MEET VAL BURMESTER
GET TO KNOW VAL
I was born and raised in Wyoming and will forever be in love with the Wild West, from rodeos to country music to cowboy boots. After graduating from the University of Wyoming, I worked as a news reporter and assistant sports editor for the local newspaper, which eventually led me to Seattle more than 35 years ago to write sports for the Seattle P-I.
Sometimes plans get diverted, and I ended up taking a job setting up radio broadcasts for NHRA drag racing around the country. It was fun, but not my long-term career path. The entrepreneur in me kicked in, and I opened multiple coffee carts and an espresso catering business, just waiting for Starbucks to buy me out. They didn’t.
Life changed after I got married and had kids. Bored at home, I started a ceramic plate business where we took vintage photographs of surfing greats and ski icons, from LeRoy Grannis to Corky Carroll to Warren Miller, and placed them on dinnerware and cocktail plates. We created custom pieces for wineries, ski resorts, and gift shops until the retail market crashed in 2007.
That led me to getting my real estate license. I loved real estate and had already been sharing houses with friends on the sidelines of the soccer fields long before I was licensed, so my husband convinced me to make it official and get my license. My first year, I was selected as Rookie of the Year, and I have consistently been in the top 1% of agents in the Seattle area for the past 19 years. I’m still loving it.
Life before real estate!
Home is where my heart is. It’s my security and a reflection of who we are as a family. For me, it begins at the front door, from the potted flowers to the welcome mat. An inviting front entrance sets the tone to welcome friends and family into our home. A space we created that is comfortable, safe, and reflects our personal taste.
We love to cook and entertain, so the most important rooms are the kitchen and the outdoor entertainment spaces. You will find a lot of white in my house, inside and out, as I like neutrals from lighter wood plank floors to comfy white couches where I can add different colored pillows and pieces throughout the year to reflect my seasonal moods.
My yard is filled with color all year long. Hydrangeas are everywhere.
What is home to you?
What other places would you move to?
Jackson, Wyoming, of course. The Teton Mountain Range is a sight to behold. The small-town life, the slower pace, the cowboy boots. I love the style of a modern lodge home sitting on the golden prairie with huge windows framing the backdrop of the Tetons. Someday, I’ll be back there.
A close second and third choice would be Nashville and Southern California.
Nashville is beautiful, and I love the Southern homes, from the brick to the natural surroundings and, of course, the country music. California beaches will always call my name. Many of our vacations were spent on the beaches of Southern California, so much so that both of our adult children ended up in California. Sitting on the beach at sunset with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc with my family is the perfect life.
To be a better version of Val every day. I aspire to be a better wife, mother, friend, business partner, and realtor every day. I feel like I made so many mistakes early in life, and those choices used to haunt me. Today, those early life lessons now motivate me.
I love my husband and children more than anything else in this world, and if I can be a better version of myself, then I can love them more and be present in their life challenges and their successes, and we can celebrate them together as a family.
What is your why?
Elite Sport Network brings together a group of senior global real estate advisors affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty© to provide athletes, their families and staff real estate services tailored specifically to their unique lifestyle, providing them with highly specialized and completely confidential services to ultimately facilitate a seamless transition with regards to their unique real estate needs, all while allowing them to focus on their careers.
Part of the Elite Sports Network
Personal Press
Lesson Learned: Build Your Business by Making Connections
Val Burmester—a former sports journalist turned award-winning broker with Sotheby’s International Realty—credits much of her success to her natural ability to connect people. A Seattle-based Senior Global Advisor, she has ranked among the Top 1 Percent of real estate professionals from 2007 through 2023. Burmester spends her days building relationships—forming networking groups, hosting gatherings over wine and food—because she believes that “being a connector” is foundational to growing her business..
What Does ‘Days on Market’ Mean? How Buyers Can Take Advantage
In the real estate game, many buyers understand that knowing a home's days on market (DOM) is absolutely critical intel. Why? Because the number of days a home spends on the market directly affects the price of a home. Plus, this information can be used to the buyer’s benefit to negotiate a lower price. Here's how!
Patti Payne’s Cool Pads: Richard Paxton’s Issaquah Highlands Modern Manse Lists for $6M
Richard and Jennifer Paxton listed their extensively renovated, modern Issaquah Highlands estate for $6 million, with Val Burmester of Windermere Real Estate serving as the listing broker. The 7,100-square-foot home, transformed over three years, features six ensuite bedrooms, seven bathrooms, an infinity pool, sport courts, and sweeping panoramic views, making it one of the standout luxury properties in the region.
Remodeled Contemporary Perched Above Seattle
This completely remodeled contemporary house is perched above Seattle in the desirable Queen Anne neighborhood, with stunning views of the city and its waterfront.
"From just about every room in the house, you have these picturesque views of the Space Needle and downtown Seattle," said listing agent Valerie Burmester.
Beyond Brokers Consulting Launch Connects Top Agents, Brokerages
Headquartered in Seattle and Miami Beach, Beyond Brokers Consulting serves clients nationwide, Burmester shared with Inman exclusively. The firm’s ultimate goal is to expand into markets that its sole client, Sotheby’s International Realty, has not yet reached.