“From the Cattle Business to Real Estate”

 I have actually never heard of anyone taking this path, but there is no right path. I grew up on a dairy farm and the cattle business became my first career. I was trained firsthand in the art of buying and selling cattle, from a master, my dad. Unfortunately, he did business completely different, but I was never discouraged from doing it my own way.

By the time I turned 16, I was ready to start blazing my own trail. As luck would have it, I met some amazing folks that were farmers and they were also great teachers, they must have figured I had a lot to learn. This was my first experience of asking for referrals after giving my customers good service. I was in the business for 7 years and during that time period, many of my customers would talk and often complain about their experience with the real estate community.

From time to time they wanted to sell a piece of real estate, mostly land and most in the business little of no experience in this area. I definitely saw a need and I had a good knowledge of the land. When I announced that I was going into the real estate business, it did not go over very well, but my parents knew, that once I made up my mind, well that is the direction I would be going. It was a destiny for me, as the comment in my high school yearbook, that I was planning on going into real estate. 

My first clients were many of the farmers that I did business with. They were an amazing support system and a constant source of referrals. One of my frustrations in the real estate business was the ability to get mortgages.

Basically the local banks were the only game in town, so to speak. Their decision making process was often hard to understand. I could feel another destiny in my future. 

When I sold Petrowsky Real Estate Co, the buyers were 13 of my first agents. They were wonderful folks, I still interact with many of them after all these years. The day I sold the company, I gave up my license, but never gave up my desire to buy and sell real estate as an investor.