What do I like about real estate? The truth behind why I got my license.

I always wanted to own my own home. Growing up in a house with 14 people, space was at a premium. As a teenager, I would reorganize my bedroom many times just to make it feel like I was in a different space. When I bought my first home in 2008, I was on a cloud. I finally felt like I had “made it” and was on my way to being a successful adult. Houses were cheap back then, we were in the midst of the housing crisis and I bought my 3-bedroom 1.5-bathroom house for $82,000! When I finally sold it 13 years later, my first offer was $250,000! With my proceeds from the sale of my house in Kenmore, NY, I eventually bought a duplex in Omaha, Nebraska (I had gotten a promotion at work).

Taking on a part-time job working at a fancy restaurant at night, I saved up to purchase all the furniture, decor and supplies to open my very first Airbnb. Ever since I had stayed at some hostels in Europe in college and saw how hosts got to interact with people from all over the world, I had a bug in me to open up some type of short-term rental. As of June 2024, I have a second Airbnb in West Palm Beach, Florida.

I realized in my own property searches that I didn’t just love the fact that I’d was going to own a new property — I loved the process of finding the perfect place. I loved seeing how other people organized their homes and using some of their ideas in my own. Showing homes allows me to get a glimpse of another person’s life — and wow, it’s so interesting from a human-interest perspective. I’d like to invest in additional property in the future but for now, I want to help others find a great property that is just right for them. My real estate license opens so many doors for my future, literally and figuratively!