This month, we celebrate W Realty Group’s 20th anniversary! Scott, the team and I have been reflecting quite a bit recently on our journey with real estate over these years. We recognize that only some of you may remember that Scott and I purchased our first home in 2000, and shortly thereafter got the “real estate bug” and began purchasing investment properties to fix up and rent out. We were real estate investors long before we ever helped a client to buy or sell property. Our tag line when W Realty Group was formed in 2003 was, “Invest in your home, invest in your future!” We have always believed in the power of real estate and how building equity over time through homeownership is an incredible tool to create wealth and security for the future. Several of our teammates have also taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity by becoming homeowners and landlords themselves over the years and are now on a similar path.
Last fall, we decided to renovate a property we bought 20 years ago, and after a whole house transformation, sold that property this past week to a happy first-time home buyer. We are very grateful to our 25 year old selves that took advantage of the opportunity to purchase rental homes like this one all those years ago. Back then, we were very “hands on” and built our share of “sweat equity.” We learned so many skills that we’ve been able to pass on to clients like you and put systems in place to help you avoid traps and pitfalls that we learned to get past the hard way. We were willing to jump in and go for it back then so that we could learn and grow and, as a result, have been able to carve an easier path for others to take. We learned when time is on our side, we can afford to take risks, and bounce back from setbacks and obstacles with ease. We learned that with enough time, real estate appreciates more than we ever imagined, more than balancing out the expenses to maintain and improve the property. As you can probably tell, with each passing year, we are more passionate about real estate and the power of home ownership.
We love and appreciate working with amazing clients just like you and are honored to be guides in your own journeys. Please continue to lean on us as you take your next steps. Chances are, we’ve been in your spot before and we can help. I am reminded of a quote by Marianne Williamson from her book, A Return to Love, that is posted on my vision board and that I read almost daily.
“Success means we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others. We’re compensated by grateful looks in people’s eyes, whatever material abundance supports us in performing joyfully and at high energy, and the magnificent feeling that we did our bit today to save the world.”
On behalf of the whole team, thanks for an incredible 20 years.