Starting Something New: My Journey Into Real Estate

Hi there! First off, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and for being curious enough to learn a little bit about me. This is my very first post here in The Local Notebook, and I’m excited to use it as a chance to share my story and explain why I decided to dive into the world of real estate.

My background is a bit of a winding road. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to wear a lot of hats. I’ve worked as an associate at the Cirque du Soleil merchandise store in Disney Springs, scheduled technicians for an A/C company, helped with daily operations at a veterinary clinic, and even did promotions for a radio station. For the past thirteen years, I’ve been in higher education, working with nursing students. Eight of those years were spent in a leadership role supporting teams that placed nursing students in clinical settings across the country. I loved working with my team and found joy in helping others succeed, but after a while, something started to feel off.

I had reached a point in my career where I felt financially stable, which was an incredible accomplishment, but the long days sitting behind a desk left me drained with little energy to devote to the things I loved outside of work. I knew I needed a change—something that would let me reclaim my time and bring me joy again.

My husband and father-in-law own Crux Construction, a company that builds beautiful cabins here in Murphy. For years, my husband, Carl, encouraged me to think about real estate. He saw it as a career that could offer me independence and a way to collaborate with him by helping sell the cabins he and my father-in-law, Oscar, build. While I thought it was an intriguing idea, it sat on the back burner for two years as life kept moving forward.

Then, in early 2024, I decided enough was enough. I needed to take a leap. I enrolled in real estate pre-licensing classes in January, started the courses in February, and by May, I officially had my real estate license in hand.

I’ll be honest—the decision wasn’t without hesitation. Real estate was a completely new direction for me, and I knew the industry sometimes carried a reputation for being sales-driven or, frankly, pushy. I’ve had my fair share of less-than-stellar experiences with agents in the past, and I never wanted to be that person. What I realized, though, is that I don’t have to be. I don’t have to be a salesperson. I can approach this business in a way that aligns with my values—by focusing on relationships and making connects, operating with honesty and transparency, and genuinely caring about and supporting my clients.

Buying a home is such a significant milestone. It’s not just about finances; it’s about finding a place where memories are made, where life happens, and where you feel truly at home. Realizing that I could help people through this journey is what gave me the final nudge to jump in. I want my clients to feel supported, understood, and confident that I have their best interests at heart every step of the way.

I’m still figuring out exactly where this new path will take me—and let’s be honest, aren’t many of us still figuring out what we want to be when we grow up? But what I do know is this: I want to be a positive force in my community and make an impact in a way that feels authentic to me. Real estate gives me the opportunity to do just that.

Thank you for reading my story! I’m looking forward to sharing more about my journey, local insights, and tips to help you navigate the world of real estate right here on the blog. If you ever want to connect, whether it’s to talk about buying or selling a home or just to say hi, I’m here. Let’s make this journey something special—together.