For a long time, I knew I was interested in a career in the real estate industry. But first, there were some challenges I had to tackle. It was worth it.
Some of my earliest childhood memories were going along on my grandfather’s rental collection route in St. Paul, MN. My mother also managed a few apartment buildings in Minneapolis which my parents owned. They later sold their real estate holdings while my father focused on growing his private accounting practice as a CPA. As my siblings and I grew older, my mother started two successful small businesses. Once an empty nester, she returned to her roots in real estate. The entrepreneurial spirit was part of me from early on.
After High School, I spent some time working in manufacturing. I knew that was not a good long-term solution for my personality. I needed a job where I could use my social skills and work with people. A college career development course helped me discover what kind of profession would be the right fit for me. This led me in the direction of a sales career in real estate.
But there were two things holding me back. The most prominent hurdle was being a young adult struggling with alcohol addiction. The other was a fear of commitment. When I explored the real estate industry, I understood that it was more than just a job. It was a lifetime career, which was a big decision to consider making in my early 20s. I started seeing my friends move forward in their lives, graduating college and starting new careers. I wanted that for myself, and I also wanted the opportunity to provide for a family in the future. In 1999, after years of battling with alcohol and going to AA meetings, I got sober. I’ve been sober ever since and never looked back. It was the first big step in the right direction.
Shortly thereafter I got my real estate license and needed to find a real estate brokerage. There was a Coldwell Banker office in my hometown, which I visited frequently with all the tenacity I could muster. They were hesitant to take me on because I was just 23 years old. I did not own a house, or even have a car suitable for business, but I needed to get my foot in the door. So, I did the logical thing and started inviting some of the agents in their office out to lunch. The office managers eventually got wind of it, and it worked!
Timing is really everything. As I was getting comfortable in my business life, I met my wife, Patty. I felt I had finally reached that point where I could be the family man I once imagined. We have raised our two children and weathered many storms together. The 2008 recession struck us hard. My business took a hit and we lost our house in Wayzata, Minnesota due to an attempted mortgage modification that went bad with the bank. I was able to maneuver, rebuild, and find success again soon.
Not long after the recession, Patty and I set our sights on a vacation home purchase in Sarasota, Florida. It quickly felt like home, complementing our love for travel, adventure, and watersports. My parents had purchased a vacation condominium on Siesta Key in Sarasota back in the early 1980s, which we frequently visited throughout my childhood. Patty and I carried on the tradition and over the next several years we raised our children in both Florida and Minnesota. My mother, grandfather, and uncle lived in Sarasota full time, so we were fortunate to have family support in both states.
In 2020, the global pandemic upended our family life once again. Our teenage children did not have in-person education or social options available in Minnesota and our household dynamic quickly deteriorated. We did our best to navigate this unprecedented time and made the decision to take refuge at our Florida home. We hoped that time spent outdoors with friends and family on a regular basis would help restore sanity and well-being. We then enrolled our children in Sarasota schools, which provided full time in-person education and services. This proved to be a lifesaving decision.
During this time, I was stretched as a professional to solve for operating my Minnesota business while also discovering opportunity in the Florida housing market, where many people were desiring to buy real estate. Joining eXp was another fortunate turn of events. The agent owned cloud-based brokerage model allowed me to grow and develop in the ways I had always envisioned. My clients in Minnesota are extremely important to me and a large part of my focus. When I’m not in Minnesota, my incredible team members are there for all the necessary face-to-face interactions. After all, it is the relationships I have formed with my clients that make this job so worthwhile. At the same time, I can facilitate and grow the business I have started in Florida.
Whatever your background or location, my goal remains the same: to deliver the best possible service and bring you into your future home.
Relationships are at the center of every real estate transaction. They develop over time and I love being a part of that. I have always had a heart for people. My clients have called me an advisor, which I think is a fitting description of my role. When I am working with clients, my primary focus is being of service. I want to help people achieve their goals and work diligently to get them optimal results. Since buying or selling a home can be a stressful process, I work closely with my clients so we can successfully navigate the challenges together. I work with many types of people: sellers, investors, first-time home buyers, and vacation home buyers. Each one is equally important to me.
Working in two states has expanded my market knowledge and brought growth and development to my business. In this challenging market it is more important than ever to have a skilled negotiator on your side to ensure maximum profit in a sale or successful acquisition of a home among fierce competition. As the founder of The Francis Group, I remain at the forefront of every transaction working closely with clients, counseling them through strategy and negotiations. I rely on my team to assist with in-person showings and customer service needs. The Francis Group now consists of several licensed agents: me, my wife Patty, my mother Carolyn Francis, my brother-in-law Eric McCabe, as well as other licensees who collaborate with us to serve our clients in two marketplaces. I’m very much grateful for and committed to continuing to serve my loyal Minnesota customers with a team approach, while working to expand our growth in Sarasota, Florida, combining my 22 years of real estate sales experience with Carolyn’s 18 year real estate sales career in Sarasota, FL. Our goal is to serve your real estate needs with world class service, while maximizing your home purchase or sale results. I look forward to our continued growth and I look forward to working with you!