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Though Hoffman had been interested in real estate for some time, it wasn't until last year when his parent's home was on the market that he decided to pursue his realtor's license. Mary Janotta, the Meierhofer agent who sold the house, encouraged him to begin real estate classes and became a mentor to him in the process.

There's no place like home for Hoffman. "I grew up here," he said. "Things are not so rushed." Listing the benefits of living in this area - the community, the lakes, the landscape, and living close to family - he concluded, "You can't beat it."

After graduating from PAHS in 1996, Hoffman earned a marketing degree from Alexandria Technical College and worked in sales in the Twin Cities for a few years. Since returning to Paynesville, he has been working in construction and plans to continue part time.

Hoffman believes Paynesville is a great place to be a realtor. "I think it's a city and an area that is growing," he said. "We have the lakes, a great school district, and an up-to-date hospital."

One of his main goals as a realtor is to build good customer relations. "I'm looking forward to working with people I know in this community," said Hoffman.

In his free time, Hoffman enjoys snowmobiling but has been too busy to take his sled off the trailer this winter. He is also looking forward to buying his own home in the near future.