About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IGAL BAKSHANDEH

Igal Bakshandeh was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where he attended a Catholic school alongside Muslim, Armenian, and Jewish classmates. His childhood was one of extraordinary contrasts — a city of warmth, culture, and deep friendship set against the backdrop of one of the twentieth century's most dramatic political upheavals.

Igal is a devoted family man who treasures his time with his wife Nooshin, their daughter Eriella, and their dog, Shugie. An avid fan of the L.A. Lakers and Barcelona FC, he enjoys the company of friends and family and stays engaged in his favorite sports. Born in Iran in 1971, Igal’s life took a dramatic turn during the Iran-Iraq War. At just 14 years old, he faced the harsh realities of war when his school was bombed. To ensure his safety, his parents arranged for him to escape the country, paying a smuggler to guide him through the dangerous borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The journey was fraught with peril, including near-starvation, attacks, and theft, but Igal persevered and eventually found temporary refuge in Austria.

In July 1988, Igal moved to the United States, where he attended Santa Monica High School, University High School, and Santa Monica College while working nights to support himself. In 1995, he met Nooshin at a party, who introduced him to the real estate industry. Remarkably, Nooshin and her family had taken a similar escape route from Iran and had been in the same places as Igal at different times, yet they had never crossed paths until that meeting. Igal began his real estate career in Hollywood in 1999, starting with a highly regarded broker who became an excellent mentor. Since 2008, he has become one of Los Angeles’s most distinguished agents, earning numerous awards annually. His goal during consultations is to ensure clients understand the facts, see them clearly presented, and feel confident about their decisions, given the importance of real estate transactions.

A Muslim and a Jew Went to Catholic School is his first book.