RENTED FIRST APARTMENT
When we first came here from Germany in 1999, we wanted to rent a home but had no U.S. credit history. We went from office to office all along 7th Avenue only to have brokers slam doors in our faces (those were the days when brokers held keys to the Promised Land—listings written down on index cards). Because of our lack of credit history, landlords were equally wary of leasing their apartments to us. Luckily, one landlord agreed to lease us a one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a Park Slope Brownstone —it turned out his parents were also from Germany. It’s all about finding a connection.
BOUGHT FIRST APARTMENT
Over time, we put down roots in Park Slope and decided to buy a parlor floor co-op on our block. It was “for sale by owner,” and everything that could possibly have gone wrong did. The adventure didn’t stop after we closed. I’ll never forget two weeks of showering in the backyard with the garden hose because we needed another paycheck before we could pay a plumber. In the end, though, it was home sweet home.
BOUGHT TWO INVESTMENT PROPERTIES
We saved up over time and bought two investment properties. But when I spotted a third, my husband announced he wanted his Sundays back. It was time to turn my passion into a profession. I joined Douglas Elliman to become the agent I had yet to meet—someone honest, reliable, with a genuine desire to help. After seven years, I made the leap to join Compass, then a small start-up, now a big player on the national stage.
SOLD IT ALL AND BOUGHT OUR TOWNHOUSE
On a sunny Tuesday in 2013, we closed the sale of our co-op apartment and raced down Park Slope’s 7th Avenue to close on our townhouse (a post-possession agreement allowed us to successfully close two properties on the same day). Most of our things went into storage, and we moved into the top floor of our new home while we renovated the rest. It was the perfect plan, except when the kids’ summer camp took them ice skating, and their skates were stuck in storage!
Compass REtreat in San Diego
“Nine years ago, I embarked on an incredible journey as Compass's first agent in Brooklyn. Today, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust and support my clients have shown me along the way. I look forward to many more years of helping you buy or sell your home.” ~ Gabriele