About Valerie

I am a local girl from Gainesville, FL.  My Dad took a job in Malibu, CA when I was a child.  I spent 30 years there in Southern California with my parents and 3 siblings.  I had held many jobs trying to find myself, including waitress at a Chinese restaurant (and pea pod stripper), Machinist, wheelchair assembly and limousine chauffeur (oh the stories I could tell!) and then eventually office manager for one of the companies I drove for.  In 1985 we moved back to Florida.  I married and had 2 children and went to work for CSX railroad as a freight planner for 23 years.  It was my job to coordinate freight coming onto or delivering from the trains.  I was fortunate to work with truck drivers from all over the country.  I did some traveling as necessary and was blessed to meet and appreciate many people and cultures.  I learned to work hard and to be proud of my work.  I divorced during that time and years later remarried a truck driver named George from Hyde Park, NY.  He is an Intermodal over the road trucker.  Between us we have 4 sons, 2 DIL’s and 14 grandchildren. 

After I took early retirement, we moved from St Augustine 7 years ago and it was one of the best things we ever did.  Of course, I didn’t retire – I just wanted to!  I went to Real Estate school and here I am 5 years later, loving my new career.  We have 2 dogs and Ocala is an exceptional place to call home.  I volunteer as a Lion and am active in our club as Vice President.  I make it my business to know our 55+ market here.  I am available to help you navigate through the process of finding your new home.  Providing exceptional service is something  I am very proud of and what every customer expects and deserves.

I have adopted Joe’s Rules in Life and Business:

Joe’s Rules – Life & Business:  

The day isn’t over until you’ve returned all your calls.
Don’t do business with people who don’t return your calls.
Never avoid people or problems. They won’t go away.
Do what you say you will do, when you said you would do it.
No one really cares about excuses, no matter how good that excuse might be.
Tell people what you think not just what they want to hear.
Do what ever it takes to get the job done.
Hold yourself to a higher standard than your customer expects.
It’s better to learn from other peoples mistakes than from your own.
Everyone makes mistakes but if someone makes the same one over and over, fire him.
Honesty is always the best policy.
Beware of people who tell you how honest they are, they usually aren’t.