For Katie Martineau, having a successful career in real estate is a dream come true. Ironically, this dream was birthed from a nightmare—two nightmares to be exact. Both of which converged in 2020, driving her to get her real estate license.

 

Prior to 2020, real estate had been in the back of Katie’s mind for some time. It’s why she chose to purchase her very first home in 2019, while only in her 20s, which was also the start of her first nightmare. About two hours after she finished signing the papers, she found a huge crack in the foundation of her new home. 

 

“This was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life,” shares Katie. “Devastation was an understatement. 90% of the vendors that came through said that it was the nastiest crack that they had ever seen in a foundation. I had to put my life on pause because it took such a toll on me.”

 

To make matters worse, just a few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Katie was let go from her dream job—event planning. She had gone to school at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she majored in marketing, minored in deaf studies and art, and fell in love with event planning during an internship with the Duluth Playhouse—organizing opening-night events for productions such as Chicago, White Christmas, and Singing in the Rain.  

 

“Working behind the scenes of these amazing productions made me realize how much I loved organizing celebrations,” explains Katie. 

 

When the pandemic hit, Katie was working for a catering company, planning galas, fundraisers, and weddings. “I loved that I was able to be there for the biggest day of people’s lives (their wedding),” she notes. “It was so magical and fulfilling for me to share my expertise and value to create a seamless event. And then show up on the day and be able to experience all the hard work that we put in together.”

 

When events shut down indefinitely, Katie had to look for a new career—nightmare #2. Still in the throes of her first home purchase, Katie saw an opportunity to help people through another monumental life event—the purchase of a home—and protect them from the nightmare she found herself in. 

 

As an advisor in real estate, Katie uses all her past experiences—the good, the bad, and the ugly—to orchestrate successful real estate transactions for her clients. In fact, she’s helped multiple people avoid foundational issues since then.

 

“By no means am I an expert in foundation repairs, but I surely have more experience than the next person,” Katie emphasizes. “And if I can advise someone and help them achieve the goals and dreams that they have, I am completely fulfilled. Watching clients apply what I’ve taught makes me so excited! I want to be a resource and share the knowledge I’ve worked so hard to learn.”

 

While most people, agents included, tend to focus on the end goal of a real estate transaction—the closing—Katie sincerely enjoys walking her clients through all the nitty gritty details and educating them in the process. It’s what made her such a great event planner, and why her clients love working with her today—that, and the fact she holds such high ethical standards, can fix pretty much anything using her hands, and is incredibly creative—she attributes to her parents, growing up in Minnesota. 

 

“I was using power tools in the seventh grade,” Katie emphasizes. “My dad is the reason I can re-wire an outlet, fix light switches, repair drywall, and frame a door. He is also the most ethical person I know, and I strive to his level of success. My mom taught me how to sew, cross stitch, and inspired me to start my own baking business, Kate Boss - Cakes by Katie, four years ago. I admire her tenacity and creativity in finding solutions.”

 

The two things Katie loves to do the most outside of real estate are DIY projects around the house and baking. While she doesn’t do event planning as a career anymore, she still partners with local planners to sell her artistic edible creations and volunteers with several charitable organizations to help with their events and logistics. 

 

In the end, Katie wants to be remembered for treating people with genuine respect. “I really care for my clients,” she stresses. “I want to get to know them and stay in touch. It’s never goodbye for me—it’s see you later.”