Here’s how Re/Max Realtor Katy Brahler is supporting her community

By Olivia Bloom

When local Re/Max Realtor Katy Brahler puts herself behind a cause, she walks the talk.

“Bay Village and Rocky River are such beautiful communities with wonderful and kind neighbors,” says Katy.

“One of the few upsides of Covid is I see many people walking outside and enjoying our idyllic lakeside haven. One day I noticed my neighbor, as he was walking with signs in front of the police station. My daughter, Olivia, had initially spoken with him and came home to ask me to do the same. My daughter and I walked around the block with him and simply listened. Soon, my other daughter, Amy Page, joined us.”

The neighbor told them that following the death of George Floyd, he had begun walking to city hall and the police station each day carrying signs.

A teacher at a local high school, he and his family moved to Bay Village 12 years ago.

“He also organized a peaceful march on Friday, June 5,” says Katy. “More than 500 people from the community marched alongside him, starting at Huntington Beach and along Lake Road to Cahoon Park. It was peaceful and enlightening. His personal mission is to do as much as he can and be present when change takes place.”

According to the neighbor, “This is a wonderful community. I hope going forward it will become more accepting of minorities and diverse families. Each culture should be recognized and celebrated.”

In the past, he admits he stayed silent about racism and suppressed his voice, “but now I want my kids to see how much can be gained by using your voice.”

Surviving the Covid Season in a Hot Market
When Covid hit this spring, it demanded a certain level of tech savvy to adjust to things like virtual tours and virtual open houses. Katy was already perfectly in line with what that required.

She was one of the first in the area to invest in InstaView virtual tours.

“The experience takes people through every room of the home,” she explains. “It’s really the next best thing to being there. Choreographed with background music, I offer virtual tours and aerial photography for all of my listings.”

The great news—even in light of the pandemic—is that the local market is hot, hot, hot.

“People are fearful that housing values will drop because of all that’s happened, but we’re actually seeing them stay steady,” she reports. “And demand couldn’t be stronger, as there’s a shortage of homes on the market. With lower interest rates, less competition and peaked demand, there’s no better time than now to put your home on the market. I have a pool of motivated buyers looking for homes from $50,000 to $800,000.”

Silver Lake Stunner
Katy has a knack for getting people to think beyond their self-perceived parameters.

“Someone might want to look for homes only in Lakewood, or only within a narrow price range,” she says. “I try to show them homes in other cities and price points so they can find their dream home.”

Case in point is a recent listing in Silver Lake Village in Summit County. Situated with views of both Silver Lake and Crystal Lake from the front and back yards, the four-bedroom house features a large kitchen with eat-in area that leads into a formal dining area. The backyard includes a stunning two-tiered deck overlooking the lake and a convenient lower walk-out level.

Opinion: Improving the relationship between police and the public
This subject is a bit off topic for me. As you may know, I’m a Realtor, and real estate is my livelihood. I love my job, but I also love my community. When I see change is needed, I cannot sit by idly.

I want our communities to prosper and grow with kindness and understanding, but how can we make that happen if we don’t address some uncomfortable issues? Let’s have conversations. Yes, that can be difficult these days. The current political environment has created such division that it seems it’s always “me against you,” but I know we can do it.

I understand that many people are threatened by protestors because of the terrible rioting that occurred downtown and throughout our country. I worry about the livelihood of our local businesses and I certainly don’t want harm or destruction to be an outcome. But I know that change can occur peacefully and effectively with genuine communication and understanding.

I encourage all of you to walk with the local activists who are protesting peacefully in downtown Bay Village, and support the cause of defeating racism and improving race relations. I have walked with them, and that helped me understand more clearly their purpose and reasoning. Frankly, I was a bit leery when I initially saw them protesting, but I am a strong advocate of first-hand information without filters.

Police reform is something that needs to be addressed in our own community and around the nation. There is often a disconnect between our police force and the community. Let’s address it and create change. For example, rather than seeing police SUVs parked on Lake Road, I would love to see more officers on bicycles, enjoying a coffee at Java Bay/Mojos or Erie Island getting to know the locals and our young adults. Wouldn’t stronger community involvement create more trust and less ambivalence?

Let’s get off social media and have face-to-face conversations, even if we must do so through masks while practicing social distancing. How can the outcome of improved communication be anything but positive for our community?

Yes, of course we value and appreciate law enforcement and the difficult job they have in keeping us safe, but greater familiarity and engagement with our community can make a huge difference.

—Katy Brahler, Bay Village

The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication, its ownership, or employees.

Re/Max is located at 25021 Center Ridge Road in Westlake. Katy Brahler is a multi-million-dollar producer and is a distinguished member of the President’s Club and Executive Club of Re/Max. Call her cell at 440-724-4313 or visit KatyBrahler.com for more information.