Success Story: Sharona Alperin
When you hear “My Sharona,” an image undoubtedly pops into your head. Whether you picture the classic gas-station-checkout-dance-party scene from Reality Bites or the most recent season of Stranger Things, chances are, as you read this, you’re already tapping your feet. Did you know there’s a real person, a REALTOR® in fact, behind the chart-topping, can't get it out of your head song? Meet Sharona Alperin. The one and only, “My Sharona.”
Sharona, a Los Angeles native, was introduced to the band The Knack when she was 17 and started dating the lead singer, Doug Fieger, a year later. She spent her early 20s touring the world with the band, eventually making her way back to L.A. to find their dream home while Fieger continued to tour. That search was the catalyst for a career that has taken her to the upper echelons of Los Angeles area real estate professionals.
Today, Sharona is commended consistently by NRT, the parent company of Sotheby’s International Realty, for being in the top 2% of the firm’s approximately 50,000 agents nationwide. But ask her whether she wants to be known for an impressive career or that infamous song, and the answer is both. They’ve built on each other. Alperin has found ways to build a powerful real estate brand that leverages her name and her Los Angeles expertise to cater to Hollywood A-listers and international buyers and sellers.
“L.A. and I, we grew up together. I know real estate here because this is my town. I love putting people in their homes. Owning my brand with mysharona.realtor helps me stand out.”
A recognizable name with positive associations gave Sharona a leg up when she started branding her real estate business. When people hear “My Sharona” on the radio, it triggers a memory, a feeling. This mnemonic shorthand makes Sharona’s business instantly recognizable. She just had to connect "My Sharona" to real estate. So she did. With mysharona.realtor, sharonaalperin.realtor, and mysharona.realestate, she combined three domains in one powerful brand, telling visitors that Sharona Alperin is a REALTOR®, offering expertise that real estate agents and apps don't, and yes, she is that Sharona. Today, when people hear “My Sharona” in the context of real estate, they think of Sharona and her staff with a reputation for trustworthiness, discretion, and above all, dedication to clients.
“I just think that what NAR is trying to do right now with .realtor™ is to make life and business a little easier. And that’s what we need.”
Sharona describes her .realtor™ domain as a subtle, but specific sign of identification that only REALTORS® can use. It’s a mark of legitimacy and recognition that you can’t get if you simply use a .com—like a “Dr.” designation for the medical community. And that makes it a fantastic spotlighting tool. And for a woman who is intimately familiar with the L.A. spotlight, that means everything.
“It’s highlighting and distinguishing you, you know? You can find me at mysharona.realtor. Perfect.”
The .realtor™ domain is exclusively available to members of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Canadian Real Estate Association, and .realestate is available to the general public. Both .realtor™ and .realestate can be used to connect your name, niche, geographic location, hobby or personal interest to your real estate brand through customized, memorable URLs.