She's got an eye for real estate
Langley's Ebony Malapad has met with early success as a realtor

by Martin van den Hemel

Ebony Malapad has developed quite an eye during her colourful career, and it's a strength she enjoys tapping into as a realtor.

Though she's only been in the real estate industry for two years, she's got the savvy and know-how of a veteran combined with the fresh perspective and genuine go-the-extra-mile personality of someone who is hungry for work and eager to please.
Born in the Philippines, Malapad has called Canada home for more than three decades, having grown up in the chilly confines of Winnipeg.
There, she worked as an assistant manager at a Le Chateau clothing store, where she developed a passion for fashion.

Malapad has always wanted to be a realtor, but in her younger days, she prioritized her family, and specifically raising her children. She was well aware even then
that realtors work when most people don't. Juggling the often-unpredictable hours was simply unrealistic while she was working hard to be a good mother.
But her children are older now, and that means Malapad is free to pursue the line of work she's so long been drawn to.
Malapad moved to B.C. in 1989, and said she loves the weather here. Though it's not quite hot enough for her liking, it's still better than Winnipeg, where the winters can bring bitter cold temperatures, and the summers, though warm, also come with blood-thirsty swarms of mosquitoes.

Here, she worked for a kids clothing stores, and has also dabbled in the nursery industry, operating her own garden centre in Fort Langley for three years. She's spent years as a general insurance agent, selling everything from car to home to life insurance, as well as mutual funds.
All of those skills she's gathered over the years are now focussed solely on matching people with the right homes that they can afford and find these sound investments.
So how does her keen optics help her as a realtor?
She recalls helping one homeowner sell his older house in a nice neighbourhood replete with new houses.

Having quickly identified the challenge, she advised the homeowner how to dress up the home, with a splash of colour and other cosmetic changes—like replacing light bulbs and cleaning fixtures—that were relatively inexpensive but ultimately paid off.
Malapad is well aware of the fact that most homebuyers aren't keen on spending a lot of their own time and money making major changes to a home. They'd rather find something that they can move into and enjoy immediately.

So what is it about real estate she loves so much?
"I've always enjoyed working with people," she says, referring to her lengthy career in sales.
A lot of the buyers she works with are first-time buyers, and since a home is normally a person's biggest investment in life, she knows how vital it is to do her homework and explain in detail and simple terms the steps involved in buying.
"I enjoy helping people," she says.
One young couple she worked with for six months couldn't quite decide what they really wanted, flip-flopping several times.

So Malapad sat down with them, set a budget and had them describe what they truly wanted.
They finally landed on a home in Abbotsford at a price that was below their budget.
She's also cognizant of how crucial it is to enlighten new homebuyers on the true cost of homeownership, telling them about the importance of house insurance, mortgage insurance and regular home maintenance including the heating system.
Malapad also enjoys the challenge of dealing with unusual properties. For some reason, they seem to land in her lap regularly.

Having lived in the Fraser Valley for some time now, she's quite comfortable with the varying neighbourhoods from Mission to Maple Ridge to Surrey. Langley is her back yard and she's eager to take on properties here as well.
She's not afraid of hard work and long hours, and despite being new to the industry, has met with quick success, earning a Silver Club recognition from her realty firm for the number of homes she sold last year.
Whether you're looking to purchase a new home, ready to downsize, or simply want to discuss your options, Malapad said she's committed to making clients for life.Copyright isearch411.com

Ebony works out of the Homelife Benchmark Realty office at 201-20999 88th Ave. in Langley, B.C.
She can be reached by calling 604-888-7424.