Get to Know: Jonathan Osman
In the short time I’ve been blogging, I’ve managed to rack up quite a few posts. So this being the new year, I thought I would take this momentous occasion to let you get to know me a little better. So this is me interviewing myself on the topic of yours truly.
So where did you grow up?
I was born in Washington DC and grew up in the DC suburbs in Prince Georges County Maryland. I didn’t grow up priviledged but my parents did send me to Catholic school in Upper Marlboro from kindergarten to middle school. Even when my parents divorced, my mother made sacrifices to ensure I received a proper education so that I could live up to my full potential (and yet I still ended up in Real Estate….just kidding).
I later transferred to Riverdale Baptist for high school where I played on the varsity soccer team.
Did you go to college and if so, what did you study?
Yes, I attended college on scholarship at Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia. My major was Youth Ministry. It was at Liberty that I got my first taste of real estate when I attempted to buy my first home when I was 20 years old. Working without an agent, I wasn’t very successful. That changed soon enough. It was also at Liberty where I met my wife, Tabitha (and no, she was not studying for her MRS degree).
So when why Real Estate?
In my final year at Liberty, I was offered a full-time position working for an educational non-profit on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. So my new wife and I moved to Annapolis MD (Kent Island more specifically) where she got into real estate. Six months after moving to DC and purchasing our first home, I was out of work. The non-profit folded without nary a warning from the higher ups. After searching for a job all summer that would pay equal or better, I decided to get my real estate license too and together we worked in the booming DC metro real estate market.
How did you end up at Keller Williams Realty?
My wife and I were working for a friend of ours who had started his own brokerage. For half of each of our commission checks, we received very little support and didn’t even have an office outside of our home. I’m reluctant to change but Tabitha was ready to go after she saw how little money we were making in each transaction. So I challenged her to find a company where we could get the training to know what we didn’t know, a company with character and morals and matched our own, a recognizable name in the market place, and someplace we could grow. Oh yeah, we needed to keep more of our money. She went to work and found Keller Williams. I wasn’t sold until we went in to interview and while walking around, I recognized a guy who I had met at the church I was pastoring at years earlier. It turned out he owned the office.
Talk about a sign from God!
What is the one thing you miss from your rookie year?
Our rookie year was hectic. Working as a buyers agent in that very much a sellers market meant we were showing and writing on homes that day. I had outfitted our Nissan Pathfinder with a laptop, cellular internet (slow as snails at the time), an inkjet printer, and even a scanner. When a client wanted to write on a home, we would go to the nearest McDonalds and do a CMA, type the offer, print it on site and have them sign, and then fax the offer right from the car. It was cool!
So when you’re not out working with buyers and sellers, what do you like to do?
I love exploring so I will hop into the car and go check out a listing in a part of town I’ve never visited. When I need to relax, I spend time with my family and our two dogs Caleb and Sammy. I’m also a huge sports fanatic. Being born in DC, I was a Washington Redskins fan through and through and also love NASCAR. While its hard to pinpoint one favorite driver, I would have to say I like the guys at Michael Waltrip Racing in the Cup and Busch series and Todd Bodine in the Truck Series. I’m such a NASCAR junkie, I have a TIVO set to record all the races, practices, news programs, even qualifying since I’m usually out working while all the good stuff is happening.
How did you end up in Charlotte?
Well, at the same time my wife and I were moving to Maryland, her parents were being relocated from Indiana to Charlotte for a job. We had visited them for years but never once went into the town of Charlotte. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed with what we had seen up until one Christmas a few years back. We arrived a few days early and needed to go buy Christmas presents. The nearest Target was in Mooresville so we make the trek over Lake Norman my interest started to get peaked. Mooresville is a really great place.
The next day, we needed something to do (my wife’s parents only had rabbit ears for tv reception) so we hopped in the car with a map and headed for downtown Charlotte, unsure of what we’d find. Somehow, we ended up driving through Elizabeth, down Wendover Road, through South Park, over to Cotswold, and then up through Dilworth and Myers Park to Uptown. I was taken by this city. Our travels then took us to a crummy area but even that wasn’t enough to ruin what we had seen.
Finally, after Christmas, as we were heading home, I drove back through Lake Norman to Mooresville and while filling up the car, I grabbed a Real Estate Book (yes, realtors read those too). I saw a home that looked similar to our home in Maryland priced at $175,000. I was shocked at how low the price was but figured it was probably in the high crime district (I had no idea where the home was). Then I flipped further and found a home that was $500,000 - just a tad bit more than my home in Maryland would sell for. I had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and was on the Lake. WOW!
I hopped back in the car excited and on the way back to Maryland, my wife and I decided to sell the house and move to Charlotte. Five months later, here we were and our only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner.
What’s is one or a couple of things that makes you cringe about the real estate and mortgage industry?
Off the top of my head, I would say 80’s hair. I believe that the real estate industry has helped keep a lot of bad hairstyles alive that should have been put down or shot long ago. The other would be those who wear their wealth on their person. I don’t even wear a watch any more but that’s because I’m not a jewelry person. However, my thought is that unless you’re a jeweler, an agent shouldn’t wear a Mr. T load of jewelry on them with clients.
Who are you supporting for president?
I believe that if we truly believe in the notion of tolerance, one should be able to speak freely about their political beliefs. I’m torn between two right now. My wallet, desire of personal security, or my conscious will not allow me to vote democrat so its among the conservative candidates. While I think the President Bush has been a good president (the bashing of him is exactly the same as the bashing of Clinton in his final term - that’s petty), I think its time for a change so that eliminates Huckabee, unless Chuck Norris becomes his running mate. That would be a serious, butt-kicking duo!
I like Fred Thompson because from an early age, he faced a hardship and stood up to it like a man. That shows a lot of character, especially for a young person at the time. I also like Romney because he’s a business man along with being a former governor. All the others are just too unelectable and like McCain, he’s been in Washington far too long.
Anything else?
Well, in April we’re expecting our first child, a baby boy; so our life is changing rapidly. I never thought at 26 I would be in this position but we’ve been blessed to be able to take this next step by growing our family. I just hope I’ll be a good father and husband.
The most fun has been planning the nursery. Instead of a traditional blue nursery, I’ve petitioned by wife to allow me to create the perfect Redskins baby room, complete with team colors, team blanket, and even a skins mobile. I’ll upload pics when I have it done.
Well, that’s all. If you have any embarrasing questions, feel free to ask.
Happy New Year
Sincerely;
Jonathan Osman
The Charlotte House Hunter
Charlotte NC Homes, Charlotte Real Estate