Meet Dana Brook, Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty’s newest agent! We’re thrilled to welcome Dana and the varied professional skills he brings to the table to make your real estate journey a smooth and enjoyable one. Mosaic’s Christie Kafka caught up with Dana in a recent interview.
What made you want to be a real estate broker?
For 15 years, I worked as a design consultant and sold luxury items in the furniture, hi-fi and fine art worlds. There were good and bad things about each experience, but I found myself continually feeling held back by the organizations I worked for. I enjoyed the work, but the limitations left me feeling frustrated, like there was always more I could be doing to help my clients. So clearly, I needed to be my own boss! Because of my experience in the design and home-building worlds, I have always loved architecture. Real estate felt like a natural direction.
It sounds like you’ve worn many impressive hats! How did all these experiences come together to inform your approach as a real estate broker?
I am a strong believer that quality sells. All my experience working on homes and in the visual arts has given me the skills to enhance a home’s aesthetics. All my sales experience has taught me what motivates buyers to pull the trigger on a very expensive purchase. The job experience that correlates most directly to real estate sales was selling art out of a gallery. Like art, real estate mostly comes down to an emotional decision. Buying a home typically starts with practical needs and financial limitations, but those typically take a back seat when the buyer starts seeing homes in person. Understanding this informs how I advise sellers to present their home to the market, and in my education of value for buyers.
Coming from the West Coast, what strikes you most about life here in Asheville and Western N.C.?
The beauty of the mountains does not wear off. It is just so incredibly beautiful here. I have a hot take. Don’t get me wrong, I love California, especially Oakland, but having grown up in California, it was always disappointing to me when everything lost its green in the summer. The time of year that you want to enjoy the outdoors the most is the driest time of year. The “Golden State” label is misleading. It’s just a lot of dead grass! But not so in Western North Carolina. The incredible biodiversity here gives me daily enjoyment.
Everyone longs for community, but here in WNC, community is a priority. The cost of living in the Bay Area is very high, so you have to work really hard to keep up. That unfortunately seems to mean that folks just don’t have as much time to nurture community connections. Since moving here, my nervous system has unwound to a degree I didn’t know was possible.
That’s been the experience of many who move here (present company included!). What would you tell others considering a similarly big move or relocation to our area?
One’s motivation for making a big move is deeply personal. So, advising someone on how to approach that process needs to be tailored to the individual. In a general sense, I’d say come and visit multiple times during the course of a year. Experience winter and summer because it’s easy to come here on vacation and take for granted that everyday life can’t match the experience you have on vacation. That said, it comes close!
Working in real estate is clearly a passion for you. What are some activities you’re passionate about outside of work?
I love playing baseball and softball, so I am on a team for each. Hiking and hopping into swimming holes with the family is a constant. My number one favorite thing to do is connect with people. So I organize get-togethers to play games, watch movies, get outside or just sit around and chat with good food.
Connect with Dana at Dana@MyMosaicRealty.com or 828-819-6619
Learn More: About Dana
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