equilibrium of supply and demand, a few outstanding seasoned agents, lack of qualified competition, residual reputation, offices location and, yes, even luck.

However, luck, just like the other above-mentioned factors, can only last so long. At the end of the day, remarkable and sustainable success depends on the strength of the management corps and the leadership ability of every member of the relay team.

While it can be argued that leadership is an inborn quality, management is not. Management is a applied science. It takes time and a great deal of learning to develop the necessary awareness and eventually transform acquired knowledge into skills.

More than anyone, Alain knows that for each great manager, there is a great mentor -admittedly or not-, a great coach whose inspiring example and repeated teachings create and nurture excellence. Such teachings rely in part on key ideas and concepts, but a lot more on numbers than just magic words of wisdom. Business is a numbers' world.

Success is all about the bottom line. To make sure it looks the way one should expect, managers need to rely on proven methodology, whether it pertains to recruiting techniques, productivity tools, financial planning, goal setting, team psychology or other business essentials. They need to use the right guides, charts and analyses to measure and improve performance.

Such is the value and purpose of "Real Estate Management Strategies & Tactics", the new must read for all real estate leaders.




CONTACT
e-mail Alain


Alain Corinne and Bruno
Alain, Corinne and Bruno


© 2020 Alain Pinel. All rights reserved.