Realtor credits military for desire to serve others

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Realtor Jerry Burke Jr. said he is known for going the extra mile, doing things other agents just don't think of handling. He recalls helping a new, desperate homeowner clean an unexpected drain problem after the first rain of the winter.

"I'm committed to serving my clients, and a big part of that is attention to detail," he said.

Burke moved to Fallbrook from San Diego in 2009 because he said the small-town atmosphere made him feel like home. He's been selling real estate for 15 years.

"There is a great satisfaction with being able to personally hand someone the keys to their first home," he said. "I take seriously the responsibility and opportunity of helping families achieve the biggest purchase of their life."

Before giving those keys to the buyer, he also relishes the opportunity to be the one to tell the client their offer has been accepted or that escrow has closed, he said.

"I make sure the escrow company tells me first, so I can tell the client," he said. "Then I am able to proudly say to the client, 'Welcome to Fallbrook.'"

He described Fallbrook as special and unique.

"There's a small-town feel because you really are in the country. However, things are still nearby at the same time. There are unique municipalities, as well," he said.

"I also really enjoy working with clients and am able to build relationships with many of them – upward of 20%. That may not seem like a lot, but it really is," Burke said. "No client should ever should feel like the saying, 'Use you and lose you.'

"I truly enjoy helping people achieve their dreams. There is a high level of satisfaction in serving others," he said.

Burke said the focus on service is something he learned from the military.

"I love the camaraderie of the military, and that is where I learned how to serve others. It carried over to what I do in real estate. The real estate filled a void from leaving the military," he said.

After serving in the U.S. Navy for 21 years, he took a month break before beginning his real estate career, and he said he's enjoyed all aspects of the work.

His real estate career now spans 15 years, and his only frustrations with the profession are the ebbs and flows of the market, he said. Having his military retirement has been helpful, he said, when he first started and when business was slow. He entered the real estate marked when the "boom" period was peaking in the early 2000s, and six months later the industry crashed.

Burke said his training in real estate also stressed service. He was also taught to know the neighborhoods he served, which has continued to be a valued asset, even in today's world of being able to find so much information on the internet.

"The Fallbrook area is so unique," he noted. "There are important things you won't easily discover on the internet."

Being in the real estate market is also satisfying, he said, because he is able to see the results of his work – a family in the home of their dreams.

"It's an honor for someone to put their trust in me with their financial situation," he said. "I often will tell them, 'Thank you for putting your faith and trust in me.'"

Burke said he encourages people to select a Realtor with a good track record and to choose one who works full-time.

Burke's approach of serving others has also led to his community involvement with the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Fallbrook.

He served as president of the Rotary Club of Fallbrook for 2017-2018, and in 2014 he was selected as Honorary Mayor of Fallbrook.

"I love serving the community," Burke said. "There are like-minded individuals, and it's great to build relationships. I'm a people person, and it carries over to working with buyers and sellers."

He describes himself as a traditional Realtor and "just an honest guy." Another aspect of the job he loves is working with seniors, making sure they are not taken advantage of in real estate matters, he said.

Burke specializes in remote transactions. He cited instances of clients buying a home in Fallbrook that they had never seen before. Some of these distance buyers are in the military.

Four unique things to know about Jerry Burke Jr. are that he was voted San Diego Magazine's "Five Star Real Estate Agent" in 2016-2019; that he's almost always wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt around town; that his son Stephen Jerry Burke was born in Yokosuka, Japan, in 1989 and that he completed numerous half marathons and half Ironman triathlons from 2003 to 2013.

Burke works for Keller Williams Realty and can be reached at (619) 302-5471, [email protected] or http://www.JerryBurkeJr.com.