Meet Your Neighbor

David Baehr

April 08, 2007

Broker Associate
Prudential Community Realty, Baehr Inc.

As a 15-year-old, David Baehr got his first taste of the real estate business when his parents purchased a duplex in the northern Wisconsin city of Owen.

"I had the opportunity to sit in on the closing and was immediately intrigued," he says. "The property was actually purchased right before demolition was to occur. My Dad taught me the entire construction process on this property -- from the replacement of foundation walls to the trim work."

Over the next several years, David's parents purchased 12 more rental units, providing their son the opportunity to put his new building skills to work many times over.

When David's parents took a position managing a construction project in Michigan during his junior year of high school, they asked their son if he'd be interested in running the family's 320-acre farm. "I responded with an astounding yes at the thought of the freedom, without considering the massive amount of work associated," he recalls.

Through the experience, he says, "I realized you can scream as loud as you want and it will not help fix the problem at hand. It simply takes re-examining the situation to find a solution."

David went on to earn a real estate license and took several related jobs. "I found the most intrigue at the time in the rehab and sale of properties," he says.

In July 2000, he secured a position with American Realtors, the business that would eventually become part of Prudential Community Realty, his current company.

"I decided that I would not wait for business to come to me," he says of the early days. "I came to the conclusion to grow roots at my desk and call FSBOs [for sale by owner homes] until I got appointments. I was able to gather an inventory of over $2 million in listings in a two-week timeframe."

While his closings were minimal that year, David says the experience he gained was priceless. The following year, in fact, he was the company's top producer.

In 2002 he took his career one step further. "I came to realize my heart lies in investment and commercial real estate and I increased my credentials to include the accredited buyer representative (ABR) designation."

As a means of keeping his customers informed of the ever-changing world of real estate, David started an investors club in 2003. "The meetings continued to grow in numbers and I was able to become not only a resource for customers when it is time to buy and sell, but also when they are simply looking to have a question answered about real estate or the general market climate," he says.

How does David differentiate himself from others in his field?

"I subscribe to the Almighty Common Denominator theory, which is the belief that all people are equal in the business world -- the only thing separating one from the other is how they use their time," says David. "Everyone has the same 24/7 to deal with. I make a practice of rising at 5 a.m. and beginning my day at that time. It is a fulfilling feeling to have several hours of work completed before the start of the 'workday.'"

David takes pride in Sun Prairie, where he lives and works. "I have a great wife (fellow realtor Rachel) and a beautiful Georgian two-story, a home that I'm certain was intended for us to raise a family in and stay for many, many years."

He also notes the strong relationships he's built with city officials. "In 2004, I assisted the city of Sun Prairie in creating a grant program to aid in the aesthetic improvement of the downtown area. The grant has been used successfully by several downtown owners, including myself, and has garnered positive attention from the entire community."

David's other activities including serving as president of the East Side Club (formerly the East Side Business Men's Association of Madison), volunteering for the annual benefit at the Henry Vilas Zoo and participating in Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce activities. Additionally, he was recently appointed to Sun Prairie's Long Range Planning Commission.