The non-negotiables of finances with Kerry Melcher

We’re honored to have 2020 HW Woman of Influence Kerry Melcher — a third-generation Realtor — on the Girlfunds podcast. With more than 33 years of experience in real estate, Melcher serves as head of sales and brokerage at Opendoor. 

Melcher brings her passion for supporting women to reach their financial goals to the podcast, whether that’s how to encourage more women to take ownership of their finances or her unique advice on how she saved for college for her kids. And from her stance as a Realtor, this is also an engaging conversation on the powerful role that homeownership can play in building wealth. 

For some added background on Melcher, she joined Opendoor as its director of business development, serving as general manager of the Phoenix area. Prior to Opendoor, Melcher owned a boutique real estate practice that specialized in Center City Phoenix real estate. 

Here’s one Girlfunds takeaway tip from Melcher:

My favorite piece of advice, which was given to me a long time ago and I’m just now getting to really get the benefits of it, was that if I ever had a child, to buy a rental property for each child to help offset the cost of college. So, I had a child 16 years ago, and now, she’s going to be a senior in high school and going off to college. And I did exactly that. And so I have a rental property that has very much paid for itself, and is going to actually let me realize that sort of dream. It’s kind of nice to be in this space where someone gave you this advice 18/20 years ago, and you actually did it. And now, you’re actually seeing it pay off. It’s something that works for people who don’t just have kids, right. It’s a retirement vehicle.

Join the two best friends who met as financial journalists at HousingWire, Brena Nath, a twenty-something first-time homebuyer with her husband and pups, and Sarah Wheeler, an empty nester on her third home, every week for our girls night focused on everything from affording your best friend’s wedding to how to turn your side hustle into your main hustle. Each week, Girlfunds will have a special guest join us as we intertwine finance and friendship. And don’t worry, you don’t have to have your finances all together to join our girls nights. We’re all in this together to learn – women supporting women – and in the words of our producer, so we can all be #confidentqueens.