What specifically do you do for your job?
Well, we [Marlene Bailey and Daniel N. Bailey] are master plan developers. I [Daniel N. Bailey] have been doing this since I was 18, and progressively worked my way up. We do projects not only in Hanford, but have also done some in Palm Springs, and Texas. We have done everything from Commercial buildings, office spaces, and auto malls, to apartments and residential buildings. All we do is real estate; this is our passion.
What did you do before becoming a developer?
I got into real estate as a real estate salesman at 18 years old. I have been in real estate in one form or another since then. After selling homes I went to work for another company, they had a guaranteed sales program. I ran this entire division at 21 years old and coincidently managed 21 offices throughout Orange County. In 1976 I started a company that focused on rehabbing single family homes throughout California; buying them, fixing them up, and selling them. And it progressively grew over the years, to not only rehabbing single family homes but also office spaces, and commercial shopping centers. It was all trial and error learning the different styles of projects and how to make them successful. As the market began changing, with the housing crisis and other economic changes, we got into master planning large developments. Usually we have a good vision on what can happen with a project. We take large pieces of land and create that vision through a combination of commercial, office, and residential real estate.
What is the biggest challenge of being a developer?
The biggest challenge is entitlements. When you take the land and want to develop it a certain way, you need to have the legal rights to do so. The government must approve you to develop a property for specified use, types of building, and even building placement. It was really easy in Texas, but a bit trickier in California. You got a zoning on a piece of parcel, or lack of zoning. Fitting the pieces and getting them through in the timing it takes to do that really changes per locality.
What do you enjoy most about developing?
It’s fun. We like using our imagination, I can take a piece of land and envision what that land’s going to be when we’re done with it. All the different aspects of what it is. I really enjoy that more than the day-to-day when we get there. It’s the planning part that I enjoy the most, and once the plan’s in place then us and the company start implementing the plan we got.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
We [Marlene Bailey and Daniel N. Bailey] enjoy spending time with family. We have 5 kids, and 10 grand kids and one great grand kid. So, a pretty large family that we love to spend time with and go on holidays with. We feel so blessed with the family and opportunities we have.
What are some hobbies/sports you enjoy?
I love baseball and played it from the age of 7 to my mid 20s. My Dad was a bus driver who used to take folks on tours to Dodger Stadium when it first opened, and I used to go with him to the games. I also used to mow yards and listen to all the games on my transistor radio. My passion for baseball has only increased over the years. My favorite teams are the LA Angels and LA Dodgers although I watch pretty much all teams. I have had season tickets to the Angels and Dodgers teams over the years. I used to be very active in playing Racquetball throughout my early 20s,30s and 40s.
Do you have any professional or personal accomplishments or things you are proud of?
Of course, I am a charitable person; I really enjoy giving back to the community. We [Marlene Bailey & Daniel N. Bailey] donated 10,000 tickets to the 4 branches of the military for a Christmas Day game in San Antonio when the Saints were playing at the Alamo Dome. Also, we donated 143 acres out of 522 acres of land to the San Antonio Parks to connect its park from our SouthPort property to the existing park. I’m proud that I’m in a position to be able to do things like giving back. I believe it not only makes you a better person, but it teaches you empathy and responsibility.