I pressed send and leaned back from my computer screen. The last document was sent, it was all over. I’d been working toward this moment for months and now that it was here, I was left wondering, what was I doing? Would this even work out?

I spent months applying to the University of Amsterdam. Friends and family in my life didn’t understand why I had chosen some place on the other side of the world for my graduate studies. I didn’t have to go to a foreign university, I could go somewhere close to home, or even take some easy ceramic classes to finish out the last semester of undergrad, though I already had all my credits. It’s true, I could have done those things, but I knew I needed to do something else. My plan was to study European political science, why not study it in Europe and in particular, The Netherlands?

Before the application and the whole graduate school idea, I studied abroad in Maastricht, Netherlands for three months through a program at my university. After those three months, our class had the next month to travel Europe. I made countless new friends, almost skied off a cliff, and was pushed further outside of my comfort zone than ever before—but I still had the safety net of my classmates.

This time, it was just me. I was doing this on my own, no study abroad program, just a foreign student applying. I didn’t have a backup plan. Other options didn’t even cross my mind until after I sent in my application, the whole time I was consumed with the process and getting ready. Only while waiting for an acceptance letter did I start to panic, worry about what I’d done, and consider what to do if it didn’t work out.

Fortunately, I was accepted and when the time came, I embarked a few weeks early to stop in Thailand before finally landing in The Netherlands. I remember standing on my balcony in the dead of night, all the lights lit up before me and realizing, I’d made it. With that moment to pause, all the work of the past year caught up with me and I knew it was worth it. I’ve always worked hard at what I want, it’s something I learned from my parents. With my dad a veteran and police officer, and my mom a nurse, I saw them push limits to reach their goals. Through that example, I knew I could too.

I pushed that status quo that I had set for myself, who I thought I was and went off the charts of my comfort zone during my years studying in Europe. Something I’d struggled with since I was a kid was shyness and that was no longer an option. I went to events, introduced myself, made friends, tried new things, and through it all I found my voice. When I first arrived at the university, I didn’t know a single person. It was on the opposite side of the country from where I studied before and I reached out to all those new people and experiences, making lifelong friends in the process. Through all of it, I realized the toughest barriers to break are the ones we set ourselves.

In 2012 I came back to the U.S. and became a licensed REALTOR® in 2013. I enjoy spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and traveling. My favorite part of being a real estate agent is helping others push past what they thought their limitations were and achieve their dreams through real estate.

Buying and selling a home is personal, that’s why I give each of my clients a tailored approach. There’s no one-size fits all answer and I’d never push you into a home that’s not right for you. Whether you want to move quickly, slowly, or just check out your options, I work at your preferred pace. I have years of experience as a REALTOR® and five years specifically in property management. I know what it takes to maintain a property, deal with tenants, and invest in new locations. What it boils down to is what will best serve you—if you like texting that’s what we’ll do. You prefer email? Then me too! No matter what opinion or option I give you throughout the process, I will always back it up with cold, hard data. Whether you’re just getting started or buying your twentieth property, I’d love to help you through it. Once the sale is over, I’ll still be around to support you as your lifelong REALTOR®.

 

Sincerely,

Mark E. Harris
REALTOR®