John Baker: A Lifetime of Lessons

Looking back over 50 years in real estate, John Baker has seen his share of difficult markets. But he can’t recall any more challenging than the early 1980s, amid soaring inflation and interest rates as high as 17%.

By February 1983, Baker remembers he had only enough money left to last three weeks. He wasn’t going to make his next house payment and had fallen behind on property taxes.

So, he prayed. And then on March 2, 1983, came a blessing. Baker sold three houses in one day — a feat he’d never accomplished before and hasn’t accomplished since. It was enough for him to hold on financially, and not long after the market began to improve.

“For me, it was my ‘Moses in the desert’ time,” he said. “That experience taught me to be humble. It taught me to be grateful.”

From there, Baker, 71, would go on to become a pillar of Oregon’s REALTOR® community. He spent more than three decades working at his family’s Salem-based company, Ned Baker Real Estate, earning numerous accolades along the way. He was twice named MVAR’s REALTOR® of the Year in 1989 and 1997, and Oregon REALTOR® of the Year in 2000.

In 2011, Baker sold the family business to Levi and Donna Wilson, who still run it today. He and his wife, Debbie, relocated to Central Oregon where he started a new firm, Tumbleweed Real Estate. More recently, Baker has focused on teaching and mentoring fellow REALTORS® by drawing on lessons from his own career.

Now, after more than 50 years, Baker is preparing to step away from real estate when his license expires at the end of October. He doesn’t consider it “retirement,” but rather “time reassignment,” allowing him to pursue new goals and interests.

Baker led his final class for the Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service on Oct. 14.

‘We Can Touch Their Hearts'

Though he originally studied to become a chemical engineer at Oregon State University, Baker instead followed his parents, Ned and Margaret, into the family business. He said it was the best decision he’s ever made, leading to a lifetime of fulfilling relationships.

From janitors to CEOs, Baker said he’s met people from all walks of life. He’s enjoyed learning what makes them tick and developed long-lasting relationships that run deeper than just buying or selling a home.

One story that has stayed with Baker occurred while buying a rental property in South Salem. During the inspection, he noticed a model World War II plane sitting on the owner’s desk. A military history buff himself, Baker struck up a conversation and learned the man had actually flown that type of plane — a TBM torpedo bomber — during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The owner then fetched a book chronicling WWII and showed Baker a photo of himself as a young pilot.

Baker said the man’s wife later pulled him aside told him that her husband had never shown anyone that photo before. “He shared it with you,” she said, “because you knew what he had done.”

Years later, Baker said he met the man’s wife again at a class he was teaching for new REALTORS®. “My husband never forgot that conversation with you in our living room,” she told him.

“That is just some of what we have the privilege to do, working with people from all different walks of life,” Baker said. “We can touch their hearts.”

Writing the Book on Real Estate

Baker has enough anecdotes to fill a book. In fact, he’s already written it.

“There is a Raccoon on My Leg: A Journey to Discover the 30 Rules of Real Estate” was published in 2022. It is available to download for free through the Willamette Valley MLS. Among those 30 rules, Baker said communication remains key, with face-to-face interactions being the top level.

“I think we rely way too much on email and text,” he said. “I believe it leads to more conflict, because words can be misinterpreted.”

Baker said young REALTORS® should strive to talk to people, have a mentor, and seek opportunities for training. Real estate isn’t about making a quick buck, he said, but doing right by people. Over time, that commitment builds trust, referrals, and a lasting reputation.

Outside of real estate, Baker has spent years finding ways to support military veterans. He helped organize a volunteer effort that sent thousands of care packages to veterans who have been deployed and has spent the past 12 years volunteering at the Bend Veterans Clinic. He makes a point to personally thank every veteran for their service.

“Everyone needs to find something to give back,” he said.

As Baker prepares to close this chapter of his career, he hopes the experiences he’s shared will continue to benefit the next generation of REALTORS®.

“I’ve had a whole lot of fun being the goofball up on stage, teaching passionately about this industry,” he said. “I started at age 21. Now I’m 71. The last 50 years have flown by.”