When Michele White was growing up, she would beg her father to stop at every open house they passed. Now, as the newest member of the Marsha Kotlyar Real Estate team, she will use her passion for real estate to help people in Montecito and Santa Barbara find their ideal properties.
White has joined Kotlyar, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices located on Coast Village Road.
“I have always been interested in real estate, architecture and design,” White said. “I was fortunate to be able to stay home with my children when they were young, but the time is right for me to launch my new career as we are launching our children into their next chapters.”
Though not officially a California licensed real estate agent until spring 2013, White has jumped in full time and has already closed four sales in less than a year.
“I loved the process of buying my own house,” she said. “It’s easy for me to see what a house could become because I have an eye for interior design. Friends and family have always asked for my ideas when buying or remodeling. I’ve always had that eye and that knack.”
White attended Arizona State University. She has a background in customer service and has served on several school boards and nonprofit organizations, including the National Charity League of Santa Barbara, the Junior League of Santa Barbara, El Montecito Early School, the Storyteller Children’s Center fundraising committee and Laguna Blanca School auction committee.
In addition, she was the design manager for a showcase house in Santa Ynez in 1999 and serves as fundraising co-chairwoman of Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara along with Kotlyar.
“I think my extensive involvement in our community gives me an intimate knowledge of the various neighborhoods Santa Barbara has to offer,” White said. “Nonprofit work has been a great training ground for real estate work.
“In nonprofit work, you really have to understand diplomacy and how to be flexible and work well with people. I think my customer service background will be the cornerstone of a successful real estate career.”
White moved to Santa Barbara with her husband, Stewart, orthodontist and owner of White & Grube Orthodontics, more than 20 years ago. Together, they have three children.
— Jennifer Goddard Combs is a publicist representing Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.