- Story by Toby Tannas Photography by Darren Hull
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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Jane Hoffman is a giant in the world of Kelowna Real Estate. Her name is synonymous with luxury, lakeshore listings. While Hoffman represents the lion鈥檚 share of waterfront buyers and sellers in this city, for a good portion of her life, she considered herself more of a lamb.
鈥淚 was the youngest child, I never said a word; I hardly talked,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淓ven as an adult, for the first years I was at this job, I just couldn鈥檛 quite see that it was really me.鈥�
A career in real estate was not even on the radar for the raven-haired, small town girl with kind eyes and a quiet strength. A young bride at the age of 19, Jane and her RCMP officer husband left her home town of Revelstoke for the big city of Vancouver. On weekends they built houses together. Glen Hoffman鈥檚 construction dreams quickly overshadowed his RCMP career and the couple eventually moved to Kelowna to grow his company, Braniff Construction Ltd.
Jane kept busy with a young son (Michael); she helped Glen with the company and attended classes at nursing school. But the course of her life changed forever on a winter night in 1982 when one of her greatest fears became reality.
鈥淕len always had a passion for flying. I was always nervous about him flying.鈥�
Glen and his business partner, Jim, who was Jane鈥檚 sister鈥檚 husband, were flying home in their private, company plane and crashed before they could land at Kelowna airport.
鈥淚 had a bad feeling and I was looking out my front door and down the hill came the RCMP. I knew. It had really happened, just the way I thought it was going to happen. It was like a nightmare,鈥� she recounts with tears in her eyes.
As Jane and her sister grieved the tragic and sudden loss of their husbands, she came to a decision, one that to this day she believes was the most important of her life.
鈥淚 remember thinking when the RCMP left, I can go upstairs in my bed and throw the comforter over my head and fall apart 鈥� that鈥檚 what I wanted to do,鈥� she admits. 鈥淥r I can keep going, ask for a few things from up above and be the person that survives.鈥�
Jane chose to survive. She took the reigns of Glen鈥檚 company, managed 150 employees and wrapped up the remaining projects that Braniff was committed to. It took five years and an incredible amount of strength. Jane admits to feeling like she had a helping hand from above.
鈥淚 thought, oh Glen, I hope you help me somehow and I think he did. I think when people die you can take what you learned from them and you just kind of do it.鈥�
As Braniff鈥檚 operations wound down, a casual comment from her cousin David got Jane thinking about the next chapter of her life. He reminded her how much she loved the lake and lakeshore homes and suggested she think about selling them. Jane was quietly intrigued.
鈥淲hen I took the real estate course, I didn鈥檛 tell anybody.鈥�
At the age of 34, Jane re-invented herself as an agent.
鈥淚t was really hard. The first year I sold five homes in the whole year. The next it was 15 and then it started compounding.鈥�
She recalls tons of work, rejection and disappointment in the beginning, but then something clicked. She bought herself a little cottage on the lake and her love for it naturally formed the basis of her selling strategy.
鈥淪elling houses on the lake brings so much joy to people. I had a passion for it myself, so I鈥檇 convince people they should do it too. That鈥檚 how I started.鈥�
As she threw herself into work, raising her son and acquiring more properties, Jane never let go of that first lake house and the healing comfort it provided her.
鈥淚n the summer I would move to the little beach house. I was very lonely at the time and I鈥檇 say to Michael, 鈥業 love the lake. I feel like someone is always home when the water is there because it鈥檚 ever changing.鈥欌��
Jane lives in a beautiful waterfront home in Kelowna鈥檚 lower mission these days. Michael and his family live just a few blocks away, and Michael has followed in his father鈥檚 footsteps, undertaking various development projects in the city. Thanks to Michael, Braniff Construction Ltd. has been re-born, something that makes his mother very proud.
鈥淢y son took on all of Glen鈥檚 qualities, except the desire to fly 鈥� he didn鈥檛 pick that up at all.鈥�
After 35 years in the real estate business, 16-hour days are still the norm for Jane.
鈥淚 may have gotten that from my mother,鈥� she says with a smile, referring to Kay Beruschi 鈥� a Revelstoke pioneer, who opened the renowned Regent Hotel in Revelstoke with her husband Fred during the great depression. They ran it together until Jane鈥檚 dad died in 1976. Kay remained a constant presence at The Regent until the age of 92.
鈥淓veryone knew Grandma Kay,鈥� chuckles Jane. 鈥淪he was a character, a true entrepreneur who was ahead of her time.鈥�
Kay passed away at the age of 100 in 2014. Jane, her brother and sister still own The Regent and two other hotels in Revelstoke. Her nephew Brady operates them.
Jane鈥檚 primary focus is The Jane Hoffmann Real Estate Team. With 14 people who have become her work family and more than 150 active listings, Jane doesn鈥檛 take much time off. When she can get away, you鈥檒l find her on the slopes or travelling to a favourite destination like Hawaii. Jane鈥檚 other passions include raising money for various charities, including the Central Okanagan Hospice Association, and listening to live music. If you invite her to a concert, she will never say no.
鈥淚鈥檒l go to any concert, it doesn鈥檛 matter the music, I just love the energy.鈥�
Jane Hoffman brims with energy. At an age when some might consider retirement, she still feels that rush of excitement when a buyer and a house match up.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like destiny. When I see it happen, I find it so fascinating,鈥� she explains. 鈥淪ometimes when a house isn鈥檛 selling, I remind myself just to let go, someone is meant for that house and when it鈥檚 right, it will all come together.鈥�
Selling real estate doesn鈥檛 come without stress and uncertainty but Jane takes it all in stride.
鈥淚t seems to be good for me. It keeps me healthy, vibrant and relevant. I鈥檓 so used to being busy and interacting, I鈥檓 not sure what would happen to me if I retired.鈥�
Jane has found love over the years but has never re-married. Through all of life鈥檚 ups and downs, she鈥檚 taken tremendous comfort in being near the lake. It鈥檚 a deep, personal connection to the water that provided solace for a young widow so many years ago. These days it鈥檚 a peaceful escape during chaotic times and even just a glance out the window is enough to fill her with an immense sense of gratitude.
The course of Jane Hoffman鈥檚 life may have been altered by tragedy, but somewhere on that journey the once timid lamb found her voice and roared her way to the top.
鈥淚 live stronger, better because I feel like I鈥檓 living for two people not just one. I got to stay, so let鈥檚 make it worthwhile.鈥�
Check out some of Jane鈥檚 listing on her .
