Realtor Michael Sullivan of Minneapolis-based RE/MAX Associates Plus joined the company three years ago. His wife, Michele, joined the company in the same office one year later, and the couple have marketed themselves as a package deal ever since. Michele recently decided to stay home with the couple's two children, who are 18 months and 2 months old; she continues to handle Michael's marketing and advertising efforts from home. Michael, a Minnesota native raised in Edina, has been a Realtor for four years. He has been recognized with RE/MAX's Platinum Award, among others.

A.N.: Tell me how you got started in the real estate business.
M.S.: I attended three different universities in three years -- I studied engineering, general studies, even journalism with the intention of going into advertising -- but I discovered I wasn't really interested in those fields. Then I managed two hotels in downtown Minneapolis. I wanted the chance to be in business for myself, and my father was in commercial construction, so that inspired me.

A.N.: What did you learn in the hotel management business that you were able to apply to real estate?
M.S.: What's helped me is seeing it real estate as a service-oriented position versus a sales position. It's an emotional decision to buy or sell a home. This isn't so much sales as it is service -- helping people select a home. It's a personal business that should emphasize the people versus the transaction. The industry is changing. With all of our new technology, buyers can select an agent on their own, and they'll select the one who best takes care of them. The old image of the agent is as a wheeler and dealer; now they counsel and provide information to the client.

A.N. What's the market like in the Twin Cities right now?
M.S.: It's really strong. During the spring, the market wasn't what it normally is, but since June 1, it's really been nuts. Twenty percent of my income for this year came before June 1, and the rest came after. The interest rates are good, so people are buying. Last year, I had 80 transactions and sold about $10 million. This year will be about the same. And I've got one-third of my income booked for next year already.

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