By Clyde Noel

Realtor Profile

Licensed to sell real estate at age 18, and a brokerage license at 21, Emmett “Skip” Cashin III has a 30-year record of achievement in Peninsula real estate.

Owner and president of Cashin Company Realtors, “Skip” originally started as a sign boy putting up real estate signs for his father Emmett J. Cashin Jr. After college at the University of Arizona, he worked with Wells Fargo as a loan officer, but his love for real estate brought him back to selling for his father at Fox & Carskadon.

“Skip” became one of the Fox & Carskadon’s leading agents and in 1976 became sales manager. By 1981, he was named president.

At Fox & Carskadon, Cashin created an extensive in-house sales support system including marketing, accounting, computer and sales training.

Under his tutelage, Fox & Carskadon became one of the nation’s largest independent brokerages with dominant market share and $3 billion in resident sales.

He remained with Fox & Carskadon as president and CEO until 1993.

In 1995 he founded the Cashin Company, a residential brokerage focused on peninsula sales.

Since its founding in Burlingame, the firm has attracted an all-star roster of real estate professionals and grown to six offices with more than 200 agents.

“During my time with Fox & Caraskadon, I sold many properties in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills and always loved the area.” Cashin said. “Ironically, at the beginning of the month we celebrated the opening of a Cashin Company office in Los Altos.”

Helping Cashin Company is Los Altos resident Chuck Alloo. The former Fox executive is a partner in Cashin Company, and as chief finance officer he runs the financial aspect of the company.

Cashin’s success centers on customer service. His guiding principle consists of trust, honesty, loyalty and integrity with customers and his employees.

“We always try to give people more than they expect,” Cashin said. “You only have one thing in life, and that’s your reputation. It’s also our cornerstone.”

There is a benevolent side to Cashin. His main thrust is community service and Cashin Company provides $1,000 scholarship awards to 28 high school seniors in the area Cashin Company does business. Starting this year, Los Altos High School will be included in the awards.

Cashin is high on peninsula area cities and the future of real estate.

“We are looking for a consistent market for the balance of this decade,” Cashin said. “California is one of the largest economies in the world and we live in the best area of the state which is an incentive to live here and raise a family.

“It’s a quality-of-life issue, and that eliminates any huge drop in any housing values. People want to live here and I can’t see any real estate bubble for this area.” Cashin said.

That positive feeling for the Peninsula means expansion with an additional real estate office within the next 12 months in Palo Alto.

“We have been asked to open an office in Palo Alto, and it actually complements the rest of our organization,” Cashin said.

Born in San Francisco, he resides in Portola Valley with his wife, Joanne.

Cashin Company is located at 496 First St.t, Suite 100, Los Altos. For more information, call 948-8050.