Bios/Story Letters
Redfin Premier Agent
"About Me"
Front Cover
Debuting on stage with my daughter led me to reflect on my previous hardships. I loved my
career, but my family came first. It seemed, for a long time, it wouldn’t provide what we needed.
But I had to succeed for my family. There simply wasn’t another option.
​
Inside Copy
I stood backstage, my heart hammering in my chest. My daughter stood next to me, cool as a
cucumber. She looked up at me with a grin and whispered, “You’re nervous.” What a grand,
sweeping understatement, Ruby! If every audience member were lined up in a row, I could
cheerfully go down the line and have a pleasant chat with each of them, but this—this was
terrifying. Ruby grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I heard my cue, took a
breath, and stepped onto the stage.
​
I must have missed the exact moment when Ruby caught the theatre bug, but suddenly I
realized our family had been swept up in a flurry of excitement and passion for the arts. My son,
Grey, seeing the fun Ruby was having, joined in on the action as well. Even Penny, my
youngest, showed an appreciation for the dramatic flare, shrieking with laughter every time
Ruby tossed her feather boa over her shoulder. Show tunes and dramatic monologues echoed
through the house. It was wonderful.
​
For them, obviously. I was never much of an actor myself. I barely remembered my one
semester of high school theatre. And I have a hazy recollection of stumbling my way through my
role as the narrator in middle school. Which my wife, Crystal, knew.
​
That’s why I realized she was teasing when she told me a local theatre was holding auditions for
youth and adults. “You could audition with Ruby,” she joked.
​
I laughed, “Sure. I can just picture myself tripping over the dialogue of The Music Man .”
“Then again,” my wife continued, “You would be able to spend more quality time with
Ruby—and I wouldn’t have to be her chauffeur.”
​
She had me there. We homeschool the kids (well, she homeschools the kids), but with our busy
schedule, I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity for one-on-one time with each of
them. And that’s how I ended up auditioning for and landing a role in The Music Man .
Just as she had helped launch me into the world of theatre, Ruby was a catalyst for much of my
adult life. When Crystal and I were first married, I was taking the jobs I could get, some I really
enjoyed, others I really didn’t. But then I got into real estate and loved it. It was one of the few
jobs I actually had a drive for.
​
We were in a one-bedroom, living in a neighborhood with a nasty reputation, during a recession,
and suddenly had a baby on the way.
​
I was forging ahead, assuring Crystal that success was just around the corner. She hesitated,
“Do you ever think you’re being a little overly optimistic?”
Okay, fair question. I tend to believe things will turn out for the best, and the housing market
wasn’t exactly lucrative at that time. “Just around the corner” kept creeping further and further
off.
​
Right after we found out our second kid was on the way, I went about 12 months without making
a dime. A rare cloud of pessimism formed above my head. Was this really it? Was this how the
career I loved would come to an end?
​
My wife and I agreed that I should have one last year to see if I could earn a proper income in
real estate. Thankfully, I did—and it was my best year.
​
The audience erupted in thunderous applause as the curtain closed on The Music Man . My first
adult foray into theatre seemed to be a success.
​
The next day, I was preparing to go show some homes when Ruby snuggled up to me on the
couch. We talked about the play, and she remarked, “You weren’t half bad.”
​
I chuckled, “Thanks for the glowing review, Ruby.”
​
I got the Norman Rockwell life of my dreams. And now, I enjoy spending my days helping my
clients get theirs.
​
Back Cover
My family has always come first. Even before I had one, I knew I would only find fulfillment
through a career that would allow me to provide for a happy family. I’m lucky enough for that to
be my reality today. And I’ve been put in a position where I can help others turn their dreams
into their reality as well. I work with my clients to find what works for their individual situations.
The relationships I build with my clients go beyond the business of buying a house. People
come to me, believing the home they want is unattainable. The way I see it, my job is to make
the unattainable attainable. Let’s go get that together.
​
Quote Box
We were in a one-bedroom, living in a neighborhood with a nasty reputation, during a recession,
and suddenly had a baby on the way.
eXp Realty Agent
Biography
Front Cover
After my divorce there were a lot of changes for me and my kids. Many of them were hard for us. Still, we had each other. And then we had Meatball.
Inside Cover
As we stood in the modest two-bedroom condo, I could clearly see the looks of apprehension on my kids’ faces. My divorce was difficult for all of us, but I had my son and daughter with me now. That was the most important thing. My flexible schedule allowed for me to spend a lot of time with them. Plus, the condo was actually quite nice, just smaller than they were used to. They slowly shuffled behind me as I gave them the grand tour. They didn’t have to say anything. I knew they hated it. I needed something that would make them connect this new place with home. Something they had always wanted. Something lovable.
Having a dad that works in real estate means the kids are no strangers to the idea of moving houses. Even at their young ages, they grasp the general concept. My daughter, Rudy, is the elder sibling. She understands a lot of what I do and has a mind for business, even at her pre-teen age. My son, Eli, is an adorable handful. His understanding of my work is a little more vague. What he does understand is when dad makes a sale, we go to dinner, and he gets a new Lego set. So, all in all, they’re both supportive.
One threshold we’d not crossed yet was that of a family pet. I never thought of myself as a dog person, but the kids, especially Rudy, desperately wanted a dog. I’d been sure, when looking into condos, to find one that would allow such a venture. Not long after I saw their glum expressions, I knew I was going to need to pull out the big guns. I told them we were going to have a family meeting, but once I mentioned “dog” all reason flew out the window.
