Ruthann Brown, Engel & Völkers Muskoka, Port Carling office
For Engel & Völkers Broker and chamber member Ruthann Brown, it’s always been about the people. Located in the Port Carling office, she is entering her ninth year as a Realtor® with Engel & Völkers Muskoka. As a real estate broker, her main objective is to ensure her clients have the best customer experience from start to finish.
“I like to get to know people and build a rapport,” she says, adding that selling a longtime family cottage or home can be an emotional experience. “I’m taking them through that journey as their trusted advisor.”
Clients who are first time home buyers or just entering into the cottage market are also special to Ruthann. ”I’m able to help them through the experience and share in their excitement,” she says. It’s not surprising to learn that many of her former clients are now her good friends.
As a major supporter of Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce events, it’s obvious she cares about her Muskoka community. Ruthann moved here full time in 2015, after spending every weekend here for the previous 18 years. Becoming a Realtor® was a way for her to live full time in her Windermere area home.
She is a board member of the Muskoka Lakes Chamber, a volunteer on the Township of Muskoka Lakes Committee of Adjustment, involved with the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Muskoka Branch and the title partner for Oktoberfest Muskoka.
She likes to put her time and energy into causes. Ruthann’s Engel & Völkers Muskoka, Port Carling office is again the title partner of Oktoberfest Muskoka. Last year she visited the Port Carling Legion to show her Oktoberfest support and enjoy some Oktoberfest fun.
When she, as an Engel&Völkers broker, sponsored Muskoka Chautauqua, she also donated her time volunteering as a Windermere walking tour guide. “It was so much fun,” she says, noting that her history degree gives her an appreciation for the area’s past.
Ruthann donates to and volunteers for two Canadian Mental Health Association initiatives. “For Spin the Lakes, we man a water station and get to greet the cyclists. For the Fall Classic, we donate and have a hole in one prize, and meet the golfers,” she says. She donates to other community initiatives which also involve an opportunity to be part of the community
“When I was living both here and Burlington, before moving here full time, it was hard to be a part of either community,” she says. “Now that I’m here full time, I’m involved.”
In addition to her Broker License, Ruthann has earned her designation as a Certified International Property Specialist. “I have global networks that I can reach out to and assist people buying in a foreign country or those from a foreign country can connect to me and purchase here,” she explains.
She’s happy to be representing sellers and buyers in Muskoka Lakes. “There is something about this area that resonates with me,” she says. “I want others to see how special it is.”