An Interview with Linda Okupski

Built around home, family, and connection.

What inspired you to become a realtor?

I was a salesperson by trade in corporate America before I had kids, when I was first married. I worked for a commercial printer, and I loved that. I loved the sales aspect of it, and I think when you're a natural born salesperson, those skills transfer to anything that you believe in, and that you want to sell. I stayed home to raise my kids, because that was my priority. And, you know, you volunteer, you give all your time, and you're not getting paid any money, and my kids were old enough. They could walk through town. You know, they had that certain level of independence, and it was time for me to go back to work. And being a salesperson, that was an easy foray into real estate, because it would allow me the flexibility to still be a mom, and that was my priority.

What first drew you to live and work in Hunterdon County, and what continues to inspire you about this community today?

I was born and raised in New Jersey, left for a bit for college, lived down in Northern Virginia, New York City. There was always a pull to come back to New Jersey. In my experience, there's no state like our Garden State, with what it has to offer from farms to the shore, to urban life, proximity to some of the most amazing cities, Philadelphia, New York, and now even living out in Hunterdon County, recognizing all that Easton and the river towns, what they bring to us. So it just always felt like home in New Jersey, and then coming out to Hunterdon County, what was so amazing about that was just the sense of the small town feel where you can buy eggs on the side of the road. You know, you could go to church and get local honey from another parishioner there. You could not have money for the pizza place, which was something I did when the kids were little before everything was electronic, and they let me take the pizza home and come back the next day with money. So there was just a level of kindness and patience and not hurry up to the next thing. So it's a great pace, but it offered you hometown values and a really well established community of like minded people.

Outside of real estate, where might we find you enjoying a perfect day along The River Loop?

What I've loved about living in Hunterdon County, I feel like there's so many unrecognized gems in this area and every day that you give yourself the chance to go outside and explore, you're going to find something new, whether it's the black shed, whether it's the Riverton, whether it's my favorite consignment shop down in Lambertville. There is always something that pulls you and makes you always wanting to go back and find out what's next that I don't even know about. And what would I be doing on a day off? We love biking down the towpath. We've done the river tubing. Back to real estate, which is a little bit outside of your question, but I never, as a realtor, you never stop being a realtor. So it's not something that you ever put away. So when you go to a place like Milford, and you are enjoying the old rail station, you're looking at the architecture, and you're looking at what homes are for sale, and recognizing and remembering ones that you've sold. So you never really take your hat off. You're always looking and wondering and thinking about people that are in your life and how that area might benefit them.

What do you attribute your success to?

I have a lot to say. I've learned from my husband to say what's important and don't just fill space. My communication skills with my clients, they feel very much at home with me. I'm very honest with them, but I'm also very approachable. My success has come largely from referral business, not just from people I've sold to and for, but family members or people that have come into my open houses and see how I work, and they're like, wow, this is the flavor that I want when I sell my house. So it's my personality, it's my personal skills. It's not something I try, but that's the difference between a really good salesperson is tapping into things that present your trustworthiness to your clientele and people that you're just meeting, is breaking into that relationship quickly and getting to a place that is of interest to them. And having local knowledge and bringing value is what makes me successful.

When people choose their home, what are the most important things to keep in mind?

Well, you know, the old adage location, location, location, and that means a lot of different things. In our case, out here in Hunterdon County, it's choosing the right town, and what's the right town? If you're raising a family here, it's what does the education system look like? Do you like public school? Do you want to go private? Do your kids play sports? What are the options available to your kids with sports? If you're commuting into New York City, how are you getting there? What's your quality of life being 60 miles west of New York City? There's great solutions here, and that's pretty much how I ended up out in Hunterdon County, was it was affordable and accessible. So when I work with young couples or people that aren't from New Jersey, it's so important to work with a realtor that knows the area well, not your cousin from Bergen County, but someone that lives here and breathes it and knows what you're looking for and can help direct and put you in the right spot based on each individual's unique needs.

If someone wanted to become a realtor, what is the best advice you would give them?

Real estate is not for everyone. I think people are under the impression that it's a quick buck. It's easy. Oh, I can make my own hours. But a successful realtor's hours, in all fairness, shouldn't be 24/7, but the best realtors are available to their clients. Knowing the market, knowing the inventory, maintaining great relationships with other realtors in the area, because it's a team effort. There's always someone buying and someone selling, and there's usually two different realtors involved in that transaction. But be prepared to commit a lot of time and to really know your community and know the inventory. And that's the first step to success.