Marriage took me from my small island of Guam to Long Island, New York—a world away from everything I had ever known. Everything was fast and furious, like The Long Island Expressway. It was well outside my island-girl comfort zone, but I welcomed the challenge. I knew what I wanted to do.
I knew what home meant long before I sold a house.
My business degree could not teach me what experience could. I wanted to learn everything, soak up the knowledge like a sponge. I wanted my own business. I wanted a career in real estate.
I earned my real estate broker’s license and, within just a few years, opened my own brokerage. It was a small office, but we all shared the same passion: helping families sell their homes and helping others find theirs.
I sold more new homes than resales. I’m not sure why. I found myself drawn to new construction. Maybe, it was the smell of a newly built home, the promise of new beginnings, or simply my fascination with watching all the pieces come together like Tetris. There is something special about watching an empty piece of land become someone’s future home.
Time passes quickly when you are doing something you love.
When another career opportunity took our family to North Carolina, I was ready. In fact, I studied for the North Carolina Broker’s Exam before the U-Haul even arrived.
Earning my builder’s license fulfilled a dream that had been quietly growing since childhood. I had spent years watching what could be created from an idea, a piece of land, and the determination to build something well. Now I could do it myself.
For the next twenty years, I sold homes, built homes, developed communities, and never stopped learning.
Those were some of the most rewarding years of my career. I was blessed with encouragement to keep trying, and I kept learning. I’ve always believed that learning is the steps you make in trying. I read a lot, mostly new home plans and builder books. I went to every builder show from Las Vegas to Orlando. The energy was contagious and I was caught up in that excitement.
Through it all, I was doing what I loved—helping people come home. I wouldn’t change a moment.
Eventually, retirement was supposed to bring us to Florida. Or so I thought. Melbourne became our new home. Our children were grown, married, and blessed us with grandchildren. Family has always been everything to me.
I thought earning a Florida real estate license might keep me busy part-time. That illusion didn’t last very long. Before long, I was doing what I have always loved—helping people.
I enjoyed wonderful years with Coldwell Banker, then Adams Homes, and today I am proud to serve my clients with Denovo Realty.
In many ways, life has come full circle. Looking back over more than forty years in real estate, I realize I have never simply sold homes. I have helped people begin new chapters, close old ones, take chances, make changes, and find their way home.
How many homes have I sold?
Not enough.
I am not done.
