Growing up in Edmonton I didn’t mind winter because that meant it was time to play hockey and hit Lake Louise to ski. Considering how much time I was on the ice or in the snow, you would think I wouldn’t mind the cold.
After meeting my wife and marrying her in way back in 1997, we took our honeymoon in the Okanagan to compete in our first Ironman Race in Penticton. It was a defining time for us as we realized how much we loved the Okanagan (and its warmth!). We returned a couple times a year until we finally moved here in 2003.
I will never get tired of the views we have and all the outdoor opportunities to play!
After leaving my long-time job at Liquide Air in Edmonton, Cailla and I opened a restaurant in Kelowna where I was able to use my background in Marketing to help create a very successful business. It was during this time that I like to say I got my ‘degree’ in Customer Service! Owning and running a restaurant was one of the most challenging and stressful career choices I could have made. It was an excellent learning opportunity that I am grateful to have had!
After selling the restaurant, I decided to get into the industry that I knew I would really enjoy. I became a licensed Realtor in 2010 which was arguably one of the toughest times in our Real Estate Market. The benefit of starting during tough times is you learn to work really, really, really hard. Since then I have successfully achieved 100% Club for my first few years in the business and then Platinum Club ever since.
My background in Customer Service, combined with my Marketing Diploma and Certified Negotiation Expert certification, have aided me in successfully negotiating the best price, whether buying or selling, on my client’s behalf.
I get up everyday and embark on a journey with my clients wherever they take me. I venture to find them their perfect home or to negotiate expertly in the sale of their property.
I have the tremendous opportunity to build relationships with people of all different backgrounds who are at all different points in their lives. The most important thing to me is to do the right thing for my clients. I treat their money like it’s mine (and I am thrifty/cheap/have cobwebs in my wallet…or so I’ve been told!). I make sure I get the best deal for my clients that I possibly can.
By the end of the buying or selling process, I can honestly say that my ‘clients’ become my friends!
Having been born and raised in Winnipeg and later relocating to Edmonton I have a strong dislike for freezing cold weather! The Okanagan is the perfect combination of beauty and warmth and provides the perfect surroundings for an active lifestyle.
My first visit to the Okanagan was back in 1993 and I was hooked immediately! Being fortunate enough to race Ironman Canada in Penticton many, many times, Dale and I finally made the moved to Kelowna in 2003. We have spent countless hours exploring the Okanagan Valley on foot, by skis, bike, boat and by water ever since.
Our love for ‘The Hawaii of Canada’ grows each year as we discover new friends, new outdoor adventures and new activities we can do with our friends and family.
After graduating from the U of A with a BPE, I spent quite a few years personal training, coaching and racing Ironman Distance events all over the world as a Professional Athlete.
When we first moved to Kelowna, Dale and I opened a restaurant while I continued to race Ironman triathlons professionally for a couple more years until we had our daughter in 2007. Not long after selling our restaurant, I became a Licensed Realtor with RE/MAX Kelowna.
My first years were wonderfully successful and I won the prestigious award ‘Rookie of the Year’ with RE/MAX. After attempting to juggle both Dale and I as licensed Realtors with that of caring for our daughter, I opted to take a different role in our business as a Real Estate Consultant for quite a few years. Once our daughter was old enough and sadly didn't need me as much, I relicensed and and hit the road running again!
As a full-time licensed Realtor, I specialize in buying/selling residential homes, relocation and downsizing/upgrading. Lifestyle in the Okanagan is extremely important and as a Lifestyle Realtor, both Dale and I strive to match our client's needs with the perfect location and property so our clients can focus on their next life chapter.
As your Lifestyle Realtor, I help promote the best aspects of your property to the most appropriate segment of the population to garner the MOST money for your home. Fully understanding what each area of the Okanagan has to offer is integral to creating a Buyer's 'need' to live there.
If you are Buying, I diligently sift through hundreds of properties to find just the right one to fit what you do, and need, in your day to day life. Finding the needle in a haystack is incredibly rewarding!
Bottom line is that I am a detail oriented person. Whatever our clients need, I am there to help, offer direction and provide pertinent information.
Want more information about the market or the process of buying or selling? Give us a shout! We'd be happy to help.