Tell us a little bit about your path to becoming a realtor.

After working in property management in Columbus for ten years, I spent the next several years in advertising sales with The Columbus Apartment Guide and Columbus CEO Magazine. I also worked for the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is now Experience Columbus. At the time I first became licensed in (1993) it was more feasible for me to be part time. Over the years and as I continued to to learn about housing in different areas of central Ohio I eventually wanted to work in real estate all the time.

Flashback to when you were 10 years old. What did you want to be when you grow up?

It was the seventies and I was always interested in the aesthetic of homes on movie sets and tv shows. I would look at everything from the design of the home or apartment to the dishes, furniture and art. I remember I convinced my dad to wood panel our basement so it would look more like The Brady Bunch family room.

Why did you choose to become a realtor?

My first employer in property management always encouraged me to stay in the housing industry. I remember her saying there will always be a need for housing.  My years in property management along with my experience in marketing and advertising sales seemed to be an appropriate foundation for understanding the principals of real estate. It was always appealing to know that being a realtor was a way to have your own business whether it be part time or full time.

What is your favorite thing about living in Central Ohio?

There are many things. To be so close to places like the Columbus Museum of Art, The Ohio Theatre, the Short North, Resch’s bakery or watching the TBDBITL march to “the shoe” is an advantage to living in Central Ohio.  I also love that you can drive forty five minutes in any direction and be in rural Ohio which has so many great farmers markets and places to visit like Dawes Arboretum.

What excites you the most about the Central Ohio housing market?

MORPC reported that only 38% of people can find affordable housing in Central Ohio which is NOT exciting, but what is exciting is to know that leaders in areas such as Reynoldsburg, Whitehall and Gahanna among others are taking action in rethinking zoning codes and development review processes in effort to create more affordable housing opportunities.

Describe your typical day.

I coordinate the marketing for Vutech | Ruff and with 14 agents we are always busy. Everything is digital now which is so much nicer given how often the status can change for a home on the market today. There was a time not too long ago when there was no  professional or drone photography and I might have had to drive out to Granville to take pictures of a farm, then come back downtown and work my way through parking, construction, key fabs and alarms to meet a client who was interested in touring a new condo. Then maybe a drive out to Marysville to show houses and return to German Village and turn off a house full of lights for one of Jeff or Marilyn’s listings. This was my every day at work for a long while and I loved every minute!

What sets Vutech | Ruff apart from the other brokerages?

Marilyn Vutech and Jeff Ruff are class acts and two of the hardest working people I know.  If you are an agent starting your real estate career with their team you will see every real estate scenario worked through from beginning to end with patience, grace and no complaining. Marilyn and Jeff truly love helping their clients with the process of selling or buying a home. They’re the best mentors to have and the list of homes they have sold over the years consist of every size and style whether it be a small cottage, a horse farm, a mini farm, downtown condo, a traditional home in the burbs or a pre-civil war home by a busy road, they see them all!

Tell us a little bit about your family.

I live with my husband Dean who works for the Ohio Insurance Institute and our dog, Marley. Our daughter Rachel just graduated from Bishop Hartley this past spring and now attends Ohio University in Athens. My brother-in-law Jeff stays with us often and I consider myself fortunate to have life long friends and family nearby.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

As a recent empty nester, the possibilities seem endless. For today, there are drawers and cupboards that haven’t been opened for way too long because there was never time. 

What are three things you can’t live without?

Family, friends and probably GPS.

What do you love about your job?

Selling your home or relocating can be quite the process and most often a stressful one. People move for different reasons but almost every time you can see the excitement or relief once the process comes to a close and that is gratifying.

Working with Vutech | Ruff over the years gave me the opportunity to see the many downtown condo developments come to life and it was a very exciting time. Growing up in Columbus, the only building in view from the east side was the LeVeque tower.  Marilyn and Jeff worked endlessly with developers along with many other great agents to help downtown Columbus be a place to live and not just visit.