My wife and I went to the same high school, we had the same group of friends but never met during our time there. She was a year above me, so we never had any classes together. My wife says she thinks I may have once said “Hi” to her in the hallway, but I was running for student council and was probably saying hi to everyone. It wasn’t until I got back from basic training for the National Guard and got a job at the same fast food joint she was working at that we truly met. Ten days after our first date, we were engaged. When you know, you know. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

Together, we raised three kids. When the oldest was finishing school, I grew concerned. Was he prepared to face the world? Had I taught him all the things he needed to know?

As I fretted, I was channel surfing and landed on an episode of NCIS. One of the show's gimmicks was how the character Gibbs had a set of personal rules he followed. I always liked that. I thought the greatest graduation gift I could give my son was a set of rules for him to live by.

This was simpler in concept than execution. Ever since a young age, I had aspired to be a published author, so if I was going to write something, it should be done right. I reflected on what I knew, tried and tested through experience. Any rule that I wasn't sure about needed to go through experimentation, with myself as the guinea pig. Did it always hold up?

In the end, I decided ten was a nice round number, so I wrote down the ten most strictly foundational rules. But I didn’t stop there. To truly describe the rules, I needed to delve into my own struggles and triumphs. I couldn’t do it all in a note. It instead turned into a book: Dad's Rules For Being A Kickass Adult. It’s my first accomplishment as the published author I dreamed of becoming. Its sequel is on the way.

I began to consistently use those rules in my own life. I discovered I had more peace of mind, was more easygoing, and was generally more content, was even successful.

That idea of taking something that was meant to be small and then flinging myself into it is a bit of a recurring theme in my life. I don’t do things in half measures. When I first moved out here, I applied for two different full-time jobs and was offered both on the same day. I figured I’d start both, decide which I liked better, and stick with that one. Instead, I continued to do both—working 80 hours a week—for three and a half years.

It was during that time that a colleague of mine was first looking into real estate. He kept bringing it up to me and telling me how I’d be good at it. I decided to interview with a real estate company and take the classes between shifts. It was an intense schedule, but I got my license.

Again, I was fully invested. I started at a brokerage with a team that would have daily teachings. I read every article on the topic, poured over every book, watched every vlog. I wanted to know as much about real estate as I could. It’s an ongoing process, and as long as I’ve been doing this, I understand that there’s always more knowledge to gain. But I build my knowledge on a strong foundation.

“Trust me, this is gonna go viral,” I told the client. When the camera rolled to record the listing video, I walked straight into the swimming pool. That was the video we posted, and the line at the first showing wrapped around the block.

Coming up with inventive ways to market homes is one of the best parts of the job. I’m also fond of handing over the keys to new homeowners, getting that acknowledgment that I helped out a client in a huge way. Sometimes the job requires less glamorous work. For five years, I helped a client struggling with a bad credit score so he could achieve his dream property. On several occasions, I've talked clients out of buying homes when it didn’t make sense. I don’t see this as a one-time job. My relationships are lifelong commitments. I keep things bluntly honest, but I also keep things stress-free. I never overwhelm my clients and remain authentic throughout the process. I look forward to my next transaction being with you!

Sincerely,

Kevin Belzer, REALTOR®