Cheers to Tony & Natalie
Are you saying to yourself, “That’s not big Nate, but I am seeing a touch of resemblance.” That is because these two legends are my parents, Tony and Natalie.
Today, May 1st, they are celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary. If my Dad were typing this out, he would jokingly say “I was 10, she was 11,” but I don’t know if that joke can legally land with Compass’ branding attached. Besides trying to tip my hat to their long-lasting, loving marriage, I wanted to discuss two things: their tenure as homeowners and some perspective on how they are spending their special day.
Like most things that I have learned, homeownership is something that I inherently picked up by watching my parent's modeled behavior. While the physical responsibility of homeownership is important (i.e. my Dad getting on the roof to jam wooden planks back into our janky shingle roof after the August monsoons), I am more referencing real estate as a vehicle for building wealth and helping accomplish some dreams. I asked my parents in 2019 what advice they had for people in their late twenties in regard to homeownership. They said to pull the trigger, get your foot in the door, and that "buying the first home in 1989 allowed us to get a home that we raised our kids in." The homes they have bought and sold have enabled them to get to where they are now, retired at 58 and with the time to focus on other things (more on that later).
Real estate locally and nationally has seen wild amounts of appreciation in a short amount of time, but real estate is not a get-rich-quick scheme (even though I may joke about it). Getting into a home now, even if it is a starter home, will enable you to grow wealth long term and set yourself up for success long term. I am 22 months into owning my duplex and based on the tax assessment I just received, my property value has increased 31% since I purchased it. I don't know about you, but that not only gets me jacked up but feels like a massive safety net on the worst of days. I can't wait to acquire more properties and continue helping my friends/family do the same in hopes of ending up like my parents. My Dad's parting wisdom on the subject was, “Use a Real Estate Agent that you like and trust, Like our son, Nate Sundermeier.”
His words, not mine!
Secondly, and more important than the senseless ~ humble brag ~ about my home's appreciation, my father (with numerous cameos from my mom) has spent the better part of the last year acting as the Director of Warehouse at the Tulcea Humanitarian Hub in Romania providing aid into Ukraine. Every week, my sister and I receive stories of orphanages, hospitals, and community centers receiving food, generators, and medical supplies that the Hub has processed from donors and transported to the front lines. My parents have also developed friendships with the Romanian and Ukrainian staff at the Hub which they say has been one of the most incredible parts of the experience. Hearing their stories of numerous displacements, family fighting in the war, and living in the limbo of not knowing when they can go home makes me feel incredibly lucky for what we do have. So much of my business is talking about creating a home, and simply having the ability to do so is something that we should never take for granted.
If you are interested in learning more about the Hub or supporting their efforts, send me an email and I'll be happy to connect you! You can also read more on the team here.
Because I haven't shown this to my incredibly humble parents, I want to round this out with a picture of them with the team of hardworking Romanians and Ukrainians who are the heart and soul of the Hub. And if you're wondering the secret to 41 years of marriage, it's "appreciating/cherishing each other daily" according to my Mom.
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