“Was there a particular breed you had in mind?” I asked Rudy, pulling out my laptop to do some dog related research.
She was absolutely beaming, “A French English Bulldog!”
“I think a French Bulldog and an English Bulldog are two different breeds,” I replied.
“Yeah, but they can get mushed together,” she countered.
They could, in fact, get mushed together. There was no arguing that fact. I began searching the internet, until I saw a listing for a French English Bulldog.
I made the call and agreed to pick the dog up. Once I handed over the cash, the woman selling him all but threw him to me and immediately dashed away. I took a closer look at the pup as I brought him home. He was not a particularly attractive beast, but had a dopey, happy dog-grin on his face. I couldn’t help but feel a protective tug at my heartstrings. Maybe I was a dog person after all.
I wondered how Rudy would react, actually seeing the breed she had so ardently clamored for. But any misgivings were pushed out of mind the moment they met. There were kisses from the kids and licks from the dog. It was like a scene out of a movie.
We dubbed him Meatball.
Suddenly, the house seemed more alive. Rudy and Eli were eager to be at the condo. Now there was something that made them connect this new place with home. Something they had always wanted. Something lovable. I found Meatball pretty lovable too. He was the thing that made home home.
Finding and creating homes is a passion for me. I want all my clients to have joyous experiences like this one. And I put in the work to ensure they do.
​
Back Cover
To me, the housing market is all about getting the client what they want through honesty and integrity. I love working with clients. I’ve met some of my favorite people at open houses. This work truly is about building relationships. Working so closely together on such an emotional purchase makes me feel a connection with my clients. Your moments of celebration are mine. And they're the moments that get me up in the morning. You know what you need, and I know how to get it for you. I’ll work with you to set reasonable expectations, but I know setting expectations doesn’t mean not getting what you want. It means creating a plan, so that you can get exactly what you want. Which is, in turn, what I want. I’m ready to make your real estate experience a triumph.
Quote Box
I needed something that would make them connect this new place with home. Something they had always wanted. Something lovable.
Keller Williams Realty Agents
Marketing Brochure
Front Cover
Our family has been through a lot: serious illnesses, economic crashes that nearly took our livelihoods with them, and difficult career transitions. But we always had the commitment to rise above these struggles stronger, both as individuals and as a family.
Inside Cover
Eliza - Immune thrombocytopenic purpura. A fancy way of saying my body has a low level of blood cells, preventing blood clots. There is no cure, and I was dying.
I became ill not long after my second son was born. I was 29 and thought I was in the prime of my life. Hearing my prognosis made my heart break. Not only for me, but for the pain my family was going through as well. They could see clear physical signs that my body was suffering.
It was a difficult time for us. Sam and I wanted honesty and transparency when it came to explaining to our sons what was happening to me. But I remember days when I’d talk with people outside the family, a forced smile plastered on my face, while my mind was still back at the doctor’s office, hearing how yet another treatment wasn’t working as they hoped.
I had to find my strength, even in the times I felt weakest. Especially when it came to being there for my kids. I never stopped attending their events or taking them to school. They seemed proud of me. I couldn’t let them down.
For 10 years I endured a constant battle that I feared would be a losing one. We went to every specialist, tried medications and steroids and chemotherapy. Then the day came when the doctor gave me the news: “Your ITP has gone into remission.”
It felt as though a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders! Those years of fighting paid off. And I’ve been in remission ever since.
There were too many wonderful things in my life to leave it behind. My family gave me the determination to fight and survive. But it goes beyond that. They also showed me that I could thrive.
Sam - Ever since I was young, I wanted to be Bruce Lee. But one fateful karate tournament had something even better in store: Eliza. From my vantage point on the ground, I noticed the fellow competitor in the stands. She was lovely. My first interaction with her resulted in a downright snub. It took a friend of a friend talking to her for me to get her number. A couple of phone conversations later, I landed a date.
When Eliza became sick, we assumed that would be the peak of our struggles. Watching someone you care about be in pain is the hardest thing to endure. I feared for her and felt proud of her in equal measure. After she went into remission, everything seemed lighter.
There was little time to celebrate as the recession soon hit. We went bankrupt, our cars were nearly repossessed, I was representing myself in court. While I was putting out fires, Eliza continued working. I worried about her doing so much after having been sick, but she assured me the work kept her active and motivated.
It meant returning to basics to build up our client base. We knocked on doors every day for 4 years. I remember buying a myriad of shoes, because I was wearing them out so quickly. It still wasn’t enough. Luckily, Eliza’s mother came through, securing us an equity line of credit from her house. It was what we needed to build our life back up.
I wouldn’t change a thing. Those struggles are the reason I’m where I am today. We made it through everything, from the illness to the recession, because we had each other. I can’t imagine a life without Eliza. Her determination, courage, and will have made me love that girl in the stands of the karate tournament even more.
Back Cover
Opportunity is a powerful thing. We both came to America to be given an opportunity. That was all we needed. From that point on, we put in the work to be sure it wasn’t squandered. Every home we buy or sell is a new opportunity for us and for the client. Enduring our own setbacks, only made us double down on helping our clients with renewed vigor. An understanding of families undergoing hard times gives us perspective, compassion, and empathy. If we were only to meet your expectations, it would mean we were doing the bare minimum. We guarantee that we will exceed your expectations. We’ll be there as your guides as well as your companions, building your future home.
Quote Box
For 10 years I endured a constant battle that I feared would be a losing one. We went to every specialist, tried medications and steroids and chemotherapy.