Agent

Email: Kristine@MyAthensHouse.com
Phone: 740-589-4600
Cell: 740-856-9374
Fax: 866-382-0115

Specialty Markets

First-Time Home Buyers and Sellers,
Executive Homes, New Builds,
Relocation

Real Estate Junkie

My name is Kristine, and I’m a self-confessed real estate junkie.  I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true and the roots run deep.  I have distinct memories of leafing through multiple listing service books as a child.  Think three-ring binders loaded with page after page of black and white photos and bare-bones descriptions.  In that pre-Internet age, I got to use my imagination to fill in the possibilities, and I developed early on an affinity for houses and all that they represent.

Growing up, my parents were always talking about moving.  Here and there.  Hither and yon.  But we never did.  In fact, it seems to my adult mind that we never really went anywhere.  Ever.  That inertia created a grown-up version of my inner child that cannot sit still.  I like to be in motion.  And real estate helps to scratch that itch.

That same love of change and a passion for formal education have lead to a resume’ with lots of variety.  I have been a shoe store manager, medical office manager, magazine publisher, a law librarian, public librarian, and corporate librarian.  I am also a licensed attorney in the state of Ohio.   And that’s where the plot gets a bit thicker!

Lawyer on a Yoga Mat

Being an authentic individual within the practice of law is often a difficult task.  The demands of the traditional law firm life are mighty and don’t allow a whole lot of room to be yourself.  There is form, and structure, and there are partners to answer to.  As a disheartened young associate only three years into my career at a law firm in Columbus, Ohio, I turned to yoga in an effort to deal with the stress of my profession.

It didn’t take me long to find that I liked my life on the yoga mat a whole lot better than I liked my life as a “suit” behind a desk.  And then, in the summer of 2003, I went to a three-day silent yoga retreat.  That’s right: silence.  No talking.  Just thinking, meditating, and contemplating—and the heart-opening awareness that comes from listening to your inner voice through the physical practice of yoga.

I discovered what I’d already begun to intuit: that the measures of success that had driven me up to that point—good grades, degrees, handsome salary—no longer resonated.  What I realized in that silence is that I wanted balance.  I was newly married with a ready-made family, and I realized that I had completely lost that balance between “doing” and “being.”   I wanted to realize my potential as a whole person, not just as an attorney.  I came to see that being an attorney was for me a job, but that it was not—and would not be—my identity.

Athens Here We Come!

Often times, change brings change.  And that was the case for us shortly after our daughter was born.  As a graduate of Ohio University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, my husband, Stevan Walkowski, maintained a close tie to his alma mater and to Athens.  When the opportunity to work and teach in this community arose for the second time, Stevan accepted in 2007.  We slowly transitioned from our home in Columbus and have settled on Athens’ east side where our daughter now attends East Elementary.

Being a transplant from a larger city in this little eclectic town can be a challenge.  I’ve been there.  Fortunately, I’ve met some amazing people and I’ve found my way.  I welcome the opportunity to help you find your place in this community, whether you are a brand new transplant, a first time home buyer, or experiencing some other life-transition that demands a new home.

Two for the Price of One

Customer service is something that I take seriously.  It is the one factor that I have absolute control over.  I cannot guarantee that you will get the house you have always dreamed of, or that I will sell your home within 30 days for over list price.   Nor can I guarantee that things will go smoothly at all times or that everyone involved in the transaction will behave like reasonable adults.  But I do guarantee that I will be attentive, professional, and responsible.  I do guarantee that I will go out of my way to provide you with a good experience, to look out for your interests, and to advocate for you.   And I do guarantee that I will put my variety of experiences to work for you.

Finally, as a licensed attorney with years of experience in business and contract law, I am able to offer you my professional legal opinion and service as it relates to your real estate transaction, in essence, providing you the benefit of both a licensed attorney and a licensed real estate agent—two professionals for one price!  The intersection of law and real estate is a fine line and I can legally and competently walk on both sides of that line to serve my clients fully.

When I represent you in a real estate transaction, you will always have the full benefit of my legal training and experience, as well as my negotiating skills and expert knowledge of local property values, schools, and neighborhoods.