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As I begin my journey as the Editor in Chief of Weekly Real Estate News, I find myself thinking back to the beginning of my career as a writer. Truth be told, I hated writing when I was growing up. I found it to be tedious and boring, and I did not think anyone cared about what I had to say. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid, but when I found out that it involved a ton of math, I decided that going into space just wasn’t worth it. I dabbled in journalism in high school, first as a reporter for our little TV station, before taking on the role of Lead Producer. I enjoyed telling stories and sharing them with others, but I did not think I would ever make a career out of it. Like most teenagers, I had no clue who I wanted to be when I grew up.

So, how did a dorky kid from Western Colorado who hated writing end up as the Editor in Chief of WRE News? Look no further than the Denver Broncos! 

It is funny that I can pinpoint the exact moment that set me on the path to becoming a writer. I have been a diehard Broncos fan for as long as I can remember and am often the person screaming at my TV and pacing back and forth during games. When I left Colorado after high school to join the Army, I continued to root for my home team no matter which state I was living in (and I have lived all over this great nation!), but I was alone in my adoration.

That all changed when I joined Twitter in 2008 and I became a keyboard coach for the Broncos. Yes, I was that annoying person who live tweeted during every game. Over the course of two years, my following on Twitter grew with every fumble, every interception, every touchdown. In 2014, my tweets caught the attention of NFL Female, a website that was dedicated to the hardcore female NFL fan. Every article on the site was written by women, from the perspective of women, and the founder needed a Broncos beat writer. Of course, I had to say yes!

What I loved about NFL Female was that we were encouraged to not only share game day stats and replays (which you can find on any sports site), but to share the deeper and more emotional aspects of game play. I wrote for NFL Female for several years and had the pleasure of attending a few Broncos games as a member of the press. Meeting Von Miller and asking him a question during the post-game conference was a dream come true for me, and it is a special moment I will carry with me forever. 

As I became more confident in my voice and my writing, I was approached by Mortgage Women Magazine in 2016 to provide content. Fast forward to 2019, and I was given the amazing opportunity to take over as managing editor. At this point, I had been in the mortgage industry for nearly ten years and was developing a name for myself as a woman who was authentic and transparent. I was also called a “rare bird”- a mortgage professional who was an expert but could also write content that spoke to virtually any audience. As a first-generation college graduate and mother of four children, I knew that this opportunity to be the voice of all women in mortgage was not something I could pass up—or take lightly. 

And now, here I am. Four years and two editor positions later, and I am now tasked with the unique challenge of leading the charge for WRE News. When Rick Grant and John Stevens approached me for this role, I had just been laid off from yet another mortgage job and was starting to think my love affair with real estate was ending abruptly. You see, I love this business with my whole heart, but that love was not easily returned by the companies I have worked for. It was at this moment that I realized I had an opportunity to stay in this business and truly control my own destiny, so I did something that is totally out of character and said “sure, I will be a full-time writer!” 

So, why WRE News? It is simple, really. I am being given autonomy to build something truly special. WREN isn’t just a syndicate of real estate news that has a readership of over 1 million real estate professionals. Our long-term strategy is to shatter the status quo of “soft news,” and to create a compendium of hard-hitting articles that will help our readers make smart and savvy business decisions. The goal is to create one place where any real estate professional (agents, brokers, mortgage, etc.) can come to and find nuggets of useful information that is current, relevant, and impactful.

Do I have a selfish reason for joining WRE News? Of course, I do, but possibly my reasons extend beyond what I desire. I firmly believe in the American dream of home ownership for everyone, and I also believe that there are several ways to achieve that dream. From straight ownership, buyer education, focusing on the underserved with affordable housing options, to joint ventures that combine the expertise of real estate and financing, it will take a village to change the narrative on financial independence through homeownership. 

And that is why I am so excited about taking on this role with WRE News. Our platform can bring throngs of other passionate people into the fold to combine our ideas for the betterment of the real estate ecosystem. When I was asked what my top priority will be as I go into this new role, I simply said, “my priority continues to be speaking truth to what we need to make this industry better and to make homeownership available to all.”  I will make this commitment to our readers that I will tell the stories that need to be told to effect positive change and open doors for those who can’t open them on their own.