With a grandfather, father, and several uncles who were contractors, Kauai native Martie Law is uniquely qualified to practice real estate on the island. “Construction and real estate go hand-in-hand,” she says. “I had it in my blood and it just made sense for me to go into the business.” It also helped her turn around what she describes as a difficult beginning to her adult life. “I was a very young single mom,” she explains. “And when my daughter was very small, we used HUD vouchers for housing.” Determined to create a more positive future for her family, Martie completed a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University via distance learning then became a licensed REALTOR® in 2001.

Now she serves the entire island of Kauai with residential real estate services. Because the island is small, Martie doesn’t specialize in any one market segment, preferring instead to work with a variety of clients on diverse transactions. “I enjoy working with first-time homebuyers, estates, second homes for investors, short sales, and land deals,” she says. “I also have my Certified Residential Specialist, ePro and SFR designations.”

Like many agents early in their careers, Martie initially worked with any client she could to get her business established, but that has evolved into a different approach. “Now I pride myself on taking a few clients at a time and offering excellent customer service,” she explains. “I prefer developing the stronger connections that happen when I take my time and focus on only a handful of clients.”

Martie also prides herself on being an unusually “hands-on” agent. “I take care of whatever needs to be done,” she says. “I handle every property as if it were my own. I’d rather work for my commission than just line everyone up and check clients off a list,” she continues. “My goal is to build a good base of clients who will offer referrals now and in the long-term.” Her true passion as a born and raised Kauai agent is to be part of creating a cohesive community of good people.

In fact, one of Martie’s over-arching goals is to help change other island residents’ perception of REALTORS®. “Unfortunately, many people have been through or heard about bad experiences with aggressive REALTORS®, she says. “I often have to fight through those industry stereotypes, but it’s not very long before clients feel like they can trust me.” She is also committed to educating newcomers into the culture of Aloha, and helping to bridge the gap between locals and newcomers while maintaining the island’s culture.

Martie loves the freedom a real estate career allows her to have. “I’m not a 9-to-5 person and I don’t like to stay inside too long,” she says. “I don’t focus on time clocks or count my hours. Whatever my task is, I’m not happy until it’s done. Whether that’s in the office or out in the field, I have the freedom to be where I need to be.”

Preserving Kauai’s history, culture and environment is important to Martie, and she devotes much of her time away from work to that cause. She is a member of the Kauai Historical Society, Hui O Laka and National Tropical Botanical Gardens. She also volunteers time and donates funds to a number of other causes she cares about.

Looking to the future of her business, Martie remains focused on two main goals. “I want to continue to create a great referral network where I can be of service to all of my clients, and their friends and families, and to create more opportunities for those native to the island to own homes.”

To learn more about Martie Law of Sleeping Giant Sotheby’s International Realty, call 808.639.8496, email martie@sleepinggiant.com or visit www.MartieLaw.com