This is all I have done, since graduating College, Miami University in 2006. I initially started working with investors wholesaling investment property and working with a full time rehabber/investment company in 2006-2009, I became a more traditional real estate agent around this time. I decided to get in to the industry while in College studying Finance and wanting to learn about investing in real estate. "Rich Dad Poor Dad" Book series by Robert Kiyosaki was a big influence in wanting to get involved with real estate as a business and investment.

In any business it requires skill in managing a lot of moving parts. it's marketing, its sales, its managing financing and or raising/investing funds to market. Managing the different market cycles. Right now its managing low supply/inventory. Our business is greatly affected by economy and the public's perception of housing as an asset class to invest. However, its more than just an investment as people need a place to live. And renting has posed difficult as well for some of the same reasons as buying. supply, demand and interest rates are out of our control. But, it greatly affects our business and the number of transactions we do. Many sellers have been spoiled with historically low rates post pandemic and locked in interest rates in the 2-3% range. Now we are seeing interest rates in the 6% range, which historically is in line with the average. However, for sellers many don't want to move and trade in the low rate they got a couple of years ago for now a rate that could be "double". However, the prices sellers can get for their homes are at all time highs as an incentive. But, many sellers are staying on the sidelines knowing how challenging entering the market as a buyer can be. So, although they can make a good profit and sell at premium, arguably its difficult to find something new and would be likely buying at premium. For buyers its challenging with not many options on the market, with sellers staying sidelined. and with demand still strong, despite rates many homes priced well for the area and condition are getting multiple offers. So, on the buyer side there is a lot of competition. Some buyers are getting outpriced out of the market as rates and or prices have risen. The market is just out of balance with systemically low inventory, its created the environment we're currently in.

Technically have been with 4 different brokerages in my 16 years. My first two were more conducive to the investment side of the business I was doing at the time. I've been with my current broker the longest joining them in 2010 then tried things out with Keller Williams for a year in 2016. But, then decided to come back to Ownerland. I'm more of a "big fish in a small pond" as one of their top producers and they let me run my business the way I want, without much of any intervention. which is the way I prefer things.

I dont think think this matters much in an industry that just makes up awards that people can gloat about "saying, "look at me, i'm the best" or pay to have awards or accolades in a magazine or online publication like "homesnap" and or "property shark". I could get awards from my local board of realtors every year. But, I'm not one who cares to go to "snooty" luncheons just to collect an award people pay for. The only award I care about is the positive reviews and referrals I get from past clients.

Personally having flipped about 7 homes. I understand the funding, buying, rehabbing and selling. which make me a better agent and representation for clients. having made it this long through different cycles. this business has a big fail rate and not easy to last more than the first few years especially in a down market like I did. My favorite part is just giving good news when an offer is accepted and or we close. that's when clients are the happiest and it takes a lot to get to those moments.

I think technology can help. But, at end of the day its relationships that matter the most. and technology can sometimes pull us away from having meaningful relationships. However, social media has been the best tool in marketing and branding for myself and having people get to know me virtually to better establish raport and trust before they are ready to talk or meet with me in person when they are ready to make a move. The MLS is a great resource we agents use to stay in touch virtually as well with the available homes matching our clients wants/needs to keep a pulse on the market until they are ready.

very. Our industry is saturated with realtors. many people begin their search online and many use reviews as a way to decide on an agent they want to interview and or choose, if not a referral from friends or family. We try and get a review from every client we work with.

I'm big on truly "marketing" I like to think of ourselves as marketers first who happen to sell the product of homes. We provide ourselves on doing more than just listing a property on the MLS and a sign in the yard. This low inventory market has created a lot of lazy seller's agents who aren't doing more than just taking photos with their smart phone and putting their listing on the MLS. We hire a professional photographer/videographer regardless of price range to capture the home in its best "light" we are able to get aerial drone shots, HD video walk through tours, and edit the footage to create the bet photos showcasing home for online marketing. We edit the video tour and put ad spend behind it on social media to get the most exposure, knowing the more views we can get the better the odds of getting more showings and the more showings the better the offers, and thus best price terms for our seller clients. On the buyer side we provide ourselves in maintaining a 5 star average review. So, we want to treat people with 5star service. Experience matters in this current market environment when most homes priced well do get multiple offers. So, its more important to have a buyers agent that can best navigate buyers in this challenging market with speed, education/information to help our clients offers stand out against the competition. I have been a an agent for 16 years. So, was in last big housing cycle navigating the market pre, during and post 2008. and beginning in 2012 have invested in my own rehabs/"flips" so we can bring a level of experience from an agent who has seen it "all". We average around 25-35 transactions, annually on my own with just a Virtual Assistant. So, clients get me from start to finish when they choose to work with me. unlike large teams that may have just as much or have been in the business longer. However get passed to different agents or assistants at different stage of the transaction