Like many good real estate career beginnings, mine happened quite by chance. In preparing for a move of my own in 2006, I discovered I had an unusual metabolism for searching through property listings due to my love affair with interior design. My family watched me obsess over inventory for days and months on end in search of a Denver, CO loft and they wondered out loud how I could stay so tirelessly connected to a process they found stressful and exhausting. Truth was, I actually enjoyed the hunt very much and while I didn't know it then, that search would turn out to be one of the true "when peanut butter met chocolate" moments of my life.
Right about the time I was settling into my new home, I accepted an opportunity to partner in a small real estate investment business in Boulder. While there, in addition to serving as the team's interior design consultant, I spent three years learning to assess risk, analyze costs against benefits, and think critically about real estate investment strategy. Some of the most poignant lessons I learned happened when the market crashed in 2008. Now, while I know there aren't many of us who enjoy growing through failures, I do believe most of us would agree that the wisdom gleaned from our most difficult experiences are the ones which tend to give the highest rates of return on time invested, if we are truly paying attention. As you might imagine, by the time that experience was finished with me, I was definitely paying attention and I emerged from it a much wiser business woman and entrepreneur.
After closing shop and picking up the pieces of my shattered investment dreams, I decided it was time for a new start. In 2009 I moved to Chicago determined to parlay my interior design and house-hunting skills into a paying job. I was fortunate to immediately find a position with one of Chicago's top apartment locating agencies. For anyone who isn't familiar with the rental market in Chicago, working it is very similar to working a sales market... on steroids. After successfully placing over 200 clients, I completed my freshman year with an expert level of knowledge about Chicago and its many unique neighborhoods. Confident I was a good fit for the profession, I acquired my broker's license in 2010 with the intention of putting my talents to work on behalf of buyers and sellers who needed help navigating their way through a dynamic sales marketplace.
In the last four years I have come to truly understand the value I offer my clients. Time and again, I have tapped into my experiences with real estate investment, interior design, and renovation project management to empower both buyers and sellers with the information they need to feel relaxed and confident about one of the most emotional and complex financial transactions they'll make in their life. In the heart of my business, I continue to hold a special affinity for buyers and I still thoroughly enjoy the hunt for that near-perfect place we all hope to find in our search for a new home. Alternately, for sellers, I am able to help minimize the number of days a home spends on market while maximizing the bottom line of each sale, by ensuring a property has been appropriately staged and priced before it is introduced to buyers. Even though we have now moved into a seller's market, it is still crucial for a seller to remove any obstacles that might prevent a buyer from making an offer. We want to give buyers very few reasons to say "no" and every reason to say "yes" after they've walked through your front door. If we fail to do that, today's savvy buyer will more often than not, turn on their heals and move on to the next turnkey opportunity that offers better value for the same price.
If it happens that your next move is looming on the horizon and you would like some help finding a place to live, or if you'd like to speak with me regarding the marketing of your home, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have. I welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with you and am happy to assist in any way I can. Truth be told, I always enjoy building new relationships within the community and being of service whenever possible. Doing so seems to keep a wellspring of positive energy flowing into my life and it continually deepens my appreciation for the shared experiences we recognize in each other's stories as we get to know one another.