Remembering Aaron Norris

Real estate investing lost a visionary, thought leader, and philanthropist this summer. Aaron Norris, vice president of The Norris Group, succumbed to stage 4 intimal sarcoma, a rare cancer, on July 1, 2022. He was 45.

Despite his life being cut short, he made an outsized impact on the industry as an advocate at the state and national level and as a forecaster of trends in the market and in technology.

A Team Player

Aaron worked with his father, Bruce, at The Norris Group in Riverside, California. He told Think Realty in 2019 that he got his start in the industry as a preschooler.

“My first memory of flipping was being armed with a vacuum, sucking up roaches all afternoon after the carpet was ripped up from the house,” Aaron said.

After that less-than-glamorous introduction to real estate, he spent his early career performing in musical theater productions in New York City. In time, he returned to California to join the family business and completed his MBA in 2009.

He was a real estate investor, private lender, and host of the “Data Driven Real Estate” podcast. Aaron had a deep appreciation for data and technology and constantly sought to learn how both would impact the real estate industry.

Aaron’s accomplishments in real estate investing were almost more remarkable given Bruce’s legacy. An industry veteran, Bruce gained notoriety with his controversial—but correct—“California Comeback” market report in 1997. Aaron was by his side for the release of his next big predictions in 2005, the “California Crash” report. The two made a great duo: Bruce mined the data, and Aaron focused on education and storytelling to help the average real estate investor learn from their research.

Both Norrises felt compelled to bring others along through their success. They shared their market discoveries widely rather than keeping the information close to the vest.

“(Aaron) has always been a teambuilder. It’s just who he is,” Bruce told Think Realty in 2018.

An Advocate

As he worked to help others, Aaron strived to carve his own path. Eddie Wilson, CEO of both Think Realty and American Association of Private Lenders, said he and Aaron often discussed how their fathers’ notoriety in real estate cast a long shadow.

“We always talked about stepping out from legacy we’ve been given and using it as a stepping stool to do more,” Wilson said. “This industry provided a lot of legacy for our families, so this burning desire to give back in some capacity—that was always kind of the premise of our conversation.”

One notable area of interest for Aaron was impacting legislation to benefit the industry. He joined Think Realty on several trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers. Most recently, he advocated in California against a “flip tax” the state had proposed to levy on real estate investors. Wilson said that if the tax had gone into effect in California, other states likely would have followed its blueprint. However, Aaron was among the advocates who helped lawmakers decide to scrap the measure, working tirelessly to benefit other real estate investors even while he battled cancer, Wilson said.

A Generous Expert

Ever the educator, Aaron embraced Think Realty and its platform to reach others in the industry. As a contributor, he explained trends he had identified so readers could capitalize on them. He also freely shared his research and data with Think Realty and the American Association of Private Lenders to benefit both real estate investors and lenders, Wilson said.

“He was always there to support them, and that’s what made the greatest impact: He was coming from a place of extreme knowledge,” Wilson said.

Aaron’s desire to support the industry aligned with the mission of both organizations, which made him a valuable resource. Wilson said Aaron would provide valuable feedback, both positive and constructive criticism, after Think Realty events and helped the organization refine its focus.

While he loved to share his knowledge, Aaron understood there was always more to learn, said Craig Johnson, senior vice president of Think Realty’s President’s Circle. Johnson said the group, a mastermind gathering for the industry, recruited Aaron to join because his wealth of knowledge on legislative matters, economics, and market trends was extremely valuable and other members could learn from him. Considering what he would bring to the table, Johnson offered Aaron a reduced membership. Aaron’s reply was one Johnson said he’d never forget.

“He did not accept the discount,” Johnson said. “He paid substantially more than what I offered him to join the club. … He demonstrated that he felt an obligation to pay his dues to be a member because of what he got out of it. He spelled out the fact that this group allowed him to be more involved from the legislative piece, to interact more with people, and gain more from these other people in the mastermind.”

Despite his stature in the industry, Aaron continued to make time to be a sounding board, whether for the President’s Circle or individuals, Wilson said.

“Aaron was extremely kind and extremely generous,” Wilson said. “Any time I texted him and said, ‘Hey, you have time for a conversation?’ he cleared stuff, he made room. That was really impactful because we all get busy. He understood that people was his purpose in life. So, he did spend a lot of time with me on the phone, talking through issues, bouncing ideas off one another.”

A Kind Landlord

Aaron’s generosity was felt not only by his colleagues but also his tenants, said Carmen Fields Carter, managing editor of Think Realty magazine and a close friend of Aarons. As a real estate investor, Aaron’s main interest was in buy-and-hold properties. She recounted two stories he shared with her about tenants in difficult situations.

One tenant was a single mother who was facing eviction. Her hours had been cut at work, so she asked Aaron to reduce her rent for a quarter to give her time to catch up. He did, and she had no further problems making payments. Another renter was a hoarder whose living situation became untenable. Aaron paid for a dumpster and contacted mental health organizations to try to find help for the man so he could safely stay in the home. Ultimately, the renter didn’t comply and had to be evicted, but Aaron did everything he could before exercising that option, Fields Carter said.

“One of the things I admired most about him is that he always did what was right. That’s very hard to find,” she said. “His life was based on doing what’s right, no matter what. And I think that’s why he’s made such an impact on so many people.”

A Perpetual Giver

In addition to sharing his time and knowledge, Aaron has had a profound impact through charitable giving. In 2008, he and his father hosted a gala called “I Survived Real Estate” as a nod to the impact many in the industry experienced at the beginning of the Great Recession. The event has continued, bringing together thought leaders and raising more than $1 million for Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Despite Aaron’s passing, the event will continue this year, taking place Oct. 28 at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California.

Aaron’s diagnosis of intimal sarcoma came in May 2021. Doctors found a tumor on his heart that turned out to be malignant. He continued thinking of others as he fought for his life, establishing the Aaron Norris Creative Fund through the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The fund will allow him to continue to make an impact on his community by supporting arts programs in the Inland Empire region of California.

“He was just a pure angel on earth, such a good guy,” Fields Carter said. “He was always making sure everybody else was good, no matter how busy he was. He was very selfless, making sure he connected with everybody. And if you needed something, he would figure out a way to be helpful.”

To honor Aaron’s legacy and achievements, Think Realty plans to name the Governmental Relations Committee after him and create the Aaron’s Impact Award. The award will be part of the annual Think Realty Honors Showcase.