LEE COUNTY IS NOW MY HOME. ALTHOUGH BORN AND RAISED IN THE MOUNTAINS, THE BEAUTIFUL SKIES, THE WARM SUN, AND THE CASUAL LIFESTYLE QUICKLY WON ME OVER. MY TWO CHILDREN ARE BORN AND BRED FLORIDA CRACKERS. I STILL ENJOY VISITING THE OLD MOUNTAINS, BUT THE CLOUD FORMATIONS THAT CHANGE WITH THE WIND EVERY HOUR ARE JUST AS BREATHTAKING AND COMFORTING. THEY KEEP ONE GROUNDED.
WHILE LIVING AND WORKING AND RAISING A FAMILY AND FINISHING COLLEGE IN FLORIDA,MY HUSBAND, FRANK, SUGGESTED REAL ESTATE AS A CAREER. IT COULD PROVIDE ME WITH THE FLEXIBILITY I NEEDED TO JUGGLE ALL MY ACTIVITIES. MY FIRST YEARS WERE MOSTLY IN ASSET MANAGEMENT. I MANAGED APARTMENT BUILDINGS, SMALL STRIP SHOPPING CENTERS, AND SOME INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES. IT WAS A NICE MIX THAT KEPT THE JOB INTERESTING. THAT WAS BACK IN THE 70'S. THEN REAL ESTATE HAD A SLUMP. I HUNG ON THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES, TO LATER EMERGE WITH MY OWN COMPANY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY HUSBAND, AS A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FIRM. WE WORKED TOGETHER DAILY, AND BOTH BECAME BROKERS. THAT WAS IN THE 80'S.
MY HUSBAND AND I DISCOVERED CAPE CORAL AND BUILT A HOME HERE TO GIVE OUR KIDS AS CLOSE TO POSSIBLE, THE GOOD LIFE WE HAD AS CHILDREN. WE FELL IN LOVE WITH CAPE CORAL AND ITS SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE. WITH ONLY 25,000 PEOPLE, EVERYONE SEEMED TO KNOW EVERYONE ELSE. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO FEEL A PART OF SOMETHING SO NEW AND BEAUTIFUL. INTO THE 90'S, THE CITY GREW, THE KIDS GREW, AND FRANK AND I GREW, TOO. WE WERE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY SERVING ON CONDO ASSOCIATION BOARDS AND OUR LOCAL POP WARNER CHAPTER FOR FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING. LATE IN THE 90'S, OUR LONG TERM PROPERTY MANGEMENT CLIENTS DECIDED TO SELL OFF THEIR PROPERTIES. FRANK AND I DECIDED TO JOIN FORCES WITH ANOTHER REAL ESTATE COMPANY. WE CHOSE AN INDEPENDENT, LONG ESTABLISHED COMPANY, RASO REALTY. THEIR VISION MATCHED OURS IN THE BELIEF OF ABOVE AVERAGE SERVICE TO THE CLIENT. "WE TREAT YOU LIKE FAMILY" WAS OUR BASIC PHILOSOPHY.
IN WORKING WITH RASO SINCE 1993, MY INTEREST HAS EXPANDED FROM STRICTLY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TO INCLUDE THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. I STILL OVERSEE THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DIVISION, BUT WILL ALSO TAKE ON A FEW SELECT SERIOUS MINDED CLIENTS WHO WANT TO LIST OR BUY A HOME IN LEE COUNTY. I PURPOSEFULLY KEEP THE NUMBER SMALL TO PROVIDE THE BEST COMMUNICATION AND ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS UPON WHICH I HAVE BUILT MY LIFE.
NOW, NEARLY SIX YEARS INTO THE NEW MILLENIUM, I HAVE HAD THE MOST SUCCESS IN DOLLARS IN MY LIFE. THE BOOM WAS GOOD. GROWING TOO FAST, WAS NOT. THE OLD ADAGE WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN IS TRUE, BUT WHAT I ALSO KNOW IS WHEN THINGS ARE DOWN, WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH! SO, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A REALTOR WHO WILL WORK FOR YOU, AND BE HONEST [even if it might not be what you want to hear], ASK FOR ME, JULIE CONNELLEY.
