“I vividly remember telling friends in high school that I did not ever want to work a 9-5 desk job when I grew up,” jokes real estate agent Sarah Crabtree. “The joke is on me a bit here because now I work all the time, but I’m definitely not chained to a desk and I like that a lot.’

 

Born and raised in Wooster, a small town in Northeast Ohio with a population of about 20,000, Sarah grew up moving from one rental house to the next. She shares, “We had a lot of love, but not a lot of money. My Dad was older, not in great health, and retired. My Mom worked her tail off. She was the family breadwinner, the cook, the maid, the room mother. She did it all and she did it without complaint.” Such a remarkable background made Sarah the go-getter that she is today.

 

Growing up, Sarah was very interested in the arts. She spent her summers at the local art center taking drawing, painting, and pottery classes when my parents could afford it. In school, she devoured art history, architectural history, and photography classes. 

 

“I started out as a fine arts major with a focus on photography at The College of Wooster, but eventually transferred to The University of Cincinnati’s School of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning (D.A.A.P.) where I received a Bachelor of Science in Design.”

 

After graduation, Sarah worked as an Interior Designer for architectural firms in New York City and Cincinnati for several years. That part of her career was spent space planning, doing millwork drawings in AUTOCAD, and selecting finishes and furniture.

 

“I worked in the Hospitality division at FRCH here in Cincinnati on projects for Hilton Hotels, Marriott, and locally the Cincinnati Opera Offices in Music Hall. I remain passionate about architectural history and design and I feel that my education and experience as a designer have been very useful in the world of real estate,” she shares.

 

Family comes first to Sarah. She comments, “I have twin 15-year-old sons and have spent the   

 better part of the last 15 years focused on raising them and working part-time so that I could be an available and present Mom. As my babies have turned into teenagers, my focus has shifted from organizing playdates, to building a career for myself and building some generational wealth for my kids that will hopefully afford them some options in life that I didn’t have growing up.”

 

Her mother-in-law was a real estate agent back in Wooster, which left an impression on Sarah. She comments, “I was always so impressed with her business acumen, her drive, and her ability to provide for her family financially. With my kids embarking on junior high and high school, the idea of going back to school and learning a new skill myself became more and more appealing to me.”

 

Sarah’s design degree, knowledge of architectural and design history, and her practical experience with designing and building things have all proved to be huge assets as she transitioned to a full-time real estate agent. She works for Coldwell Banker Realty in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

Life is a balancing act for Sarah. She admits, “The biggest challenge for me when it comes to having a career is figuring out how to juggle Mom stuff and work stuff. In my experience, there is still sort of this unwritten rule in a lot of homes that the woman, the Mom, is going to take care of the main bulk of household and child-rearing responsibilities. And if she wants to have a career too, she's going to have to figure out how to do all of it because no one is going to take over any of the other stuff for her.”

 

Figuring out how to do it all while learning a new set of skills and reacclimating herself to the business world after a 15-year hiatus has been really challenging. However, Sarah is up for the challenge. She says, “It's a challenge I happily accept. I wouldn’t trade the kids or the new business adventure for anything.”

 

Her only regret about real estate? “I just wish I had started sooner,” she says.

 

To this Top Producer, success is a balancing act. As a mother, she wants to make sure that she is doing a good job of balancing quality time spent with her children and building a strong financial future for them. “If I can somehow do both, then I have succeeded,” she says.

 

The last year and a half have been the start of the next chapter for Sarah. She says, “I have spent the last 15 years being ‘Mom.’ I’m now focused on Sarah the ‘Businesswoman.’ I want to build a business and a name for myself that I am proud of and that my kids are proud of. I want to help people with their real estate needs from a place of integrity, honesty, and authenticity. Finally, my wildest dream is to build some generational wealth for my kids to build their own foundations on.”

 

To relax, Sarah enjoys traveling to new places with her kids, rooting for the Bengals, and running. To date, she has run over 20 full marathons, close to 30 half marathons, 3 ultra marathons, and 1 Ironman. This avid runner joined the track team her freshman year in high school and immediately fell head over heels in love with the sport of running. Three decades later, she still looks forward to lacing up my running shoes daily.

 

Sarah has a heart for others. She concludes, “Above everything else, I care about people and I care about the outcome for them. I did not get into this business to make a quick buck by selling people things they don’t want or need. I am a heart on my sleeve kind of person. If I am working with you/for you, then I am fully invested in your happiness and your needs. You will get the same amount of energy and focus from me that I bring to my kids and to every race I run.”

 

Sarah is an inspiration with her real estate story. With her heart to help others, coupled with her fierce loyalty to her family, she is living the best of both worlds. This mother and business leader wouldn’t have it any other way.