In all our lives, we’re lucky to have someone to look up to. Often it’s one of our parents, a coach, a teacher or even a good friend. For me, my greatest role model was my older brother, Robert. Robert was 20 years older than me and had grown up as a teenager in New York during the ‘50s.
I’ve always imagined him as the quintessential hoodlum that you see in the movies, with the Levi jeans, white tee shirt, and a black leather jacket. He was a fun guy who had lots of friends. His best friend’s dad owned a yard. I recall sitting around the kitchen table mesmerized as he retold the tales of their time working on cars, drinking, fighting and of course their exciting brushes with Johnny Law. Robert was genuine and inspiring.
I was barely a year old when Robert finished his tour in the Navy and married his longtime sweetheart, Glenola (Poodie as we called her). Honest, kind and generous, she would always see the good in everyone. Theirs was one of those rare and unique marriages where we got to see how best friends behaved and supported one another.
They had kids of their own and welcomed with open arms anyone who wanted to join in to hang out for a day at the pool or the beach, camping at the lake or in the snow. Their connection with each other as well as to the kids made them perfect for their role as foster parents. Helping over 800 hundred kids over a span of four decades, they showed me and everyone else around them what giving and service to others really looks like—what it means to be a family.
I was fortunate to spend a lot of time at Robert and Poodie’s house. They became second parents to me. Robert was my Scout leader, coached my sports teams, taught me to work on and drive cars and ride a motorcycle. As a respected general contractor, he also let me work with him, showing me what it was like being on a job site, teaching me to build, fix and remodel houses from an early age.
These experiences have stayed with me for my entire life. Today, working on my own house is one of my greatest passions. Whether in the yard, remodeling a bathroom, or tinkering in the garage, I’m always busy with some sort of project at home.
Home improvement isn’t the only passion I inherited from Robert and Poodie. Their willingness to welcome foster children into their home was amazing. It was that example that led my wife Debbie and I to be foster parents, as well. Debbie’s mom and dad had also fostered, and it was important to both of us that opened our home and our lives to children, too.
When our daughter Chloe was 14, we chose to adopt a baby girl that we were fostering. We named her Bailey. I wanted to spend more time with my family and be there as Bailey grew up, so I knew I needed to make a career change to have the flexibility I wanted.
From my first paper route as a kid to running my own commercial gardening company, there was an ever-present entrepreneurial spirit within me. In combining that with my love of houses, I realized that real estate was the right path for me. It would enable me to be there for my family over the years, find fulfillment in my daily work, as well as being an advocate for every one of my clients.
I would love nothing more than to lend my knowledge and experience toward helping you with your own real estate endeavors, but I don’t expect your business simply because of our relationship—I only ask that you take the time to interview me and see if I might be the best agent for you.
Buying or selling real estate is often an enormously important transaction, and the representation you receive from your agent can have significant impact on your results.
It is important for you to choose the person who will do the best job for you, and who is the right fit for your particular needs. I’ve worked hard as a professional to be able to provide the highest level of service, so I mightbe a good choice for you. I want you to know that if you do not choose me, I will never be upset. But if you do, I promise to work diligently to exceed your expectations.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about me. When you or someone you know is in need of a real estate agent, I hope you give me the opportunity to demonstrate my services and interview for the job.
Sincerely,
Rich Burris
REALTOR®
Broker: Keller Williams Realty
CalBRE Broker Number: 01277896
201 N Civic Dr Suite 130, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Rich Burris
Keller Williams Realty
REALTOR@
Keller Williams Realty
REALTOR@
Rich@RichBurris.com
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