By Kate Merrihew – Director of Education and Marketing
You probably know that we have a strong Western Florida presence but if you’ve ever wondered if D.S. Murphy covers Eastern Florida, the answer is yes. We are poised to take over the general Palm Beach County area in the form of one strong and mighty, Architecture-trained, real estate professional – Matineh Keshavarz.
Born in 1982 in Iran, Matineh has been a Florida native for 10 years and a certified appraiser with D.S. Murphy for 2. She is an accomplished pianist and medal recipient in competitive swimming (breaststroke). She holds a Bachelor and Masters in Architecture. Little did she know, that advanced degree would have a bigger effect on her life as she married her best friend, also enrolled in the Architecture program. After graduating, she worked for the city of Tehran reviewing building permits and architectural drawings. She, her husband and baby daughter moved to Florida around 10 years ago to join the rest of her family. Her parents and brother moved to Florida a few years earlier. She remembers her time in Iran fondly but does not think she will visit anytime soon because her family is here (and because 15 hours on a plane with her 5-year-old sounds like a bit much). When asked to think about her time overseas, Matineh recalled, “I miss being young over there – the memories now are completely different. Here (in the U.S.) you have so many responsibilities and there it was just fun.” This comment reflects that she moved to the U.S. with a 1-year-old and had her other daughter while living here. She recounted her days in Iran. “I miss the streets and having 4 seasons of weather. I remember the cold winters. I miss my friends and the place I was working.”
Upon settling down in Florida, Matineh became a realtor (still today) and worked with Century 21 and Partnership Realty. She realized that she liked appraisal work and became a trainee in 2020 and certified in 2022. Today, Matineh loves visiting every major city in the U.S. Her favorites include NYC, Chicago, Washington D.C. and L.A. Many Iranian communities exist in L.A. and it is easy to find good Persian food. NYC and Chicago have more “fun things to do” but less authentic food options. Her daughters are 5 and 11 (Ava and Neeka) and enjoy traveling as a family. Her husband works as an Architect and General Contractor. When asked about her recent favorite book, she remarked “Diary of a Wimpy Kid! I love reading with my daughter and those books are funny.”
I asked Matineh the following questions…
Q: What made you want to be an appraiser?
A: I found out about it around the time I became a realtor. I saw some appraisers for my listings and they were better at valuation than the agents. I wanted to know how they got there so I became an appraiser. It is like solving a puzzle and playing a game where you have to find the key. It is interesting. Time goes so fast when I’m working on a report and I really enjoy it.
Q: What would you like to do when you are no longer appraising?
A: I would like to do Architecture. I currently do some remodeling and resale and I would focus more on that. Interior Design and Architecture is my passion.
Q: What the weirdest thing you have come across when inspecting/appraising?
A: I went to a house that looked like the Havisham house. Hallway to hallway of doors. It was like a scary movie, one room had an old lady lying on the bed sleeping in the darkness. I took pictures very fast and got out of the house. It was a big house though so I couldn’t get it done as fast as I’d like – but I tried my best.
Q: Something no one knows about you?
A: I am a talking person. Everyone usually knows everything about me. I love traveling and I will go literally anywhere. Breaking Bad is one of my favorite TV series.
Q: What words of wisdom can you share with the team?
A: At this point in my life, I would just say – Take it easy and be patient. Everything will pass. If I want to say something to my girls, this is what I say. Everything that is going to happen will happen. Wait to see where life will take you.