Q&A: Melanie Goldberger

By SARAH SHMERLING | Managing Editor

Melanie Goldberger is a true Los Angeles native. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Goldberger spent time in NYC before returning home to LA and settling down in Pacific Palisades.

Working with The Agency, Goldberger explains how the real estate business allows her to share her love and passion for the city while utilizing her professional sales and marketing skills.

Shmerling: Tell us a bit about your background and your family.

Goldberger: Both my husband and I are from Los Angeles—we were raised in the San Fernando Valley, however, we met in NYC almost 20 years ago, while we were both working there.

My son, Zach, was born in a snowstorm in the winter of 2002, so we decided to move back to LA to be closer to our families. We had several friends that lived in Pacific Palisades—so we thought we would check it out.

Shmerling: Did you travel anywhere over summer?

Goldberger: Early this summer, we took a big family trip to Cabo, and later we went to NYC, as we do every summer. After NYC, we traveled to The Sagamore Resort on Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains. That was a blast.

Shmerling: How long have you lived in the Palisades and in which neighborhoods?

Goldberger: We have lived in the Palisades for almost 15 years. When we moved back from New York, we rented a house in the Alphabet Streets. We loved the Alphabets, but we found that we gravitated toward the Bluffs, so two years later, while I was nine months pregnant with my daughter, Sydney, we moved to our current home on De Pauw Street.

Shmerling: What is your favorite room in your house?

Goldberger: I would say the kitchen is my favorite part of the house and not because I am a great cook—I’m actually a terrible cook (thank you to Beech Street, Café Vida, Kayndave’s and Garden Café for feeding my family all of these years). The kitchen is always where everybody congregates—all of these rooms, and everybody hangs out in the kitchen.

Shmerling: What keeps you motivated to keep working in this industry?

Goldberger: I love people. I love LA and I love the Palisades! I consider myself a real area expert. The ability to transition people into this great community is what gets me up in the morning. I also have met so amazing people through this business—many started as clients and have become good friends.

Shmerling: What are some of the most important things you focus on when working with a new client?

Goldberger: Every individual has unique needs when it comes to real estate. It’s my job to draw on my experiences and resources, and make this transition as easy as possible. I want my clients to know that I am their partner in this ride.

Shmerling: Has Rick Caruso’s upcoming Palisades Village project impacted the local market yet?

Goldberger: I think it definitely has impacted the Palisades and will continue to do so.

Currently, I have a listing that is in close proximity to the new Caruso Village, and I think that is a huge selling point. The new development is only going to enhance all of our lives and create a bigger sense of community than we already have.

Shmerling: Anything else you’d like the community to know?

Goldberger: The Agency has a new office in the Palisades so please come by and say “hi!”