“Truly listening to clients is absolutely crucial”
Blessed with a high level of discipline from an early age, Stephanie has excelled in many facets of her life and has enjoyed the ride immensely. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Stephanie was a child athlete and competitive figure skater. “Every day I would wake up at 5:00, be on the ice at 6:00, skate for 2 hours, attend classes at elementary school, then back to the rink for 2 hours of skating before going home to do homework. When I was training for big competitions, I would be alone on the rink at 2:00 in the morning!”
In her 20s, Stephanie was a musical theatre actress living in New York City. “What a magical time that was in my life! I would train and audition all week, and to fund my training I was the lead singer in an Italian American wedding band on the weekends. After successful auditions, I went on tour all over the U.S. and internationally. My absolute favorite stint was as the lead in the musical ‘Hair’ touring around Europe for 3 years!”
In 1993, Stephanie visited a friend in Santa Fe for Thanksgiving. After spending a week she was enthralled and couldn’t wait to come back. “I finished up a tour playing the female lead in Will Rogers Follies, packed up my car and moved to Santa Fe in 1994.”
Stephanie’s real estate career began in 2001. “It’s a natural fit for me! I love people and this business is all about helping them move on to the next chapter of their life. People need someone to really listen to them. It’s an act of courage to buy and sell your home because change is not easy.” Stephanie and her business partner, Juli King, first met while singing in the La Casa Sena Cantina 25 years ago. “Juli and I have a great partnership and we’ve been dear friends for a very long time.” Stephanie and Juli’s practice ranges from first-time home buyers to multi-million dollar properties.
In the luxury segment of her business, Stephanie utilizes Barker’s exclusive affiliation with Christie’s International Real Estate. “I have cultivated a direct line to Christie’s — we talk and brainstorm ideas regularly. The Christie’s real estate business remains wholly owned by the Christie’s auction house, the oldest in the world, and the connections offered are so powerful. With my latest luxury listing, they distributed a press release and at least 10 international articles were written about the house as a result. Marketing with this reach is priceless. It offers my clients the best opportunity to sell at the highest dollar amount.” Stephanie recently became the exclusive representative in New Mexico for Haute Residence.
“Barker Realty is home to me. I operate best in a culture that supports growth, and the culture here is one I want to be a part of.”
