About Our Story
Built on knowledge, integrity, and a commitment to helping clients make smart choices.
Gary Sandler-President, Qualifying Broker
“A real character—one of the most knowledgeable and creative real estate agents in the game”—that's how many friends, clients, and business colleagues have referred to Gary Sandler, owner of Gary Sandler Inc., Realtors. Gary was also the longest-running talk show host in southern New Mexico.
Sandler, a Southern California native with a long history in real estate, hosted a live real estate talk show for 11 years, garnering two Talk Show Host of the Year awards from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association and the Associated Press.
“To be able to operate in such a friendly environment and to have the open spaces to share with people is a bit like heaven,” he said.
Helping people is akin to Sandler’s personality.
“People like me because I’m positive, and if there’s a way, I can find a way to get it done,” he said.
Early Life and Service
Sandler was born in Long Beach, Calif., where he attended and graduated from Robert Millikan High School. Sandler joined the Air Force post-graduation, eventually becoming a B-52 crew chief during his four years in service.
“I loved airplanes since I was a kid, and I wanted to support the war effort,” he said. “It was a blast. Here I was, a 20-year-old taking care of one of the most lethal weapons in the U.S. arsenal. I really enjoyed it.”
It was during his time in service that Sandler met his first wife, which led him to a new life in Council Bluffs, Iowa. There, he applied to become a firefighter but jumped at the chance of becoming a police officer.
“I enjoyed my time as a patrol officer in Council Bluffs, but honestly, the pay was too poor—you couldn’t make a decent living at it,” he said.
Transition to Sales and Real Estate
Instead, Sandler focused his efforts on maximizing his selling potential. He left the force after two years and began selling Chryslers.
“I became a top seller and transitioned into management in no time,” he said. “It was easy.”
It was also during his time in Iowa that Sandler’s first daughter, Julie, was born, but never wanting to sit still and with a desire to fish in a bigger pond, Sandler again was California-bound. He returned to his hometown to sell real estate with his father and grandfather, who were already established Realtors.
“It took about a year for me to get out from under their wing and strike out on my own,” he said. “I learned a very important lesson during that time—put customers first, because real estate is not about the property; it’s about people. Whatever success I’ve achieved has come from focusing on the people.”
California Real Estate Career
From the late ’70s to the early ’90s, Sandler comfortably lived in harmony with the real estate industry. He learned to predict market shifts, became attuned to his clients’ needs, and prospered from his ability to sell homes.
“During a time when I worked for Coldwell Banker, out of 42 offices and 1,600 agents in southern California, I was No. 8 in listings sold,” he said. “I’m pretty proud of that, because it was during a time like this when the market had collapsed.”
Sandler said he often gave the same response when people questioned the California market.
“It’s unbelievable, I would tell them. Because it was—it was either unbelievably good or unbelievably bad,” he said.
Move to the Southwest
After unsuccessfully moving further south to escape the congestion of the big city and watching market trends continue to fluctuate, Sandler decided it was time to start a new chapter in his career. Always analytical, Sandler researched various Southwest locales and chose Las Cruces to make his new home.
“California got so crowded—all the way from Long Beach to South Bay and into San Diego County. It was just too congested,” he said. “I researched the market here and found it would be a perfect place for a guy like me.”
Sandler moved to Las Cruces in 1993 and began working for Electronic Realty Associates (ERA), where immediately he made an impact.
“I came here, plugged in the same marketing plan that I used in San Diego, and in my first full year here I became the top-selling ERA agent in New Mexico,” he said. “For two years in a row I had the top dollar volume, and the next year I sold the most units.”
The transition wasn’t as hard as Sandler had imagined. “It’s much easier here. You can tour the whole area in two hours by car,” he said. “It’s a lot more personal and hands-on because LA is so dense you really can’t see much when you’re driving around. The quality of life here has always been my selling point.”
Sandler then moved on to work for Re/Max Classic Realty, where he became the No. 3 Re/Max sales associate in New Mexico.
Media Career and Entrepreneurial Ventures
In 1999, he began to host a talk radio show on KOBE-AM 1450, the start of an 11-year relationship with the listeners of Las Cruces. Coupled with a column Sandler wrote for the Las Cruces Sun-News, he was back in the marketing niche he had mastered in southern California.
In 2001, Sandler started his own business, Gary Sandler Inc., Realtors, occupying space in the Telshor Towers business complex. In 2003, Sandler took his show to KSNM-AM 570 as part of a rebranding effort. Together, they formed Gary Sandler’s Real Estate Connection.
“I always enjoyed the radio and listening to people’s concerns and thoughts,” he said. “I especially enjoyed having guests such as Gov. Bill Richardson and other city, county, and state officials.”
Rhonda Skaggs joins Gary Sandler, Inc. in 2016
Rhonda Skaggs - Partner Qualifying Broker
Rhonda is a Colorado native, born and raised in the Colorado Springs area. She came to Las Cruces in 1989 to take a job at New Mexico State University (NMSU). She was hired as a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Economics & Agricultural Business. Her degrees are in Agriculture and Economics, from Colorado State University and Utah State University. While at NMSU, she taught courses in food, agricultural and natural resource policy and was awarded for both her excellent teaching and research skills. As a member of NMSU’s Agricultural Experiment Station, she researched and published on several topics, including US-Mexico cattle trade, New Mexico’s high-value vegetable industry, regional water resources and agricultural irrigation. Her Spanish language fluency is excellent and was essential for the work she did at NMSU.
After 25 years at NMSU, Rhonda was ready for a career change. Real estate had interested her for many years, so she consulted with Gary Sandler about becoming an Associate Broker. Gary had assisted Rhonda and her family with numerous real estate transactions over the years, so as soon as she was fully licensed as a New Mexico Associate Broker, she joined his company.
Since 2016, Rhonda has worked with Gary to provide the highest level of service to the company’s clients. They work individually and as a team helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate objectives. Their expertise includes single and multi-family residences, land and farms, as well as commercial properties. Complex transactions are no match for the two of them!
Rhonda brings the heart of a teacher to her real estate work. Real estate transactions can be overwhelming and scary… As a Realtor, she sees her role as one of shepherding and facilitating the buying and selling processes, as well as minimizing her clients’ stress and uncertainty during a transaction. Helping people navigate some of the biggest decisions of their lives has been a rewarding and exciting second career for her!
In 2025, Rhonda took the next step in New Mexico real estate licensing to become a Qualifying Broker.
Rhonda and her husband, Jorge Garcia, reside in Las Cruces. Jorge recently retired as the City of Las Cruces Utility Director and their two children are both serving in the United States Navy.
Today and Beyond
Today, Sandler and Skaggs operate from their office in the BMO bank building at 201 N. Main St., Suite 202, Las Cruces, NM 88001. He said retirement is still not in the picture.
“I think real estate is just a part of my life, so I’ll always be in real estate somehow,” he said. “I don’t picture myself retiring in the traditional sense. There’s no timeline for that at this point.”