We knew the area where we lived would never be the same again. You need farmland to make it a beautiful area. We lived in an apartment in Traverse City for 10 months while we built our Leelanau house. Shel found work with Rite Aid Pharmacy and I spent just about every day supervising the building of our dream home.

We moved in and within a matter of about three months my husband lost hearing in both ears. He got hearing aids, but it really did not help him that much. He said, “Well I guess we will have to sell our home because I can’t work the pharmacy when I just can’t hear properly.”

I had studied for my Real Estate license two years previously and had my license in a holding company. When my husband said that to me, I told him I would become a Realtor and take care of him. So I interviewed with all the real estate companies and found Coldwell Banker Schmidt had the best marketing for their sellers and the best education for their Realtors.

It is a family owned business and they gave me as much help as I needed to make a fast start. I was their Rookie of the Year my first year and have been a top producing agent ever since. I truly found my niche and a career that I adore. We came up north with no jobs and a determination to have one of those Leelanau Homes and live in this magnificent part of the world. We made our dream come true and so can you.