Nothing could have prepared us for the trials ahead. I was on top of the world, but the ground beneath me quickly crumbled. It took a lot of courage and resilience to start the climb over, but now I see that battle was one well worth fighting.
It was the most humbling experience of our lives – like many Americans, we never saw the market crash coming. One day I was doing very well, providing for my family through real estate, and then, the next thing we knew, we were facing foreclosure.
In 2001, my husband decided to try a career in real estate. I helped my husband study for the test, going through questions each night, and by the end of it, I decided to get licensed too. My husband realized early on it was not the right direction for him. Instead, he encouraged me to give it a try.
My passion has always been to help people. My background is in social work, where I developed the skills to handle tough, stressful situations. I helped people facing grief, depression, and trauma – it was never an easy career, but it was rewarding. In 1999, I became a stay-at-home mom, watching our daughters until my real estate career began.
It was pretty amazing how quickly my business picked up. Having many of the skills needed to do real estate and do it well, I became our family’s main provider. My husband was able to stay home with our children while helping me when he could. It was interesting for us to switch roles, but it ultimately worked out very well.
By the time the market crash came around, our income was 100% through real estate. It was a devastating time for us when our income fell so dramatically, and we were forced to face the harsh reality of foreclosure. We had no other source of income, and we knew we had to figure something else out quickly to provide for our daughters.
During this time, I felt some sense of judgment, thinking I should have planned better or that we should have saved more money. But the truth was we were caught in an unforeseeable circumstance. I had savings, and I did plan ahead, but no one could have predicted just how bad this period would be.
Instead of letting our bad situation consume us, we decided to pick ourselves back up and do everything in our power to get back to where we once were. I ended up getting a job working in children’s mental health. It helped us stay afloat and regain many of the things we had lost.
Despite the setback, I never lost my love for real estate, and I continued to keep my license and work in the industry part time for 11 years while I worked my full-time job. In 2017, I decided to jump back in full time and joined a team to learn more about how to run a successful business. Eventually, I left and started my own business. It was a big leap, but after all I had been through, I was confident I could handle anything life threw at me.
For a long time, I carried a weight on my shoulders, and I felt I had failed. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that the experience had actually made me stronger and more compassionate. Now, when I work with clients who are going through financial hardships, I am able to understand their struggles and help them in a way that I couldn’t before. Having regained everything we had lost and then some, I can see now that as hard as that experience was, it was incredibly important to my personal growth.
Faith has played a significant role in my journey; for me, it is faith, family, then everything else. When I am not working, I enjoy reading, hiking, going to movies, and visiting our second home in Florida whenever we get the chance.
One of the things I most enjoy about real estate is meeting new people. I love to hear everyone’s stories, learning how they got to this point and where they want to go. My experiences help me relate to my clients on a deeper level. I understand that real estate can sometimes be frustrating or challenging, but I make it my mission to remove those unnecessary stresses and facilitate an experience that is positive and enjoyable!
Working in the Twin Cities, there is a wide array of properties, from traditional residential homes to acreage and farm properties. Knowing the nuances of each and how to accurately compare properties gives my clients an edge in pricing properties, creating offers and negotiating. Real estate is full of stories, and I honor that in every aspect of the transaction process. Even after the transaction is over, it is important to me that I uphold the relationship we built. I am committed to serving as your lifelong REALTOR® and friend, ready to support you through all of life’s ups and downs.
Sincerely,
Sarah Carlson
REALTOR® | Lic# 20325212
Mobile (763) 370-2400
SarahCarlsonHomes@gmail.com
www.SarahCarlsonHomes.com
