Looking at where I am today, many people don’t realize how low I once was. I lost a house during the recession and struggled to stay afloat. I’ve always taken to heart the lesson of getting up after being knocked down. I had to lose everything before I could gain what I have now.

I distinctly remember sitting on my friend’s horse as a teenager, a little wobbly, not having a lot of experience on horseback. I could sense that our pleasant stroll wasn’t going to go as planned as he suddenly took off for the stables. I was holding on for dear life when the horse toppled to the ground, along with me. We both struggled to get back on our feet. When we did, I got right back up on that horse. I realized an important lesson that day: it doesn’t matter if you stumble. It doesn’t matter if you fall. What matters is that you get back up.

Years later, I needed to be reminded of that lesson. When the economy crashed, I lost my home. Like many others, I tried to hang onto it through renting it out and staying with family. Staying with my parents in Arizona while working full-time, I still struggled to make the payments and had to give it up. However, if I had never gone to Arizona, I would never have been recruited to Business Development/Marketing and HOA management and discovered my passion for Real Estate.

When I started building my Real Estate team, I knew my friend, Jacquie Land, and my father, Don Varner, would fit perfectly. Both of them lost homes due to economic downturns, just like I did. After negotiating with the bank for a year as recommended, Jacquie lost her home due to the unrealistic mortgage contract she was pressured into signing. Though it was devastating, she found a way to purchase another home. The loss of that first home actually released her from an unsustainable financial situation and gave her the opportunity to live with family in Colorado while her daughters were young.

My father had to say goodbye to the home he built when I was a teenager through the loss of his music shop. It was a beautiful home that he had employed his skills as an engineer to perfect. Though it was hard to walk away, he built another home here in Arizona.

As for me, I found another “ready to dust yourself off?” moment when my 18-year-old marriage ended.  I became the sole provider for my two daughters. So, what did I do? I furthered my education, became more intentional with how I spent my time, and gave my business my all. I even found vigor to work out, spend quality time with my girls, and surround myself with those who motivate me to improve for the better. The results? I ranked among the top 1% and 2% of REALTORS® in Arizona.

None of us escape getting knocked off the horse. All we can do is dust ourselves off and get back up in the saddle. At Gem Team, adaptability is part of who we are. Each of us have our own strengths that we add to the team, with my experience in real estate and community management, Jacquie with her 15-year career in banking and expertise in financial planning, and Don with his encyclopedic construction knowledge. No matter the challenge, together we will find the best solutions.

Whether you want us to advise, educate, or counsel, we can give you the tools you need. This is a world of large investments and can cross into emotional territory. While we feel that emotional connection with the people we work with, we can also ease their stress. We do that by keeping consistent communication, so we all know what each other are thinking. As your REALTORS®, your happiness is our number one priority, and nothing is more rewarding than the smile on your face once we accomplish your goal.

Problem solving is our specialty, and we view each transaction as its own puzzle. We will find the best options for you and help you choose the one that will lead to long-term success. By going above and beyond to locate deals and utilizing unconventional strategies, we help our clients win. With our collective expertise in design, construction, financial planning, and banking, we offer our clients comprehensive guidance. Once the transaction is closed, we will continue to support your success as your lifelong REALTOR® team!

Sincerely,

Katie Baley REALTOR®	Jacquie Land REALTOR®	Don Varner REALTOR®