I didn’t have a very settled childhood. It involved a lot of upheavals and a lot of moving. An industry that thrived on bringing people into their homes was the furthest thing from my mind at that time. Now, I can't imagine doing anything else.

My relationship with “home” was a strange one growing up. It was constantly changing. A series of tragedies moved me from one place to another. After my mother’s death, I went to live with my grandmother at the age of nine. When she passed, I moved in with my aunt and uncle before ultimately staying with my dad. The idea of stability and consistency did not go hand in hand with the concept of home. For that reason, I wanted to strike out on my own as soon as possible.

I was 16 when I got my first car and left my dad’s place. I crashed on friends' couches and occasionally even in the car itself. It was a temporary solution, but it felt like a necessary one at the time.

I started working while I was still a teen in the food and beverage industry. The work I did wasn’t really enough to cover the $1700 rent bill that greeted me every month. I wanted something better for myself, but when every job you have tells you you’re worth $8 an hour, you’re liable to start believing it.

Being fired from a job that I was clearly overqualified for was the wake-up call I needed. If I wanted something better, I needed to put in the effort. Once I did that, things started to turn around quickly. I got a job at a country club and worked my way up to the food and beverage director with the help of my supervisor, who was like a mentor to me.

My time in that industry showed me the ugly side of things as well. I was shocked at how people in positions of power would sometimes wield it in unethical ways. Bosses, who I was supposed to be learning from, would instead show me how to cheat the system and use shortcuts. A company would be fine employing a woman as a dishwasher, but if she tried to become a cook, her immigration status was suddenly being questioned.

It was a difficult time because I was also raising my first daughter. Unfortunately, my schedule meant that I would leave before she was awake and get home just as she was going to bed. I needed a new line of work, and it had to pan out.

Real estate was suggested to me by my aunt after I briefly joined an MLM. She messaged me, “You should get a real estate license. I’d buy a house from you sooner than I’d buy those vitamins. And don’t send me any more messages about them! I will block you on Facebook!”

She hadn’t been joking about the license. She actually had some experience and was able to give me some guidance on breaking into the real estate industry. Real estate sounded doable, and it sounded like a job that actually had value.

One of the underrepresented markets that I discovered early on was renters. Most agents would descend on anyone listing their home but weren’t terribly interested when it came to helping someone rent. That’s not where the money is. However, as a serial renter myself, I knew how important it was to help these people, so I did. By doing that, I had clients returning to me and referring their families. I grew my business by helping people that no one else wanted to help.

I have a much clearer idea of what home is now. It’s family and memories and the community you build around you. I look forward to helping bring you into this community.

One of my most memorable transactions was with a veteran and his wife. I spent countless hours with them, trying to find what they were looking for, only to discover that they didn’t qualify for a loan. I got them into a rental property until they were ready to buy.

They reached out to me two years later, ready to try again. By then, the market had changed. Homes were pricier than they expected. I suggested they look into new builds, and we found a new construction home they liked. Two weeks before closing, the deal fell apart.

Coincidentally, I was moving into a new house myself. Then, an idea struck me. I asked if they would like to see my old house. They fell in love with it instantly. Their price point was lower than I planned to list it for, but I couldn’t think of a more deserving couple to take care of my old house. Providing excellent service is more important to me than money.

I look forward to discovering how I can best help you next!

Sincerely,

Nate Wright
REALTOR®