Why Susan Gunnin

                         It's Performance that counts!

After growing up in Minnesota, I graduated from Penn State with a degree in Petroleum Engineering and worked for a major oil company for 14 years. My career in Petroleum Engineering involved analyzing and evaluating oil producing properties - little did I know it was preparing for me to move into real estate. In 1991, when oil companies were leaving Colorado, I made a career change so I could remain in the Rockies.

A change in scenery can mean a change in plans.

As a young college student, I had my eye on avenues other than real estate - but what I didn't know was that I would one day fall head-over-heels in love with Colorado, its pristine mountains, and its inviting lifestyle. My first career brought me to Colorado in 1981; as we moved through the late '80's, the oil business took a downward turn, and companies sold their holdings and closed their doors. When my company announced it would relocate to the southern and western US, I had two choices: leave the business or leave the state. I chose to stay in my beloved Colorado, moved to Breckenridge, and have never regretted the decision.

I closed up my Denver home and started my new mountain life in 1991, and found real estate to be the perfect fit. I brought to the business well-honed computer skills and am (rarely) unnerved by constantly changing technology, which is critical in today's dynamic real estate market. I enjoy the daily personal interaction with clients and business associates, and believe everyone can have their mountain dream, if we work diligently and realistically to make it happen.

It's about life-style.
When I first moved to Colorado, I was a city girl, living in Denver, but the mountains were always calling. First for rafting, then hiking, kayaking, and skiing. Later came sailing, biking, fishing, and my husband, Don. Finally came Tess, our daughter now in high school. Colorado has been good to me.

For others interested in moving here full-time, or enjoying a second home in the Summit, the attraction is always the same - the mountain beauty, the outdoor activities, the small-town atmosphere, the change-of-pace, the annual celebrations.

In real estate I've learned the same old lesson that challenged me in the oil business: markets don't stay the same. They rock and roll, they rise and fall. If you're going to get into them, you should do it with someone who has got experience and perspective, who knows the neighborhoods, the trends, the deals, the pitfalls.

One mentor in the oil business told me, "Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you." And another mentor said, "Stick with me, I'll show you all the good places." They both helped me along the path, and now I'm here to do that for you. If you need some guidance in real estate in Breckenridge and Summit County, give me a call. I'll help you steer clear of the bears and show you all the good places.