Selling the Sound —I help clients think strategically about home value, wealth management, and what a property can become over time. I work with seniors managing estates and unlocking equity for the future. I love my job because I help welcome people relocating to a Pacific Northwest lifestyle. 

 

 My journey into real estate began the moment I bought my first condo. I purchased it myself and immediately fell in love with the process. With a business background, I naturally started viewing homes as products—analyzing them without emotion, paying attention to the features that made them desirable and valuable. Looking back, I was thinking like a REALTOR® before I ever became one.

 

 I always knew I wanted a business degree, but before college, I took a different path and backpacked through Europe. International travel has always been part of my life. My mom is from New Zealand and my dad is from the U.S. When I was ten, we lived in New Zealand for a few years (Fun fact: I’m actually 43% Māori). Growing up between cultures gave me a broad perspective early on. 

 

I lived abroad for five years; after backpacking in Europe during college, I fell in love with Italy. Then I lived and worked in Australia for five years. Eventually, my family returned to Kirkland, where I completed my business degree at the University of Washington. I love working in the town that I grew up in.   

 

 After college, I began working as a data analyst for multiple startups, where I analyzed social media metrics, conducted market research, and helped identify what features people wanted in tech products. It was analytical, strategic work—and it trained me to see patterns and opportunity.

 

During that period, I bought my first condo, which truly sparked my passion for real estate. Four years later, I became a landlord, turned it into a rental and bought a homestead in Redmond. We remodeled the 1930s farmhouse, which needed major upgrades, including a new septic system, and we converted a dilapidated garage into a legal permitted ADU into a rental. That experience taught me so much about increasing property value, optimizing land use, and turning accessory buildings into profitable investments. It was hands-on learning at its best.

 

 Inspired by that experience, I earned my real estate license in 2016; I became a certified ADU specialist and eventually because a senior real estate specialist focused on multigenerational and aging-in-place strategies. My goal was simple: help others grow their investment portfolios the way I had grown mine—strategically, thoughtfully, and with a long-term lens.

 

That growth didn’t come without challenges. When we bought the farm, construction and remodeling costs in King County unexpectedly doubled. Then covid shutdown my industry and we had a surprise baby. Plans had to change quickly. We adapted by converting the garage into an ADU, but even that didn’t unfold exactly as expected. 

 

As an investor, I learned through trial and error—and those lessons have been invaluable. I learned flexibility and the importance of staying calm when plans shift. Growth often requires discomfort, and I’ve learned to navigate my clients and their families through discomfort while maintaining a positive mindset.

 

Today, I lead a four-agent real estate team at Windemere Redmond Town Center. Mark and I have a five-year-old daughter and balancing leadership, motherhood, and business is something I enjoy every day. Real estate is genuinely my favorite hobby—I truly love what I do and I’m all in. At the same time, I’m intentional about staying centered through focusing on positive outcomes for my clients and moments of calm.

 

 I love good food, traveling, and spending summers in Italy visiting family and friends. Every chapter of my life—from travel to data analysis to investing—has shaped how I show up in real estate today, and I wouldn’t trade that path for anything.

I treat my clients like family and doing everything possible to make the moving process smoother and less stressful. I’m committed to supporting my clients through every stage of life’s transitions including estate sales, downsizing and upgrading to dream homes on the Eastside. One of the greatest benefits of working with me is my investor’s mindset. I don’t evaluate properties only for what they are today, but for what they can become over the next five years in Washington and King County, ten, or even twenty years, always keeping long-term value and flexibility in mind.

 

Having remodeled properties myself, I bring practical, hands-on experience to every transaction. I work with a trusted network of vendors and construction partners and offer access to programs that allow sellers to remodel without paying upfront, making strategic improvements more accessible. Remodeling is one of my favorite aspects of real estate because it often unlocks a home’s true potential and significantly increases its value. As an ADU expert, I help clients identify properties suitable for ADUs, estimate rental income, and help assess remodeling costs when evaluating homes.

 

  

Sincerely,

 

 

Janae Hansen