How many years have you been in real estate? 1.5 years

Just over $10m

My husband, Nealson, and I met studying abroad in Australia! I was studying accounting and he was studying International Business. We were a part of the same international friend group and started dating shortly after! This year we will celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary on the beaches in Belize! Our passion is traveling and we have been to 35 countries together. We lived in France for a few years and traveled constantly! Some of our favorite places are Santorini, Dubai, Italy and of course, France. My favorite vacation was spending my birthday at the top of Machu Picchu! 

We have been in the lowcountry now for eight years – started on Daniel Island and then built a home in Cane Bay in Summerville.

Our son is two and his name is Étienne Kozy Kretly (everyone calls him Kozy). He is brilliant, kind (in between those two year old tantrums) and “oh so handsome”! We adore him and can’t wait to show him the world! He has already been to Europe twice and next month he will have dual passports – he’s well on his way! He has also recently started playing soccer and his papa is thrilled!

Nealson loves to play soccer and pickleball and used to be on the semi-professional volleyball team in France!

Unlike the talented men in my life, I am not athletic! I like to read ;)

I had my real estate license for 6 years before I started selling. It came in useful for my previous positions as a real estate accountant and property manager. I’ve held both of these positions in both France and the U.S. I’ve been an accountant for the largest private company in the world and I’ve been a property manager in Paris, France. I’ve had some great jobs, but that’s just what they were. They weren’t passions. Just because I am super organized and good with numbers doesn’t mean that is where my heart lies. I was lucky enough to have a supportive husband with a steady income to get me through my first couple of months in real estate. Now the sky’s the limit! 

Since living in France I’ve been fascinated with real estate. Homes tell a story about a city, country, culture, era and person and it’s so fun learning what you can about that home and the people who lived there, or want to live there! Being a Realtor is like being a matchmaker - scouring the MLS 40 times per day until you find that PERFECT listing for your client and presenting it to them knowing they are going to LOVE it (because you know your clients so well!). The thrill of the negotiation and excitement knowing that no day is ever the same. You learn and grow so much with each buying or selling experience!

Being a Realtor is SO MUCH MORE than opening doors. You are your clients boots on the ground if they don’t live here, tour guide, organization expert, contract interpreter, negotiator, and sometimes therapist! You have to know a little bit about a lot and a lot about a lot!

My college education is in accounting. I felt I had to pursue that since I worked so hard for my degree. But I wasn’t passionate about it! 

One day I had an epiphany and realized – I have ONE life...I’m going to do what I WANT with it. No looking back...

I didn’t realize how involved I would get with my clients! I know their kids, their grandkids, and their fur kids. I know where they like to vacation, what drink they like to toast with to celebrate, where they went to college, where they met their spouse, which loved ones they’ve lost, what makes them most excited in life, what they are most afraid of and what size master closet they want, of course! I have made so many new friends and we constantly keep in contact via phone, text, social media, in person meet-ups, coffee dates, etc. They come over for dinner, have me over to see their home projects, their kids babysit my son, and we call each other “just to chat” - I value these friendships! I can turn the quietest, most unaffectionate clients into huggers after we’ve met! I truly develop a personal relationship with my clients and for that I am forever grateful and rewarded.

In 2013, I married the love of my life and moved to France to be with him (he’s French). I thought it would be like the movies – croissants every morning, perusing boutiques while “La vie en rose” played over the speakers and picnicking at the Eiffel Tower. Turns out I needed to know the language to really immerse and make any friends or do business, go figure! I attended months of classes and put myself out on a limb by answering to a job posting for a French company similar to AirBnB called “Paris-Sharing”. I was hired and did everything for them from reservations to concierge services to accounting/back office work and more – in English AND French ☺! Through the owner of this company I was introduced to Adrian Leeds who stars on the hit TV show “House Hunters International”. I began working with her French real estate business and helping to curate the show’s storylines. This sparked my great love for real estate!

Boring answer (but true!) = budgeting, saving money, financial planning for the future

More exciting answer = INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE and my next travel destination; Belize anyone?

#1: I don’t like the stress of placing a numbers goal on myself. My biggest goal is all 5 star reviews from my clients and ending every transaction with a happy client who would recommend me without a doubt to everyone they know!

I never want a client to forget me or not be top of mind when considering buying or selling.

#2: Buy an investment property in Belize. 

#3: Celebrating my 10-year wedding anniversary this year. So a goal...? 50+ more blissful years together!

I compete with myself and no one else. I’ve found my own way to make things easier for both myself and my clients and I don’t try to imitate what someone else is doing. I study negotiation tactics and always come up with new and creative ways to get my clients the home of their dreams. I never stop learning.

I do whatever it takes to help my clients get the home. I’ve given up commission when buyer & seller couldn’t come to an agreement; met vendors after closing for home projects when clients couldn’t; done drive-bys, walkthroughs, and meetups after hours to accommodate; and I’ve lost sleep when transactions were hard (who of us agents hasn’t though!)

I am also fiercely loyal to my family, friends, clients, etc. I will support anyone and raise them up however I can! If my friends are hosting a charity event, I’m the first one to sign up. If they perform a service that I’m in need of, they have my business! I’ve been very fortunate to have great people in my life who have done the same for me and my sphere of influence has been monumental to my business.

-I try to bring my son into my work when I can! He makes an appearance on my YouTube videos and I’ve had several clients say they chose me because of my knowledge, authenticity and cute kid ☺ 

-I allow myself to look at emails “after hours”, but if it doesn’t need an immediate response, it gets addressed the next day.

-No working between the hours of 5:30-7:30 after my son gets home from daycare and before he goes to bed. Those are prime moments together and a highlight of my day is storytime and snuggles. I want to be the kind of parent I didn’t have growing up, and then some...

-Faith keeps me balanced. We love our church and send our son to their private school. Without faith, I would have given up in the beginning when I was made to feel small.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

—Proverbs 4:23

Without a doubt, my supportive husband is the biggest reason for my success! He made my logo, shares all my social media content, entertains our son on weekends if I’m with clients, brainstorms marketing ideas with me and so much more! He is the best person I’ve ever known and has my back no matter what crazy idea I come up with! I’m his biggest fan and I know the feeling is mutual ☺ 

Another huge source of success for me has been my YouTube channel. I like to show my authentic self and that I am relatable by not doing “professionally made videos” only. It’s fun having my son join in – lots of people comment they loved this, and so do I!

You are never too important to be kind. I want to strongly advocate for my clients while still maintaining great relationships with other agents. Kindness goes a long way in business and how you treat those who work with you and under you says a lot about you.

Being a great mother – not missing “moments”. Sometimes this is very difficult being in Real Estate and on other people’s time and availability, but being a present mother and wife is everything to me. You only have little kids for four years. Scheduling time blocks just to be with my baby and be fully present with no phone interruptions is a requirement in my life.