Amber Russell

There's a reason why Amber has been voted a NextDoor Neighborhood Favorite three years running - her approach is simple - get the best possible deal for her clients through honesty and integrity. After several years as one of the top Realtors(R) on the Monterey Peninsula with Sotheby's International Realty, Inc., Amber launched her own very successful real estate brokerage, Over the Moon Realty, Inc. "My husband, Robert, recently retired from the Navy after 20 years of service and now teaches high school locally. We love our community and want to be of service. That's why a portion of Over the Moon's proceeds will be donated to local high schools where I've established a scholarship geared toward graduating seniors who will be attending colleges/universities out of state. I call it Spread Your Wings." Over the Moon, not only expresses how she feels about being a real estate broker, but also how her clients feel. "Over a short period of time, I had several clients say to me, 'I'm over the moon,' as an expression of happiness," she says. "I thought of that immediately (when deciding on a name). Every real estate experience should be like that. Everyone should be over the moon!" In fact, Over the Moon's very first client, Rick Barnett, founder of the Masters of Light Gallery and National Archive, selected Amber's new brokerage to sell his historical building, a city landmark, the Harry Ashland Greene Mansion at 361 Lighthouse Ave. in Monterey. "Amber Russell is my real estate professional. When it came time to represent the sale of one of Monterey's most important properties, I wanted to trust in only the best. And Amber is the best," said Barnett. Amber has earned designations from the National Association of Realtors(R) as a Military Relocation Professional (MRP), a Realtor(R) who specializes in working with current and former military service members, and NAR's Green Designation specializing in energy efficiency and sustainability in real estate, the only Realtor(R) at the time on the Monterey Peninsula with that designation. Amber has a deep appreciation for military families and the surrounding communities who support them. When her husband was stationed overseas for a year, she attributes her friends, clients, and neighbors for helping her make it through the year and is forever grateful for the warm homecoming her husband received in the community. For Amber, real estate is more than a business. It's about building relationships, making a difference, and helping people move on to another stage in their lives. "I think real estate is seen as a transaction, something you have to go through," she says. "I think it should be an enjoyable experience for everybody. It's about bringing people together to achieve their goal." Originally from Southern California, Amber has spent time teaching journalism and English, as a high school and community college counselor, and is a certified conflict mediator. She's also a published author, collaborates with a producer for her own real estate videos and commercials, and was featured on HGTV's hit show "Tiny House Hunters." Amber believes that all her experiences and expertise in education, 28 years worth, gives her a distinct advantage in the real estate industry. "I think what makes me unique is my unique background as an educator, counselor and mediator," she says. "Having that background, helping people through the constant negotiations involved when buying or selling a home comes naturally to me which frees me up to be creative, think outside the box, and negotiate the best possible position for my clients."