Brian Karsh

Like so many Realtors I thought the market crash in 2008 spelled the end of my career. I had a baby son to look after and I had to make ends meet. That meant juggling multiple jobs all at once and putting my real estate dreams to rest. But I never turned my back on it completely...

When the market crashed in 2008 I thought that was the end for me. As much as I loved the work I had been doing I had to prioritize my family. I had a son Isaac on the way and he was more important than a pipedream career in real estate. I had all the usual nerves and excitement that accompany becoming a father. But my fears were soon doubled when I analyzed our difficult financial situation. There was no one job I could do with a salary that would support us. So I had to take on several jobs at once.

I kept my bartending job at the airport but real estate was out. I did an array of other odd jobs to supplement my income. I usually had three or four jobs at a time and I was never working fewer than two on the same day. I never went to my job in the morning and came home in the evening. Instead I was sprinting from one place of business to the next. My schedule was exhausting but I kept thinking of Isaac.

Most of my previous experience had been in the restaurant industry. It got me my first house-and my first experience with a real estate agent. I was shocked by how poor the service was. The communication had been terrible. As a first-time homebuyer I knew nothing about the process and had dozens of questions at any given time. But my agent never provided me with any answers! It may sound counter-intuitive but that negative experience was what had first made me consider real estate! If that agent could make a career out of it imagine what someone who put the effort in could do! With my work ethic I could surely find success!