Assaf Raz
About Assaf Raz:
Dogtown is a nickname given to the Pacific Ocean Park neighborhood, an area where extreme skateboarders, surfers, and musicians like The Doors, called home. Now, decades later, the community has flourished into a desirable real estate community because of its unique vibe and plethora of people who embody the innovative, but laidback culture, where Z-Boys once skated its streets and changed the sport of skateboarding forever.
Dogtown Realty is located within the historical Zephyr building, where Zephyr skateboarding all began. Owners Assaf Raz and Jeff Konecke live and breathe the local community: they own homes, and operate their professional and retail businesses there (including the wildly successful Dogtown Coffee). They even surf in Santa Monica and Venice.
With more than 30 years of collective experience (and tutelage from real estate visionaries, Jack Hoffman and Suzy Frank), Raz and Konecke have in-depth knowledge of Santa Monica real estate that has helped them build a business that embodies the nature of the area, with a network of trusted clients and neighbors who respect them. Over the years, Dogtown Realty has represented a diverse array of clients and properties including the Dennis Hopper compound, designed by architects Brian Murphy and Frank Gehry.
Like the roots of Dogtown, which was built from the rebellious spirit of surf and skate culture of the seventies, Dogtown Realty are not your typical west side realtors. They enjoy collaborating with their clients and helping them navigate the home-buying process by sitting down with them over great coffee and truly listening to what they seek in their real estate investment. Then, they’re creative about the process with their prospective buyers, making it educational, fun and successful. According to Raz, they founded Dogtown Realty, in order to “empower the community by inspiring a new culture of locals serving locals.”
Buying a home or commercial property in Santa Monica is no skate in the park, but it’s a breeze with Dogtown Realty because they know the ins and outs of the neighborhood, and they are true insiders of this niche community.
