“Can’t you find a real job?” Those words still ring in my ears from over 24 years ago when I told my mother I was going to sell real estate. “So what got you into real estate and what has kept you there?” some folks ask? Well, long stories longer, here goes…

In 1984 I was a successful young Landman in the oil and gas business with the company car, the expense account, and all the benefits except one; a contract. Do not get me wrong. I had a great boss who was fair and kind, but who had said to me when he hired me in 1982 that “when the money runs out, the job runs out”. “Fair enough” I had responded. My work should cause the money to keep flowing! And I worked!

Well, sometime in the late summer of 1984 the price of crude oil fell to an especially low point. It was sometime in September or October, Vince poked his head in my office door and reminded me of our conversation and added “well the money has run out!” effective November 30th. 

Being the young confident guy I was, I decided I could do the business better and stepped out and sold some prospects to other companies that they drilled, all dry holes though. And there was that last prospect that just about broke us as it was bought by a guy who went bankrupt. Never a word! But just in case I had gotten my Real Estate license so I could collect in court. NO, I never did.

And that young confident nature caused me to never file for un-employment either. My wife did daycare in the home, I plowed snow and did day work in the old office. I sold a couple of homes for my partner too as I had a brokers license. It was an unsettled time!

So I am “working at home” one day in Englewood Colorado in late 1985 or early 1986 and there is a knock on the door. I open it to find a foreclosure notice! Well, as you can imagine, my wife and I had some agitated words that night but we succeeded in  formulating a plan: We could either sell the house and buy another smaller one and stay in Denver; we could take a job in Midland (and get laid off again there); or I could sell real estate. We needed some money to get out of hole we were in and so I called the first national bank of MOM the next day. We explained our alternative plans and she politely agreed the first 2 were not good at all but when I came to #3 I heard the words: CAN’T YOU FIND A REAL JOB?

That is what started my real estate career in 1985. What has kept me here is a passion for the process, and getting to know more about people every day! It is fun. Up market or down market. No real difference. And Denver is just a very stable mid-western type of place to be.