For many years, the Olympic Peninsula community has known Eileen Schmitz as the face of JACE Real Estate, co-founded with her husband. After Jace passed away in 2012, Eileen committed to keeping his legacy going and to continue giving back to the community they both loved.
“People really knew and loved my husband and after he passed, I wanted to keep the business going,” she says.
But life has a habit of testing us from time to time, and in 2023, Eileen suffered a serious injury while on vacation in Florida. After a month-long hospital stay, including weeks in a specialized physiotherapy program, she was able to return home to the Olympic Peninsula, where she’s spent the last 18 months learning to walk again.
“The Olympic Peninsula really is the best place in the world to heal,” she reflects. “There were a lot of things I couldn’t do for a while and people kept showing up.”
Through it all, Eileen’s community has sustained her – even during her Florida hospital stay, only four days of her 27 in hospital passed without a visitor.
Crucial proof of her community relationships came when Eileen was about to be turned down for the rehabilitation program because a Google Earth search showed only stairs accessing her home. While she was a good candidate for the program, limited spots meant doctors could only accept people with a good chance of success.
In Eileen’s case, that meant being able to easily leave her home for doctor visits and therapy, she explains today, gracious in her understanding of their position.
Never one to back down from a challenge, however, a phone call to friends back home got a ramp into her home built in just three days – and earned her admission to the program.
Today, Eileen has surpassed all expectations, but with work still to do, and reluctant to leave her community without professional guidance, she’s sold JACE Real Estate to a national franchise.
“I take my responsibility very seriously, and while most people think I’m fine, I realized I needed a little more time to heal,” she says. “I’m going to take about six months to focus on physiotherapy, get stronger and get better.”
A new door opening
While sad to close one door, Eileen is excited to open the next. Early next year, she’s opening her own brokerage under the Best Choice Realty brand.
While continuing to serve clients with residential and land needs, she’s also excited to help business owners with their legacy plans.
“I know that what I love about my career, when I look back, is helping people, especially those wanting to sell their businesses.”
The key, she says, is supporting the seller while also preserving what makes a business special, whether it’s the staff who’ve helped build the business and keep it humming or the family pie recipe that stars on a restaurant’s menu.
“I hate to see a business close and while it’s harder to sell than a house in many ways, it’s so interesting and so rewarding,” she says. “I get really immersed in what makes each business unique.”
The key – whether she’s selling a home or a business – is open communication. “I want people to feel safe and heard during what can feel like a really chaotic time.”
Watch for more news about Eileen’s Best Choice Realty coming in the new year!
