Bio

On the Real Estate Front...

I've lived in the northwest all my life. My father did various kinds of construction, including designing and building our own house. I spent most of my childhood playing near the job-sites or helping with sheetrocking, painting, landscaping, you name it. I knew early on in my life, as I helped build our house exactly as we wanted it, that I would someday be involved in real estate. It was a fascinating process for me to watch our house go from dirt to a home. Even now, I feel most at-home with the smell of sawdust and fresh paint!

However, during school I got excited about accounting (I know, kind of unusual) so I pursued a degree and career in corporate tax. Soon I found myself driving around on my lunch breaks looking at houses and doing mortgage calculations on hypothetical properties. After many years of knowing my heart wasn't in it, I moved into the field that I am so passionate about… real estate! It was the best decision of my life.

Right away I began investing in real estate. I have bought, sold, remodeled and rented investment properties. I currently own several rentals in Wallingford, Greenlake and Ballard and always have a "project house" on the side. Please see my investment properties page for more information on my investing activities. Through the course of investing, I worked with many real estate agents and sadly was disappointed by their overall level of service and expertise. I would often have to explain contracts, financing and inspection issues to them. I soon realized that I love to teach and had, particularly through my own investing activities over the years, become very knowledgeable in real estate. After all, I was managing the whole process already for each transaction. I love working with people, so becoming a real estate agent seemed like a natural transition. It has been incredible. I thoroughly enjoy working with clients to meet their needs and exceed their expectations. I would love the opportunity to work with you. We all know there are thousands of real estate agents out there and I want to share with you why I believe you'll be very satisfied to work with me.
  • HAPPY CLIENTS: First and foremost I believe the most powerful and objective proof of my service comes from my clients' testimonials after they have closed the sale or purchase of their home. If you would like to talk with a former client of mine I will gladly provide you references. I send every client a questionnaire about my service and the results speak for themselves - I have never had a dissatisfied client! And a client has never began working with me and then decided to work with someone else. Please see my testimonials page for some of their recent comments.


  • IT'S NOT JUST A JOB: I am personally active in real estate - buying, selling, remodeling and renting my own investment properties. Therefore I am always up on market values and ALWAYS doing real estate (sometimes it seems like 24 hours a day!) It is truly my passion. I know first hand how scary the process can seem for a buyer or seller, or how confusing various loan packages can be, or how sad and exciting it is to move from a house that you've lived in for years, or what it's like to adjust your search criteria when you realize that what you decide you can afford is smaller than you originally hoped. It's not just a job for me, it's a way of life. I'm not watching the market as an outsider, I'm actively participating myself. I'm not out-of-touch with what it's like to be a buyer or seller, I am both often.


  • EXPERIENCE: My deep investment background makes me uniquely qualified in the areas of value, negotiation, return on your investment for repairs, the closing process, financing and analyzing properties.


  • DETAIL ORIENTED: My accounting background tells you a little about my personality - I am extremely thorough and detail oriented. This is very important when working with contracts.


  • CONTACTS: Through the years I have built relationships with amazing real estate professionals, such as: mortgage brokers, inspectors, appraisers, contractors, closing agents, etc. I'd be happy to refer them. It makes the whole process go much smoother when you have a competent team on your side.


  • EXCEPTIONAL CLIENT SERVICE: It is my #1 goal to serve my clients. I can't stress this enough. I strive to provide as much, or as little, communication, education, support and advice as my clients desire. I am available to my clients literally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if they have a question or need. I am highly committed to my clients being happy with my service. I listen to clients desires, ask important questions to guide their decision process, offer unbiased suggestions and set realistic expectations. My listening and understanding of each client allows me to show them properties that meet their specifications and point out benefits and drawbacks that I know they'll care about.


  • MY INVOLVMENT: I personally will work on every detail of your transactions. Many agents will have their assistant make follow-up calls to you or handle the paperwork. They quickly lose touch with what is going on in your transaction and with you personally. That is not how I work. I am hands-on and very detail oriented. I need to know that every single step is getting done on time and with precision. And I also want you to feel comfortable and informed about every step along the way - not feel disconnected from your busy agent and end up talking with his or her assistant or voicemail. I do not take on more clients than I can handle personally. Happy clients are my goal and are WAY more important to me than getting a sale. Many agents focus on the number of transactions they do. If I ever get to that point I will quit the business. Period. I'm in this field because I LOVE real estate, people and relationships. I will never lose sight of that or forget to enjoy people and experiences. Some agents try to force their clients into a box (an area they don't like, a house they don't like, a mortgage they aren't comfortable with, etc.) I would rather tell a potential client the truth. People tell me that the honesty and education that I provide is always gratefully appreciated. And that's why I do it…even if it means losing or postponing purchases or sales!


  • KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA: I LOVE Seattle!! I also know it very well. I find the city fascinating, exciting, beautiful and unique. Each neighborhood is so different and wonderful.
Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or simply have a question about real estate or the Seattle area, feel free to call or email me anytime. I'm happy to help!

Also, if you know someone else who is interested in buying or selling please let me know or give them my information. Referrals are an honor that I strive to EARN daily. The majority of my business comes from referrals - a great sign of the faith clients have in me! To show my appreciation, I pay referral fees when your referral closes with me.

On the Personal Front...

In my free time I look at real estate.... kidding! I don't have much free time, but thankfully I love real estate, so it never seems like work to me!! But I also love to hike and be outdoors - doesn't everyone in Seattle say that?!? For me that usually just means a walk around Greenlake, Discovery Park, Lincoln Park or the Arboretum. But occasionally I can sneak away for a "real" hike or camping. I also love snowboarding - although it doesn't always love me back... I broke my arm on the slopes a few years ago! But I do get to Whistler at least once a year... now that's a hot real estate market!!

I have always lived in the northwest. I love it here. And Seattle is the best. I will never move. One of my favorite activities is walking around at night and admiring the architecture of this city. I also enjoy seeing the variety of tastes in paint colors, landscaping styles, decor, architecture, etc. I am very fascinated by the history of our city and the homes in it. Please check out my history page.

I volunteer at Seattle Girls School, an independent middle school for girls. I was drawn to it because of its mission to empower young girls to think critically and because of its diversity. The school is comprised of every race, color, religion, etc. I was told that some of Seattle's richest girls belong to the school, as well as some of Seattle's poorest. I find it amazing that the girls are not only exposed to this level of diversity, but taught to embrace it. I really enjoy my time with the school - it is very rewarding.

Final Thoughts….

Real estate is my full-time business and my passion. I am deeply committed to serving your needs -- focusing on your goals, explaining your options, and providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions. My goal is your total satisfaction, your referrals, and your repeat business. My clients are satisfied and happy -- we have fun in the process of buying and selling their home! That's what I strive for in every real estate transaction I'm involved in. Whether you're planning on buying, selling, or you just have a question, feel free to call or email me.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me! I look forward to knowing you! (Back to Top)