I started my real estate career here in Arizona in February of 2005. I hit the ground running and had five transactions in escrow almost immediately. The boom was a good time for us real estate agents and for most other people, too. Having a desire to further my real estate knowledge in order to better serve my clients, I eagerly pursued the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation, which I obtained in 2005. I then enrolled in additional classes and obtained the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation in 2007.
With a passion for sustainability and a healthy environment, I recently became EcoBroker Certified® after successfully completing an award-winning training program on the energy and environmental issues that affect real estate transactions. In addition, I have also obtained the National Association of REALTORS®’ [NAR’s] GREEN Designation, the only green real estate professional designation recognized by NAR. I achieved this prestigious designation after completing 18 hours of course-work designed specifically for REALTORS®. The courses were created in collaboration with a team of industry experts from across the country, ensuring comprehensive knowledge of green homes and buildings and issues of sustainability in relation to real estate.
More specifically, I was trained in understanding what makes a property green, helping clients evaluate the cost/benefits of green building features and practices, listing and marketing green homes and buildings, discussing the financial grants and incentives available to homeowners, and helping consumers see a property’s green potential.
I believe that living green is about making healthy choices that are also environmentally friendly. I also believe I walk the eco-walk in my everyday life on my small 44-tree citrus farm in central Phoenix. I farm organically and sell the fruits of my labor at farmers markets on Saturday mornings during citrus season. I try to live by the motto, “Everything stays on the farm,” referring to yard waste and food scraps, so I have a composting system and try to limit what goes into landfills from our property.
Going a step further in my commitment to a sustainable lifestyle, I recently acquired a Tesla Model S electric car. Now I can drive my clients to look at homes all day long, not burn gas, and know my car will not be emitting tailpipe pollutants.
