My husband Dan and I moved to Cape Girardeau in 1991 because of his job transfer. We had been living in a much larger metropolitan area, and I wasn't thrilled about living in what I considered to be a small town (even though I grew up in a small town). But the people in this area quickly won me over. Everyone I met was open, friendly and willing to help. A year later I began my real estate career after being impressed by the professionalism of a long-time and well-respected agent who had helped us buy our first home here. She was a great role model and was the reason I chose to move from a career in journalism and public relations to real estate in 1992. Six months after getting my license, we bought our first rental home, and several years after that, we began flipping homes. Both activities have been invaluable when helping buyers and sellers who are entering those markets. And, of course,it's still exhilarating to assist first-time buyers find the perfect place to put down roots in this big-feeling small town of ours.