If you told someone in the know about Calilfornia real estate but unfamiliar with Rick and Paula Cosenza, brokers/owners of Cosenza Realty Consutlants inc., that the pair had opened their own real estate office at the end of 2005, their prediction for success would not be overly enthusiastic.

After all, market conditions since that time have been more than challenging and have led to a number of agents leaving the business and offices closing. But speak to someone who knows the Cosenzas, or, even better, someone who has worked for, with or in collaboration with them, and they will be undoubtedly more positive.

That's because the Cosenzas have managed to do what many other agents, teams and offices could not; thrive in spite of difficult conditions.

"Our timing in terms of opening our own office was not the greatest," said Rick Cosenza, whose strong management skills, culled from 25 years as a manager and vice presidend of sales for commercial and residential carpet manufacturers, excellent troubleshooting ability and capacity for facilitating nearly any situation set him apart.

Added Paula Cosenza, whose role in the company emphasizes her great people skills and attention to detail: "The market had begun to turn and was chasing even experienced agents away. We walked away from some semblance of job security to go off on our own. But here we are five years later, happier then ever and doing more business than anyone could have anticipated given the market. There are nine of us now at Cosenza Realty Consultants and we are all committed to a higher level of service. It's a model that works well."

That model was conceived during the Cosenzas' many years working in leadership capacity for other companies. "At a certain point, we were being asked to help open new offices and recruit, hire and train staff," said Rick. "We would help build the business up, put together a great staff and increase sales, and then the company would be bought by a larger corporation. We really had the desire to stay independent, and we knew that same cycle would continue to recur. It became clear that the only way to prevent it was to take our experience in management and sales and start our own company."

Added Paula, a former model and buyer for a department store who also owned an antique and interior design business prior to going into real estate: "The last large independent company we were with was purchased by a corporate entity, and at that point, we knew it was time to open our own business. I was very fortunate that I had received great training, together with Rick's management experience, which gave us a really solid framework. We were excited about going off on our own. It felt like that was the way we were going to evolve."

They have, and now their company is the toast of Orange County, noted for it's exceptional service and respected for it's commitment to customer satisfaction. "The Cosenzas were extremely patient during our several-month odyssey in looking for a new home," said client Bruce A. "They did a superb job finding our dream home in San Juan Capistrano and handeling a very difficult situation with escrow. We were so impressed with their performance, we asked Rick and Paula to sell our previous home in Huntington Beach. The home sold in two days at a reasonable price. Everything was handled so efficently, I was unaware that escrow closed without  incident. My wife and I have extremely difficult schedules and it would have been unlikely we could have purchased our new home or sold our previous home with our the Cosenzas' professional attitude and persistance on our behalf. We highly recommend Rick and Paula without reservation for any real estate transaction."

Added client David P.:"The highest compliment I could give to them is that they are very professional and extremely easy to work with. Looking back over the last couple of months I can honestly say there was never a time I worried about my piece of the transaction (because I knew they were both on top of every issue). Shirley and I would highly recommend them to a friend or associate in need of buying or selling a home."

Explains Rick,"There's a Nordstroms and there's a Target, and depending on which you choose, you get a different level of service. We really felt that high level service was lacking, and that is what we intended to bring to our business. That's how we formulated the idea behind our company."

The Cosenza Group originally specialized in Laguna Niguel, but now serves clients in every price point, from first-time buyers to high-end residential, to investors, throughout South Orange County. They also serve repeat and referral clients in Los Angeles and San Diego. Every client in every area benefits from their dedication to uncompromising service.

"We're both very good listeners," said Paula. "We sit down and listen to exactly what our clients want, so we don't waste their time." Added Rick, "We laser in on their needs and then go to work. We're tenacious- we don't give up until we find what they want, but we do it without being pushy. Our ultimate goal in any transaction is to make everyone involved-the listing agent, the selling agent and the client-happy. If that comes together, we've achieved what we ultimately set out to do. It's not about numbers with us; we have sacrificed volume to make sure everyone's happy."

It is that client-centered approach, that not an insistence on doing a certian amount of sales that has always driven the Cosenzas, who are equally committed to their marriage of more than 38 years. The couple has three children, and three grandchildren. Nonetheless, they have over the years been recognized with numerous awards for their sales production, including being named to a former company's Chairman's Circle and Gold Circle, as well as Top-Producing Team honors. In Addition, the Orange County Association of REALTORS® named Paula the REALTOR of the Year in 2003 and Rick in 2007. Rick was also selected to receive OCAR's President's Award in 2006 and 2007.

Rick and Paula's industry involvement is extensive, and is predicated on the notion that through their presence, support and promotion, they can make a real difference. Paula is past president of OCAR and currently serves as director for OCAR (Orange County Association of REALTORS) and CAR; she has been a director on the OCAR board from 2000-2005 and 2007 to present. She also has chaired a committee for the Independent Broker Forum, and she and Rick have both been committee chairs at OCAR. They are also long-time members of the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce. Further, Rick is a past chair of the REALTORS® Political Action Commitee, for which he and Paula have been recognized for helping to increase contributions to the committee.

"Through RPAC, we meet with our representative from local, state and national governments, working with legistators to discuss issues that affect real estate laws, taxation and property rights,"said Rick. Added Paula,"All of the work we do for different enitities is volunteer, and it is a commitment of time, but it is informative and educational, and we are able to pass that education on to our clients. It allows us to be of service to our industry, which is really very important us."

Clearly, the Cosenzas' commitment to service extends beyond the real estate promise. Whether it is trying to improve a client's life or trying to improve the real estate industry at large, they are always finding ways to use their expertise for the greater good. Thankfully, they are surrounded by a group fo like-minded professionals at Cosenza Realty Consultants.

"Our philosophy is shared by those who work wit us," said Rick. Added Paula, "We have a great group of hard-working dedicated buyer's agents and listing agents. They are all seasoned agents-together we have nearly 80 years of experience in this industry- who approach the business of real estate in the same way that we do."

That approach centers on being hands-on with clients and always keeping the bottom line in mind. "We pride ourselves on our professionalism, great communication and quick response time," said Rick. "We are always personally available to clients, morning, noon and night. And we never forget what it is we're here for: to help someone achieve the American dream of owning a home or moving up to a larger home." Added Paula, "The bulk of our business-close to 90 percent- is from repeat clients and word of mouth, and that tells us that the goals we had when we decided to open our business are being realized."

Those who knew the Cosenzas clearly believed their company would be a success. Despite a real estate market that was beginning to change and widespread doomsday predictions, Rick and Paula's peers, clients and friends didn't express any fear or reservations on their behalf.

"The comment we heard over and over wasn't, 'Are you sure? the market isn't all that great,"' said Paula. "It was, 'What took you so long?'"