Caitlin Murphy, REALTOR, ASP

The Mission Statement of Raving Real Estate: "To provide our clients and customers with excellent service, and offer innovative new tools for Buyers and Sellers to find each other- and ultimately make them RAVING FANS."

My husband started out as an Associate Broker with Century 21 Associated Brokers in Laramie (there is a program at the University of Wyoming that allows one to bipass the required 2 years as a salesperson). He is committed to education and diligently sought out certain certifications that would make him competitive in his area of expertise. One of the main certifications he attained was the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). While at one of the classes he started thinking about "what if?" We all knew he would want to go out on his own someday, and if this was to be the case, what would be the angle? It is amazing how much thinking happens in the wee hours of the night discussing various topics with your loved one. One of his grand ideas was that of Raving Real Estate.

A huge concept behind CRS is becoming so good at relationships you build a referral network that whenever the subject of real estate comes up your name is the first to be mentioned, and "raved" about! The definition of rave is as follows: To write or speak with extravagant enthusiasm (thefreedictionary.com). That is our goal. Our ultimate duty as a Realtor is to put the interests of our principles above even our own, within the constraints of the law and ethics. We want our customers and clients to experience that kind of dedication and care.

I remember laying in bed listening and encouraging his thought process. He came up with the idea of the spinning "V." I thought it was brilliant! So, here is a picture of our marvelous sign! What a logo?! The spinning "V," among others make people sit up and take notice. Many know and recognize who we are because of these little details.

Introducing my sketches for Raving Real Estate! I love to draw. I love architecture and the stories of the people who inhabit these homes both past and present. What better way to combine these interests?! This is the third drawing I have done of houses around Laramie. This is the home of Dr. Harold and Dr. Annie Bergman located on 8th Street. When I was attending the University of Wyoming, I used to admire this house as I walked to and from school. When we later moved to a home on the same block I found out it was the home of my Environmental Natural Resource Studies professor, Dr. Harold Bergman. What a lovely family! They have a beautiful and bright daughter who Amelia, my first daughter enjoyed playing with on occasion.

It is a stunningly beautiful example of a Tudor style house. The curved gable and high pitch roof give it away easily. The house was built in 1936 by the family who owned the local brick yard in West Laramie at the time. Many of the homes in the area were built by this family. I will have to track down the name of the family. I do know however, the owner had 4 sons (all brick layers by trade) and a daughter. This particular house was built for the daughter and her husband. I could not depict quite definitively the very interesting misshapen nature of the bricks used in the decorative wall in front and used in the bottom four feet of the home. This brick is called slag: brick that did not procure hot enough or burned too hot and became twisted and melted together as a result. It makes for quite an appealing building material! (Information attained from Dr. Bergman. Thank you for the knowledge you have of your home!)

If you happen to be interested in learning more about how to recognize Tudor Style Architecture here is a great link!

A sketch will appear every month for Raving Real Estate's one page advertisement in the local Home Guide of listings for sale. If you are interested in having a sketch done of your home. Please feel free to contact me! I hope in the future to compile information on all the homes I sketch and publish them in a book.