Meet VP of Industry Relations Marnie Blanco

Building relationships and making connections are core to Marnie Blanco’s personal and professional life. In her new role as Pacaso’s vice president of industry relations, she is committed to forging strong relationships with real estate professionals — partnerships that are essential to Pacaso’s mission of making second home ownership possible and enjoyable for more people.A Colorado native with nearly 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Marnie has vowed “to live and die in Colorado” — no job could pull her away. “You could offer me millions and make me president of the world, and I’d say ‘no’ if it meant relocating.” With her sister five minutes away and extended family nearby, Marnie has deep roots in her home state. She loves Colorado’s beauty and its four distinct seasons, even if winter sometimes strays too far into spring. Marnie’s first foray into real estate was a result of chance and family ties. Her sister lived next door to the director of HR at RE/MAX, headquartered in Colorado, and they needed an IT marketing manager. The job was a perfect fit: Marnie has degrees in both information systems and marketing, and she was ready for a change after several years in a telecom industry job that required extensive travel. RE/MAX provided an opportunity to stay local and be part of an industry that was centered around building connections. Cut to a decade later: An up-and-coming startup in the transaction management space — dotloop, based in Cincinnati — had been courting partnerships with RE/MAX. After a few conversations with dotloop CEO Austin Allison, Marnie accepted a job offer, with the stipulation that she could work remotely from Colorado. Her role at RE/MAX gave her a strong foundation in real estate, but dotloop broadened her horizons. “I had a very narrow view of the industry going into dotloop, so it was a big learning experience. I had all the technical acumen, but I had to learn to work with other partners, which was a really important part of my career growth. It helped me understand so much more about the industry and its players — MLSs, associations, brokerages, agents. Everyone has different goals and needs.” Marnie believes that ongoing communication with agents and other industry professionals is key to forming connections and building trust. Having worked with Pacaso co-founder Austin Allison for years at dotloop, Marnie knew Pacaso would be committed to agent outreach and partnership, and she looks forward to helping educate the industry about Pacaso and the ways it can enhance their business.“Pacaso has a great mission to help consumers, but it’s essential that we show agents what’s in it for them. They want to save time and make money, and partnering with Pacaso can make that happen,” said Marnie. “Pacaso opens up opportunities in markets with really limited inventory, first working with agents to purchase a home, then reselling it as many as eight times. Agents are critical to that process.”Marnie is excited to dive into her new role with Pacaso, but equally exciting is watching her daughters dive for balls — volleyballs, specifically. Her two teenage girls are avid, competitive players (as was Marnie in her youth), and weekends are all about game time. The family travels to regional and national tournaments during the volleyball season, and they love to explore the Colorado mountains throughout the summer. Perhaps not surprisingly, Marnie’s dream second home destination would be in … Colorado. With her family’s busy schedule, a drivable getaway accessible to friends and relatives is an ideal choice. But, even this committed Coloradan wouldn’t turn down a Pacaso on the beach, be it Malibu or Miami, should the opportunity arise.

Family, volleyball and real estate: How it all fits together for VP of Industry Relations Marnie Blanco

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