I’ve always had too many interests to choose any single thing to do. For that reason, I had multiple careers in multiple industries. I inevitably reached a point where, to truly move forward, I had to release something that held a lot of meaning for me. Though difficult, I know I’m exactly where I should be.

If I hadn't stayed with Auntie Barbara when I came to Hollywood for school, my life would look very different right now. I was attending the University of Sound Arts, and while my heart still lay in the Bay area, the opportunity to stay in Southern California for a while was hard to turn down. I had earned an engineering scholarship and was fascinated by everything to do with broadcasting.

One particular day, as the program was wrapping up, my cousin stopped by. He had his broker’s license, and we got to talking. “Have you ever considered getting your real estate license? You can do all sorts of things with it,” he told me. And that was how my dual life began. Rather than choosing to pursue one or the other, I flung myself into broadcasting and real estate. In those early days, before I was married and had kids, I didn’t mind long hours.

I had a part-time job in broadcasting, and a part-time job working in mortgages and loans, even e-loans for Charles Schwab, before becoming an agent. I was a production engineer for an oldies station, 1310 KDIA, and that was tons of fun! I got to do voice-overs for commercial spots, and I met all the DJs.

I also became incredibly involved in another passion of mine: photography. I would take pictures of musical artists, and I soon found myself being contacted by magazines like People, MTV News and Ebony. They wanted to publish my work. Before I knew it, I was covering tours and concerts. My entrepreneurial spirit inspired me to create Sound Source Productions, my first company. It was a creative endeavor that still holds a lot of meaning for me today.

The station was then bought by ABC and became Radio Disney, at which point our headquarters were moved to San Francisco, and I got to come home. The station then became KGO, which introduced me to the world of talk radio. That was even more fun! I worked the overnight shift from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., and during the day, I worked as an agent.

Like most agents, I started out in resale homes, but then I discovered the less-tapped market of new builds. There are pros and cons to both kinds of houses, but what I liked about new builds was that you could watch a plot of dirt be transformed into a home. Everything was brand new and customized. Resale homes will always be a part of my business, but I'd found a niche.

When the market crashed, I feared I would lose my momentum. To stay focused and energized, I got my broker’s license. For the first time, I considered walking away from broadcasting. To move forward and create my own real estate business, I needed to leave my other work behind. That was a difficult decision to make. I was leaving behind something that had been such a big part of my life for so long, and I still cared about it. However, if I didn’t leave radio, there would be no Open Home Professionals.

Starting Open Home Professionals was my biggest undertaking yet, but it’s the centerpiece of all of my current work. I wouldn’t change anything. Every experience I had set me up to be where I am today. I couldn’t be happier about the way things turned out. I look forward to expanding my business in the future and having the chance to work with you!

One of my most memorable transactions was with a client in the tech industry. He had moved to the U.S. from India two years prior, while his family was still overseas. We had been looking at properties, but none of them were right. Before we found a house, he had to go back to India to pick up his family. That’s when I suggested new construction.

Since he was out of the country, everything from selecting the model to choosing a countertop had to be done over the phone. My entire business is about involving the client as much as possible, so I was happy to do it. They didn’t see the home in person until they were moving in, and they were blown away. I saw what a big difference I was making in their lives. That’s why I love what I do.

It’s also why I started New Home Negotiators, my Vegas-based concierge service for buyers looking at new builds.

I look forward to learning how I can help you on your real estate journey.

Sincerely,

Travis Hill
Real Estate Broker