* Valery Neuman Real Estate

PROFILE

When Valery Neuman fell in love with the desert and moved here from Newport Beach with her husband, Don, everybody golfed. But as it turned out, she wasn’t the best golfer. “So we always say real estate is my golf game,” she laughs. “I quickly fell in love with it and, thank goodness, because I would have died if I didn’t.”

Though she’s known for selling in the Hideaway and The Madison Club, two of the most exclusive private residential clubs in La Quinta, Neuman lists properties throughout the valley, and her clients range from young entrepreneurs and CEOs to presidents and celebrities.

It’s a market Neuman has mastered, understandably, considering her love for architecture, interior design, and everything else involving real estate. “I love putting the deal together,” she says. “But it’s more about the people for me, to be honest. It’s matchmaking —I love matching people with their wish list. That’s a big deal for me.”

If it’s not the right house, Neuman will tell you; being “super honest” has earned her countless referrals. The fact that she doesn’t take herself too seriously and listens, laughs, and has a lot of fun along the way doesn’t hurt either.