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Jane Hoffman is a giant in the world of Kelowna Real Estate. Her name is synonymous with luxury, lakeshore listings. While Hoffman represents the lion害羞草研究所檚 share of waterfront buyers and sellers in this city, for a good portion of her life, she considered herself more of a lamb.

害羞草研究所淚 was the youngest child, I never said a word; I hardly talked,害羞草研究所� she recalls. 害羞草研究所淓ven as an adult, for the first years I was at this job, I just couldn害羞草研究所檛 quite see that it was really me.害羞草研究所�

A career in real estate was not even on the radar for the raven-haired, small town girl with kind eyes and a quiet strength. A young bride at the age of 19, Jane and her RCMP officer husband left her home town of Revelstoke for the big city of Vancouver. On weekends they built houses together. Glen Hoffman害羞草研究所檚 construction dreams quickly overshadowed his RCMP career and the couple eventually moved to Kelowna to grow his company, Braniff Construction Ltd.

Jane kept busy with a young son (Michael); she helped Glen with the company and attended classes at nursing school. But the course of her life changed forever on a winter night in 1982 when one of her greatest fears became reality.

害羞草研究所淕len always had a passion for flying. I was always nervous about him flying.害羞草研究所�

Glen and his business partner, Jim, who was Jane害羞草研究所檚 sister害羞草研究所檚 husband, were flying home in their private, company plane and crashed before they could land at Kelowna airport.

害羞草研究所淚 had a bad feeling and I was looking out my front door and down the hill came the RCMP. I knew. It had really happened, just the way I thought it was going to happen. It was like a nightmare,害羞草研究所� she recounts with tears in her eyes.

As Jane and her sister grieved the tragic and sudden loss of their husbands, she came to a decision, one that to this day she believes was the most important of her life.

害羞草研究所淚 remember thinking when the RCMP left, I can go upstairs in my bed and throw the comforter over my head and fall apart 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 what I wanted to do,害羞草研究所� she admits. 害羞草研究所淥r I can keep going, ask for a few things from up above and be the person that survives.害羞草研究所�

Jane chose to survive. She took the reigns of Glen害羞草研究所檚 company, managed 150 employees and wrapped up the remaining projects that Braniff was committed to. It took five years and an incredible amount of strength. Jane admits to feeling like she had a helping hand from above.

害羞草研究所淚 thought, oh Glen, I hope you help me somehow and I think he did. I think when people die you can take what you learned from them and you just kind of do it.害羞草研究所�

As Braniff害羞草研究所檚 operations wound down, a casual comment from her cousin David got Jane thinking about the next chapter of her life. He reminded her how much she loved the lake and lakeshore homes and suggested she think about selling them. Jane was quietly intrigued.

害羞草研究所淲hen I took the real estate course, I didn害羞草研究所檛 tell anybody.害羞草研究所�

At the age of 34, Jane re-invented herself as an agent.

害羞草研究所淚t was really hard. The first year I sold five homes in the whole year. The next it was 15 and then it started compounding.害羞草研究所�

She recalls tons of work, rejection and disappointment in the beginning, but then something clicked. She bought herself a little cottage on the lake and her love for it naturally formed the basis of her selling strategy.

害羞草研究所淪elling houses on the lake brings so much joy to people. I had a passion for it myself, so I害羞草研究所檇 convince people they should do it too. That害羞草研究所檚 how I started.害羞草研究所�

As she threw herself into work, raising her son and acquiring more properties, Jane never let go of that first lake house and the healing comfort it provided her.

害羞草研究所淚n the summer I would move to the little beach house. I was very lonely at the time and I害羞草研究所檇 say to Michael, 害羞草研究所業 love the lake. I feel like someone is always home when the water is there because it害羞草研究所檚 ever changing.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Jane lives in a beautiful waterfront home in Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 lower mission these days. Michael and his family live just a few blocks away, and Michael has followed in his father害羞草研究所檚 footsteps, undertaking various development projects in the city. Thanks to Michael, Braniff Construction Ltd. has been re-born, something that makes his mother very proud.

害羞草研究所淢y son took on all of Glen害羞草研究所檚 qualities, except the desire to fly 害羞草研究所� he didn害羞草研究所檛 pick that up at all.害羞草研究所�

After 35 years in the real estate business, 16-hour days are still the norm for Jane.

害羞草研究所淚 may have gotten that from my mother,害羞草研究所� she says with a smile, referring to Kay Beruschi 害羞草研究所� a Revelstoke pioneer, who opened the renowned Regent Hotel in Revelstoke with her husband Fred during the great depression. They ran it together until Jane害羞草研究所檚 dad died in 1976. Kay remained a constant presence at The Regent until the age of 92.

害羞草研究所淓veryone knew Grandma Kay,害羞草研究所� chuckles Jane. 害羞草研究所淪he was a character, a true entrepreneur who was ahead of her time.害羞草研究所�

Kay passed away at the age of 100 in 2014. Jane, her brother and sister still own The Regent and two other hotels in Revelstoke. Her nephew Brady operates them.

Jane害羞草研究所檚 primary focus is The Jane Hoffmann Real Estate Team. With 14 people who have become her work family and more than 150 active listings, Jane doesn害羞草研究所檛 take much time off. When she can get away, you害羞草研究所檒l find her on the slopes or travelling to a favourite destination like Hawaii. Jane害羞草研究所檚 other passions include raising money for various charities, including the Central Okanagan Hospice Association, and listening to live music. If you invite her to a concert, she will never say no.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檒l go to any concert, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter the music, I just love the energy.害羞草研究所�

Jane Hoffman brims with energy. At an age when some might consider retirement, she still feels that rush of excitement when a buyer and a house match up.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like destiny. When I see it happen, I find it so fascinating,害羞草研究所� she explains. 害羞草研究所淪ometimes when a house isn害羞草研究所檛 selling, I remind myself just to let go, someone is meant for that house and when it害羞草研究所檚 right, it will all come together.害羞草研究所�

Selling real estate doesn害羞草研究所檛 come without stress and uncertainty but Jane takes it all in stride.

害羞草研究所淚t seems to be good for me. It keeps me healthy, vibrant and relevant. I害羞草研究所檓 so used to being busy and interacting, I害羞草研究所檓 not sure what would happen to me if I retired.害羞草研究所�

Jane has found love over the years but has never re-married. Through all of life害羞草研究所檚 ups and downs, she害羞草研究所檚 taken tremendous comfort in being near the lake. It害羞草研究所檚 a deep, personal connection to the water that provided solace for a young widow so many years ago. These days it害羞草研究所檚 a peaceful escape during chaotic times and even just a glance out the window is enough to fill her with an immense sense of gratitude.

The course of Jane Hoffman害羞草研究所檚 life may have been altered by tragedy, but somewhere on that journey the once timid lamb found her voice and roared her way to the top.

害羞草研究所淚 live stronger, better because I feel like I害羞草研究所檓 living for two people not just one. I got to stay, so let害羞草研究所檚 make it worthwhile.害羞草研究所�

Check out some of Jane害羞草研究所檚 listing on her .