A former professional writer, nature educator, and museum consultant, I became interested in real estate when I bought my first home outside Washington, DC, made some improvements, and watched it double in value in 3 years. I was so inspired by that experience I decided to sell the home and become a real estate investor.

When I discovered Rosendale, my mind was made up: I could buy a home in that wonderfully quirky small town and be near The Gunks, one of my favorite places to rock climb, about which I am passionate. I looked at homes for three days, made an offer on one, moved, and started looking for a multifamily investment property.

Now I’ve been in Rosendale for more than a decade and own several rental properties in the area. Sometimes I miss my work writing for museum exhibits, but it meant a lot of time sitting at a desk. And guess what? I like people a lot more than desks. These days I can rock climb to my heart’s content and share how I got to be a happy homeowner and investor.