After working as an executive in television for 20 years and being nominated for two Daytime Emmys, Kimberly Brechka wanted to make a career change. “When I graduated from college it was the heyday of daytime talk shows,” she says. “My first job was with the Ricki Lake show and then I went on to Montel Williams, and so on. I eventually decided to leave the business because I realized my nanny was raising my kids with my husband.”
She always loved shopping, fashion and decorating, and after talking to a number of people about what her next career move should be, someone mentioned real estate, and that stuck. “I just hit the ground running,” says Kim. “I love the nitty gritty of it all. It's almost like producing a television show. No two real estate transactions are ever the same and I find it so rewarding to watch my clients see their dreams unfold right in front of their eyes.”
She adds, “I’ve worked with celebrities and athletes and CEOs for a long time, and I learned at a very young age that we're all the same no matter how much money, fame, or power we have. So whether I'm working with a celebrity looking to relocate to New Jersey or a first time buyer, I'm the same “Kim” for everybody.”
When Kim became a real estate agent, she committed to being the best one she could be. “I decided to learn everything there is about the 39 municipalities in Morris County,” she says. “I learned about the restaurants, the shopping, and what each town had to offer.”
A lot of her clients want that hustle and bustle as well as really nice neighborhoods. “They want to walk the dog and see their neighbors,” says Kim. ‘They want to put the baby in the stroller and bump into Sue next door and swap recipes with her. Many people love that old school neighborhood feel.”
Others prefer privacy and acreage in order to be far away from their neighbors. “You have people who don't want to see a soul, don't want to make any new friends, and basically want to be left alone and live in peace and quiet far away from the rest of society,” she says. “There’s plenty of towns in Morris County that offer that such as Harding and certain areas of Mendham and Chester.”
Each town has different activities throughout the year, like parades, Christmas festivals, Menorah lightings, Halloween events, and other great family fun. “I'm always happy to put new clients in touch with past clients from certain towns so they can get a firsthand account of the community and the schools,” says Kim. “I also encourage clients to join town Facebook pages and online groups.”
It’s important, she adds, for people to know the intricacies of where they’ll be living. “Is it going to take 10 minutes to drive to a supermarket or is there a daycare or a mall around here? How far are the schools? Everybody’s needs are different,” she says, and what’s important for one person may not matter to another.
Kim’s been working in real estate for more than five years now and says she knows she made the right decision for her family. “I left television over seven years ago when my kids were still young. My daughter Jordyn is now 13 and my son Tyler is 17. I always try to keep my schedule open around 3:00 pm so I can be there for my kids when they first get home from school.”
Along with hard work and the support of her husband, Kevin, she has been as successful in her new career as she was in her old. She’s received the Realtors Circle of Excellence Award for the past 5 years. “I've been very fortunate to be as successful as I've been in such a short period of time. I work hard for my clients and ultimately I love this gig.”
Kim also believes she made the right decision partnering with Weichert Realtors in Morris Plains. “They have been so supportive of everything I do,” she says. “I love their branding; I love their marketing. But, although I hang my license there, the entrepreneur in me wanted my own brand too, which is where ‘Your Dream Home NJ’ comes in.
To find out more about Your Dream Home NJ, Kim, and Weichert Realtors, go to www.kimberlybrechka.com and https://kimberly-brechka.weichert.com.
