KIARA VALLIER

I was born and grew up in Kingston before moving on to get my degree at the University of Guelph. From there I had a couple of years of traveling internationally with a robotics technology company, ran a non-profit in Sudbury, and made my way across Canada living in a van, before settling in Whistler, BC for a winter of downhill adventures. I’ve been around, worn many different hats, and lived in a variety of “homes”. In the end, life called me back to Kingston. 

Kingston is a really special place and was the perfect location to grow up. Tobogganing at Fort Henry, movies in the square, Saturday morning market, Princess Promenade, field trips at Gould Lake, ferry rides to Wolfe Island followed by a pint at the pub, watching local artists at venues like the Merchant and Tir Na Nog… the list goes on and on. Kingston is a brilliant city to be. Traveling around only made that more clear to me.

Personally, I love how dynamic it is. I mean that in terms of the market as well as the unique experience of working with each client. No two are the same. I prosper in changing environments and love exercising my ability to adapt. It also lets me set goals and achieve them. If I’m not challenged, I get bored. I thrive in setting a target and reaching it. If I set my mind to something I get it done. 

In general, real estate just makes sense. Everyone needs a place to live, so from an investment standpoint, I truly believe in it. My personal opinion is that it’s a smart place to hold your wealth. There are a few certain base elements that humans need to survive: food, water, clothing, and shelter. As long as people inhabit the world, they’ll need a place to live. That’s not to say that the housing market doesn’t change and home values don’t go down, they do. However, I personally believe that investing in a base need provides the security of knowing that even if today isn’t the right time to cash in on your investment, there will eventually be a right time. I think in order to sell something successfully, you should really believe in what it is that you’re selling. For me, that’s real estate.  

Beyond the investment standpoint, I trust in the importance of real estate on a personal level. We’re dealing (quite literally) in people’s homes, not only their shelters. The spaces where their kids have their first steps, their partners propose, their families cry and laugh and play. Someone’s home is where they spend the majority of their life. To me that’s huge.  I cherish working with people, sharing their experiences, and learning from them. I’m fortunate for the opportunity to share such a large part in someone’s life and thus have an unyielding motivation to do right by them.