Brie Tulp, 34

They say that in real estate finding the right deal is all about location. But for Brie Tulp, it turned out to be all about timing.

Tulp was working in New York for the prominent real estate investment trust SL Green Realty in 2020. Her job then involved doing evaluations on properties the firm was investing in and working on underwriting those investments.

But early in the year, she and her then-fiancé (and now-husband) took a trip to Longboat Key. Tulps’ grandparents had owned a condo unit on Longboat for 35 years and she had lifelong memories from visits while growing up. The couple planned to get married at the Longboat Key Club and wanted to come down to do some wedding planning.

The trip wound up becoming a permanent move.

Just days after Tulp left Manhattan the world shut down because of COVID.

“We flew out right before everything hit and we brought a carry-on suitcase,” Tulp says. “We never went back.”

What happened over the months and years that followed was life changing. They bought a unit in the same building Tulp’s grandparents had owned a unit. They also had a baby daughter.

Almost as significantly, Tulp started a new job and took her career in a new direction.

“Ultimately, I wanted to make a major life adjustment and have a work life balance to raise my family and to be with my husband and to do all the things that I love in Sarasota,” she says.

Tulp is currently working as a sales associate at the Sarasota commercial real estate firm Ian Black Real Estate. Since joining the firm, she’s been a part of 80 transactions totaling over $81 million.

While her experience in underwriting and evaluations for one of the largest landlords and REITs in New York City is invaluable, Tulp credits Ian Black Real Estate partner Nick DeVito II for helping her transition to a sales role.

Tulp was first introduced to Ian Black Real Estate in summer 2020 when a friend suggested she reach out if she was going to look for work in the area. She met with the firm and did some consulting work early in 2021, helping it evaluate its property management group and business. She was offered a job in sales shortly after that.

The firm matched her with DeVito because his book of business was booming and he needed a business partner, she says. “The timing just kind of aligned perfectly.”

“It was just an instant connection from the moment that we met,” Tulp says.

“I don't think there was a question in either of our minds whether we wanted to work together. … Everything about him is extremely genuine, which is what I'm all about. I don't like being fake, and I don't like shortcuts. And he is what he is, and you could see it from the moment that you meet him. And he just went above and beyond to help me and continues to every single day. And he's part of my family now.”