Daily Inspiration: Meet Karlii diGrazia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karlii diGrazia.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in small town Massachusetts with an extremely modest lifestyle. I remember going with my dad to the food bank to get the basics we needed for the week, but being so young that it felt like another grocery store. My parents did an amazing job from sheltering me from the unknowns of our lifestyle. A few times in middle school our electric would go off from the bill not being able to be paid, and I frequently came home with those bright green notices on the door warning us that utilities would be shut off within 24 hours. As I got older, my mom worked relentlessly to find a job that she loved and was making a sustainable living on, which ended up being selling windows. In high school, I remember thinking that if I was going to support my family one day, I was going to do it by working, so I got a job, and then another, and then another.

By my junior year of high school, I had quit sports and was instead working five jobs. When I got to college, my drive towards a career continued so I could have some money by the time I graduated. My junior year of college I bought my first car, then my senior year of college I got my first apartment. At this point, I was working full time at a property management company and finishing my B.S. degree from Ohio State. A year after graduating, I moved down to Arizona to continue my job with property management, but ultimately decided I wanted more, so I got my real estate license. In my first year, I did $8 million in sales, and I am continuing to grow and expand as the years move on!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I strongly believe that no one is born with a “smooth road”. Today’s society makes us feel differently because we are always met with social media, showing us the best parts of someone’s life, and forgetting to show the worst. It makes us all feel like we will never match up; like we will never be as smart, funny, beautiful, etc. as the faces that show up on social media. I have grown up with so many struggles, but there have also been many blessings. I lost my mom in March of 2019, when I was 23. Before that, I had also lost my uncle, my aunt, two of my grandfathers, one grandmother, two great-grandmothers, and several friends growing up. To lose a parent, mother or father, at any age is very difficult, but at 23, you are still trying to figure life out. You have so many questions that only people who have experienced similar things can help you with, and the best person to ask for that advice is those closest to you. While I realize that this is not always a parent, mine was undoubtedly my mom.

After she passed I left my very secure job because I was truly lost. Besides not being able to make it an hour without crying for the first two months, I really had no idea where to go with life anymore, and I felt like I didn’t have anyone to ask. The uncertainty and turmoil of this time pushed me, or rather shoved me, into real estate. My mom had always said that I should go into real estate instead of property management, and this was the chance to do it. So after several months of doing nothing at all, I got my real estate license and put all my energy into that. Now, after just over a year under my belt in the industry, I could not feel more blessed to be in the position I am in. Through all the darkness, there is always a light, you just have to be willing to find it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work for one of the most largely recognized real estate companies in the world, Sotheby’s International Realty. The specific branch I work for here in Scottsdale is called Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. I specialize in first time home buyers; experienced home buyers; listings in Scottsdale, Tempe, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix; investment homes; and multifamily investment homes. In addition to working for others in the valley, I also am constantly on the search for investment properties for myself. I am known for my ability to learn about others and discover their unique personalities.

One of my favorite tasks is buying move-in gifts for my clients to show just how well I’ve gotten to know them over the buying/selling process. I do not believe in the one-size-fits-all mantra, and will always use that to set myself apart from others in my industry. I also make sure that the process is comfortable and easy for my clients, so that they desire to share that same experience with their friends and family. I use honesty, trust, and knowledge to get my clients into their dream homes or on to the next journey of their life with ease!

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
There are so many things in the world that make me happy. I love learning about people’s lives and stories, dogs, reading, hiking, the beach, a good glass of wine, and going out with friends. These are all passions of mine for very different reasons, but I think the thing that makes me most happy is anything social where I can further develop friendships, or create new friendships, by learning more about the people around me. I think that people have so many different backgrounds that many people never care to ask about, and you can learn so much from them. There is also pressure from society right now that you should know everything about someone from a few posts they make, but some of the most important pieces of a person are the ones they don’t publicly share. Sometimes, you have to dig deep to discover what makes a person tick, why they make the choices they do, and who they really are. As soon as you can pull back pieces of that veil, that is what makes me happy!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karliidigrazia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karlii.digrazia.1/

Image Credits
Skye Wilson