After getting married in 2019, I was ready to become a mother – it was my lifelong dream. In October 2019, we met with an adoption attorney who warned us about challenges and how difficult it was. Leaving that meeting, I felt defeated, and accepted that I might never become a mother. But then, in December, our attorney emailed us explaining that there was a baby who would need an adoptive family. I knew in my heart that it was meant to be. I lost it and screamed, "That's my baby!"

When Jack was born on February 17th, he experienced some issues with his lungs, and he had to be moved to the NICU at USA Hospital in Mobile. Thankfully we were able to bring him home a week later with the understanding that he might require surgery later. I thought we had made it over the final hump of a stressful first week as a mother, but days later, COVID was everywhere.

We were on lockdown, and I was home with my newborn, who had lung issues – it was terrifying. As a REALTOR®, I had to be very mindful of taking the necessary precautions. My greatest fear was bringing COVID home to our son. When I reflect on that time of my life, it was such a strange season with many conflicting emotions. It was the greatest year of my life, becoming a mother, but it was also one of the most challenging times.

As a new mom and business owner, it was a lot. I was trying to balance everything, but I just had to take it one day at a time. The only way I handled it all was by focusing on the greatest gift I would ever receive – Jack. Having such a clear purpose kept me grounded during this period and kept me moving forward.

This wasn't the first time I faced such a challenging obstacle. After working in corporate America for years, training hospital business managers and CFOs how to use financial software, I made a major life change, moving from Mobile, Alabama, to Gulf Shores in 2004. I was tired of traveling from hospital to hospital. When I envisioned the rest of my life, I saw myself endlessly climbing the ladder. I didn't want that. I believed there was more out there for me.

I took the plunge, moved to Gulf Shores, and started selling real estate immediately. I had a lot of success, and the market was booming in 2005 and 2006. It felt risky leaving behind corporate America, but I needed to chase a life that would bring me genuine happiness. Once I moved, I was always on the beach, living the beach life and playing beach volleyball.

I started growing my business and enjoying all that the beach life had to offer. However, I was too young to anticipate the crash of 2008. Our area was hit very hard because we are a second home, vacation, and investment property market. In addition to the global economic crash, our area experienced a catastrophic oil spill in 2010, adding to the adversity of an already challenging market.

In the last 20 years of my career, I have overcome many challenges and continue to persevere. My success has proven that hard work will always pay off. The resilience I learned during those trying times ultimately gave me the strength when I needed it most to be there for my son, run my business and overcome the challenges of COVID, oil spills, and hurricanes... Today, I’m proud of my journey and my ability to navigate difficult times and embrace the joyous ones.

One of the things I’m most proud of is that my business is built 100% off of referral and repeat business. My clients know when they work with me, I’m here for the long haul. In most cases, my clients don’t live in the area and need boots on the ground, not just now but in the future. I care about their investments and their families, and I stay in contact with them to make sure everything is going well with their property down the road.

Owning over 30+ investment properties of my own, I have a talent for identifying the right property that will be a great investment. I’m skilled at negotiating deals that work for everyone involved. With clients all across the country, I’m accustomed to doing video walkthroughs, coordinating home inspections and other details without them being present. I understand how important it is to take care of all the tiny details, ensuring that the closing is as smooth as possible for my clients.

Sincerely,

Aileen Fountain
Broker-Associate | LIC# 77540

Cell (251) 377-5232
fountainproperties@gmail.com
www.TeamFountain.com