Read
Brendan’s
Story

My biological Dad, Barry, and my beautiful stepmom Sheri lived an hour north in Newport Beach. I remember how lucky I felt to have two sets of parents who loved me growing up as a kid. I thought having two Christmases was the coolest thing in the world! My childhood was full of so much laughter and fond memories with my brothers and sisters in each home. I was naïve to the challenges life can bring - how every child should grow up.

At 10 years old, my family received devastating news. My mom, a healthy and active 38-year-old, had cancer. The naivety of my childhood vanished and life hit me full force.

Over the next 15 years, I watched the strongest woman I know beat cancer twice, but she would not survive it a third time. At 52 years old, we received the news that her cancer was terminal and she had less than 2 years to live. I was 24 at the time, living in Los Angeles. I recently graduated with my Master's Degree and was working in collegiate athletics.

At this point in my life, I was passionate about sports and living a healthy lifestyle. I enjoyed teaching college-age kids about responsibility, life, work ethic, and leadership. I threw my time and emotional energy I had into work to keep myself busy and distracted from my personal life. My mom continued to fight and felt determined to outlive her diagnosis.

Late one night I heard a knock on my front door. I opened the door to find my childhood best friend standing on my porch with a look of dread in his eyes.

"What is it? Is Mom okay?" I asked.

"It's your Dad Josh. He took his own life. He's gone, Brendan. I'm so sorry".

My world stood still. This was my initiation into the tragedy of death, something I would soon become familiar with.

Over the next 6 years, I would lose my Mom, my Grandpa, and my Yia Yia. I sold my childhood home, packed my things, and moved to Tucson, AZ to start a new job.

As I continued to move up the ladder in collegiate athletics, I worked less with students. I spent most of my day meeting with university officials on budgets and 10-year plans. I was no longer working and helping the people I wanted to help and was feeling less and less fulfilled by my work.

Thankfully my luck was about to change. I met my future wife. She rocked my boat and pushed me to exit my comfort zone. I quit my job and sold my house. 8 months after we started dating we boarded a flight for New Zealand. We left the states on a 3-month adventure to circumnavigate the globe… but that’s a story for another time.

After we returned home to San Diego, all I wanted to do was have a long conversation with my Mom. She had always known me best. I needed that sounding board in this time of transition. I was 33 years old and had left a great job in a career that I had been in for the past 10 years. I was floundering and worried I would never find my calling.

My wife was insistent that I become a Realtor. I had floated the idea a couple of times in the past. Candidly, I struggled with the idea of working on 100% commission. I brushed her off thinking there was no way I could succeed in the already saturated industry.

It was my Father-In-law's belief in me that hit home. He had started and owned his own successful automotive shop for 33 years. He started it from the ground up with no formal education or knowledge in business. His shop excelled because of his work ethic and his ability to build relationships.

"Brendan, you're passionate about Real Estate and you're so good with people. You work hard. It's a slam dunk."

His words of encouragement hit me at my core. It was words that I could hear my mom telling me. His unwavering belief in me ignited the flame and set off a chain reaction. Finding out my wife was pregnant with our first child turned the burner up to high. I was now armed with incredible motivation to provide for my family and in a field that I was passionate about. With the confidence from my father-in-law and my wife, I hit the ‘buy’ button on the Real Estate courses. That was 5 years ago.

I grew up in two beautiful homes with even more beautiful people. So many of my favorite life memories were shared in the confines of these homes. A home, I learned, is so much more than just a house. It's the place where unique, shared experiences take place with the people you love. It's important to me that your house becomes your home. 

Time with loved ones is not guaranteed. I can't get my Mom, Dad Josh, Gramps, or my Yia Yia back, but I will never forget the memories we shared in that home. My main drive for becoming a Realtor was so much more than buying and selling houses or making money. I want to help your family find a special place where you will create your own lasting memories. I'm excited to help find the house... it's your family that will make it home.