Michele Duce-REALTOR® to Calgary’s distinctive inner city communities

Michele eats, sleeps and breathes real estate in the neighbourhoods of Elbow Park, Elboya, Scarboro, Pump Hill, Rutland Park and Sunnyside. She has owned homes in each of those neighbourhoods. In Elbow Park, Elboya and Scarboro specifically, her child has attended the local schools and her family has been a very active participant in those communities while they lived there. She has firsthand experience and knowledge with which to guide her clients to that perfect home.

Looking back, it is not at all surprising that Michele became a REALTOR®. She has had a hand in various aspects of real estate since the early 80’s when she ran a 54 unit seniors’ complex. She was also involved with a relocation business and more recently she developed a business that catered to the Spruce Meadow equestrian rider crowd from around the world. She worked to find them local short term rental accommodations. Through all of this, she and her husband have bought houses to renovate and sell for a profit since the early years of their marriage. They are a team that between them, have pulled together the general contracting and design concepts for each house they have lived in.

Their current project is a 1926 Art Deco home that they are renovating with an eye to restore this lovely home to some of its former glory. Michele has a great eye for the proportion and the character of a home and likes to ensure that both are enhanced as a result of their renovations.

Michele’s stint with the Spruce Meadows participants introduced her to working with clients who have high standards and expectations, and not much time to spend. Her time spent in the very communities she focuses on means that she knows the REALTORS® that work those same neighbourhoods as well. She has been a recipient of the President’s Gold award the past 3 years running. Giving back is key to Michele and she has been in the top 25% of REALTOR® donors Canada wide to the Shelter Foundation that Royal LePage supports. This high level of achievement and commitment to make a difference gives her a great deal of confidence when entering into negotiation for a client.

Negotiation is probably Michele’s favourite part of the process: she pushes herself to do the very best by her clients and enters into very complex dealings with self-assurance. It brings out the competitive side of her nature. There is a mutual respect amongst the REALTORS®, and she knows that posturing is sometimes a part of the process. In the end, Michele loves the reward of helping people get to the next level in their lives: finding that perfect home whether it be a first condo or detached home or a move up the property ladder. This has very special meaning to Michele as sometimes growing up, her family did not know where home was going to be.

Colleagues and clients comment that Michele is a genuine, hard working go getter. She is very approachable and easy to work with. Her background in accounting gives her that rare ability to be great at the detail as well as the big picture aspects of the real estate process. And she really works her business. Michele has a vision and goals that she wants to achieve now and in the future. They are settled in Scarboro for some time to come. She and her husband have joined a dinner club and look forward to entertaining more as they finish up the last touches on their home. She will continue to volunteer, would like to do a mission trip to Mexico, and travel with her family to explore new places. Over time she would like to create a team of REALTORS® who love finding that perfect inner city home for their clients as much as she does.

Closing Quip: Life is precious – live it!