05/22/2026
This month marks 31 years in real estate for me.
When my daughter was born, I suddenly found myself without a job to return to. We had two children under four years old, mortgages to pay, and a family depending on us. While on maternity leave, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life — I got my real estate license in May of 1995.
Failure was never an option. My focus was simple: provide for my family. Not plaques, not awards, not numbers. Just making sure we were okay.
For the first two years, I worked every single day without a day off. Commission-only work is uncertain, and I knew I had to make it happen. I walked out my front door every day not knowing what to expect. Would people trust me? Would they hire me? Would they even like me?
That very first month, I sold four homes. To this day, I still don’t know how I pulled it off, but I did. In an office of more than 80 Realtors, only two people offered me words of encouragement. Some said I was just lucky and not to get used to it. Others said nothing at all.
That same year, I became Rookie of the Year for the largest independent real estate company in the region. Soon after, I moved to a smaller company to escape the noise and focus on building my career my way. I surpassed every goal I set for myself, earned many awards, and helped countless families achieve their dreams. But success came at a price — I was working 90+ hours a week and weighed only 97 pounds.
In 2007, I opened Ferreira Realty. By then, I had enough experience to build not only a successful business, but a healthier balance in my life. The way I cared for my clients never changed — what changed was me. I learned how to build support around me while continuing to give my clients everything I had.
Now, three decades later, life has come full circle in the most meaningful way. My youngest son showed interest in real estate while in college, but I never pushed him. I never wanted him to feel obligated to follow in my footsteps or take over the company one day.
This month, my “mini me” officially earned his real estate license and began working alongside me — shadowing me, asking questions, and learning the business. I don’t know exactly what the future holds for us, but I do know this: I am incredibly proud that my son chose this path and chose to work beside me.
As a parent, that feeling means more to me than any plaque ever could. It’s not every day that your children choose to stand beside you and continue something you built from the ground up. One thing I know for certain is that he has an incredible work ethic, strong morals, and a genuine desire to help people.
After 31 years in this business, I can honestly say… the next decade is going to be my best one yet.