I was born in the Soviet Union and grew up in a world where people were not allowed to own their own homes.  About the time I came of age, the Soviet Union collapsed and that all changed.  I and millions of others had our first taste of home ownership, which was evidence, in my mind, that our newfound freedom was both real and permanent.  I suppose that it is not surprising that real estate became one of my passions. 

While I was enjoying home ownership and freedom, my freedom led me to other directions and I ended up marrying an American naval officer (of all things).  Little did I know that real estate would be front and center in our lives as we moved about, but of course it was.  As a military wife, married to a husband whose duties too often consumed his attention, I have bought, sold and rented (or rented OUT) property across three continents.  Ten, (TEN!), moves in 14 years before we found a real home in Flagler County.  Four of the moves were across the Atlantic, either going over or coming back. 

Whether I was moving across town or across the sea, the challenge and number one priority for me was to find a house which I could turn into a home.   While we made them all work, and they were all memorable, some of them were much better homes than others.  Most of our moves involved a requirement to find a home shortly after our jet lag wore off, which made it necessary to reach out to realtors of every stripe.  Some good, some not so good. 

Our best experiences and homes involved real estate agents who listened, who saw our family as an opportunity to help, not just an opportunity for business.  One realtor listened to me and directed me to a place I had already decided, sight unseen, was not right for us.  She was right and we live there still and am forever grateful.   Another realtor, after conducting our business, took an interest and suggested that we place our daughter in the local German ‘Schule’ three blocks away instead of the English speaking American School located a long bus ride from our house.  She smiled at our dubious expressions; “She is young and will learn German quickly”.    She was right and we are, again, forever grateful to her that our daughter is now bilingual. 

I am passionate about real estate, but I am especially passionate about listening to my customers and trying to help them find their dream life in their dream home.