I grew up in Iowa City, surrounded by the real estate business. My family owned and managed both residential and commercial properties, so I spent much of my childhood listening, watching, and participating in all aspects of real estate.

In 1990, at the age of eight, I started filing documents at the real estate office where my mom worked. By age 10, I moved to the phones, as my gift of gab wasn’t being utilized in the filing room. I continued wo...