By Remy SiskPhotos by Matt Johnson
Michelle Cason Gahm is an associate broker with Kentucky Select Properties and the first in the company to have a dual license in both Kentucky and Indiana. While she’s busy helping to propel Kentucky Select Properties’ growth into a new market, Michelle took time to chat with VOICE-TRIBUNE about her new reality in realty and what it’s like pursuing this exciting and ever-changing career path.
Tell me about your current role. What's a day in your life look like?
“I am a realtor at Kentucky Select Properties, licensed in both Indiana and Kentucky. A typical ‘day in the life’ of a realtor doesn’t exist! That’s part of why I love it so much! Every day varies, so it’s hard to sum up what realtors do even in a few paragraphs. There isn’t a day in my life that doesn't involve real estate in some form or fashion. I am either with clients, talking to vendors and other agents, negotiating contracts, preparing listings to go to market, searching for properties (both on and off market) for prospective buyers, at closings, attending inspections, touring homes – the list goes on! To sum it up, I’m in my car, on my phone or in houses a LOT!”
How is this new position different from those you've held before?
“Prior to becoming a realtor, I held some fairly traditional corporate roles in sales, project management and consulting. I actually managed a pizza restaurant for a bit too! All of those roles have served me so well in the world of real estate. I can’t imagine doing this job without some of the skill sets I learned in my prior professional life. I’m definitely in the field more than ever and face to face with the client more than I ever was behind the ‘corporate wall.’ I love being able to see firsthand the impact the services I provide have on individuals and families. It is by far the most rewarding profession I have been a part of.”
When and how did you first get involved in real estate?
‘After years of considering getting into the profession, some corporate burnout made me finally pull the trigger in 2018. It really was a long time coming. I had been an armchair realtor for the better part of a decade! I also felt that all of my previous career experience had readied me to the best realtor I could be. I dove in headfirst and have never looked back!”
What's your favorite thing about your job?
“Being a problem-solver, confidant, educator, liaison, cheerleader, connector, protector and advocate for my clients. Good agents don’t take enough credit for the impact they have on people’s lives. We wear all of the hats. We are there for some of the happiest and some of the saddest chapters in people’s lives. It’s hard to do this job without heart, grit and thick skin all at the same time. I also love the cross transactional teamwork with other agents and the vendors we sometimes have to bring to the table. We are all on the same team working toward the same end goal! It really takes a village to create and maintain a smooth transaction.”
How did you come to have a presence in Indiana? And why is that particularly significant?
“While I currently live in Kentucky, I am originally from Indiana. I became licensed in Kentucky first and then, while pregnant with my second child (and during Covid), I decided to get licensed in my home state. It just made sense from a business and personal perspective with the connections forged over the decades I spent there. My becoming licensed in Indiana heralded in a new era for Kentucky Select Properties. Prior to me getting my Managing Brokers license in Indiana, Kentucky Select had not had a presence in the market. Not only do we now have presence, but we are growing our team and our market share. It is so exciting to be able to represent a company that I’m proud of in a profession I am proud of in a place I hold so dear.”
Any especially fun or fond memories from your career you'd like to share?
“Where to start?! I have so many memories and relationships that I'm so grateful for because of real estate. Real estate can be a rollercoaster, especially in the markets of late, but that makes the wins all that much sweeter. Celebrating a closing with my clients, especially my first time homebuyers, is a feeling that can’t be beat.”
