Paul Simari, a REALTOR® with Weichert Realtors-CLA in Prescott, Arizona, hasn’t lived in the city for long. The Brooklyn, New York native, who grew up in New Jersey, moved west in 2016 and didn’t become an agent until April of 2018. Yet in barely four years he has become known locally as “Prescott Paul,” carefully building his personal brand after a career in marketing and advertising. He credits one person for that.

“I found God on October 4, 2015, and it changed my whole life, including my business direction. My mom moved to Arizona about 35 years ago and I came to visit her and got a feel for the lay of the land, and basically I made the leap of faith. Now I love the people, the terrain, the weather … everything,” Paul said. “I went to work for a small local newspaper and was selling advertising to real estate agents. I got feedback from the agents saying ‘Hey, you would make a great REALTOR®’ and after thinking about it for a couple of years I did it. My life, especially my life with God, really started to reform me. I became this person that loved people, that wants to do good, that listens, that goes out of my way to help somebody else. Real estate is a great avenue for that.”

God helped Paul, and now Paul is returning the favor in multiple ways. He averages about $4-5 million in volume annually even though COVID has drastically changed the market. He found a home at this Weichert agency and has been comfortable in the small, family-style since 2019. He’s happy working in Yavapai County, Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley, an area he called a melting pot of America.

“We have a lot of retirees and a lot of Californians who have been coming to Prescott for a long time. The average home in Prescott is about $800,000, so it’s difficult for first-time buyers to jump in the market at that cost. But they find comfort here for the tax relief, its low property taxes, great outdoors, The Airbnb's, VRBO's and just a great place to live,” Paul said.