I felt this to be an appropriate first blog to put out in Internetland. From time to time, I get asked “how did you get into real estate?" So let’s take a walk...
I live and serve in a valley I’ve spent my entire life in. I mean, we live less than a mile from the hospital I was born in! Growing up in 90’s suburbia, we had a typical upbringing. I’m told we were the last generation to truly embrace a generally safe, relaxed childhood. I remember going outside right after breakfast and then at dusk (after mom yelled my name for 20 minutes), I stamped my dirty feet all the way home. That’s like 14-16 hours outside. Every. Single. Day. I say all this because my best friend Nate lived right up the street and little did I know, his dad would play a role that impacted me 20 years later...
Chuck Bills is one of the early reasons I’m a realtor. I don’t recall asking him this, but he joked that one time I asked him, “What do you do?” and in true Chuck form his response was, “we have a money tree out back!” I asked him this because he was ALWAYS HOME! Chuck, to my knowledge is a career realtor. He’s a role model to me, was always actively involved in community, always coached our sports teams, and a textbook realtor with a reputation for working hard and being honest. He planted the seed before I even knew it.
My mom ran successful small businesses in our youth and I really believe that ignited an entrepreneurial flame somewhere down deep, again without my knowledge. Fast forward to High School — she was now working for Washington Mutual Bank as a branch loan officer (circa 2005/06) so I was always around the industry.
A few years later, as you know, the largest financial recession in almost 100 years hits our country and Washington Mutual is bought out by Chase Bank. Kandi (mom) sees the writing on the wall and becomes a mortgage broker (more on that in another blog post).
I never really had a plan. My parents didn’t go to college. They didn’t push me to “get a degree” and they were always budget-conscious so college probably seemed expensive and unattainable. So they kinda just left it up to me. My girlfriend basically told me at the end of summer after senior year that we could “stay together if you want but I’m going to college” — so there I was — no plan and now in a long distance relationship —
From 2009 to 2012 I was pursuing a career in Law Enforcement. I married that beautiful girl from High School too! I spent time with several agencies in varying capacities and it was very fulfilling but very hard work. I admire and have a great respect for the men and women in blue. Later on, I was officially diagnosed in 2012 with Crohn’s Disease — a disease that is both genetic and stress induced. Did it come from law enforcement, maybe a little. I think it was mostly genetic and probably also aided in poor diet, those are just my opinions. I was out of work and probably mildly depressed. Just a few years married and I was supposed to be a leader of our household yet I was unemployed and couldn’t even hold my own bodily functions let alone a steady job. I needed a career with some flexibility ...
Real estate quickly came to mind because A) mom is still in mortgage lending and B) I’m still friends with Nate, who’s dad is Chuck. I’m also acquaintances with a few realtors at this point too (aren’t we all?). I reached out to an unnamed agent in the area and asked about getting into the industry myself. His response (which I’ll remember forever) was, “Mike, don’t even think about it. This is the worst market anyone has ever been in. Real estate agents probably won’t be around soon.” Uhhhh, wow. Motivating. Then I spoke with Josh Barnard.
Josh is and was a talented local basketball player who I looked up to! (Side story — Chuck actually took Nate and I to watch Josh while he was in High School. Small world!) He went on to play at the University of Washington as a guard/forward and can still shoot the lights out! He was gracious enough to have a conversation with a 25 year old who didn’t have a large network of connections, who wasn’t ever really the popular guy, who was recently diagnosed with a stress-induced disease and showed genuine interest in my success. I was hooked.
I got licensed a few months later and started a career in this wildly amazing industry where I get to meet and help people achieve things they didn’t think were possible. Roll credits.
