My Story

I'm Julie Papagni — a Broker Associate with eXp Realty, a Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker (BK3537250), and a Coastal Living Specialist with 24 years of real estate experience and five years calling the Sarasota area home.

I began my career in public relations and advertising, but when I had four young children in elementary school, I needed something more flexible. A friend who was a broker strongly encouraged me to look into getting my real estate license — and I did. That was 24 years ago in Michigan, and I haven't stopped since.

What started as a career choice quickly became a calling. Along the way, I built deep industry expertise — not just in selling, but in leading. I served as Team Leader and CEO of a Keller Williams office in Michigan, where I was responsible for 400 agents — one of the largest offices in the region.

After that, I was hired as a productivity coach and spent 1.5 years training agents across the region. I taught them how to negotiate, how to communicate, and how to put clients first. That coaching instinct never left — I still mentor and coach agents today, helping them sharpen the same skills that have defined my own career.

I missed my clients. I missed making the deals... and I missed the thrill of putting it all together. So I came back to selling — and I've never looked back. About five years ago, I made the move from Michigan to the Palmer Ranch area, and that's when everything clicked. I'd spent two decades building my craft in Michigan, but living on the Gulf Coast showed me a whole new side of real estate — and a whole new chapter of life. Today, I'm a Palmer Ranch girl at heart. My focus is the $750K–$1M+ luxury segment across Sarasota County and Manatee County, and I've been licensed as a Broker Associate here for about two and a half years.

I'm a listing specialist with deep industry expertise — I know how to price, position, and negotiate. Relocation and new construction are other areas where my experience shines. I know how to read builder contracts, where builders have flexibility on pricing, and how to protect your interests from groundbreaking through final walkthrough. Having been a relocation specialist and buyer myself when moving from Michigan to Sarasota, I understand firsthand what it takes to make a seamless transition to the Gulf Coast. It's imperative that buyers work with an agent like me to ensure every detail is monitored before we get to the closing table.

As I like to say, I'll help you find a home you'll love waking up in every day. I'm not an agent that goes into hiding. I don't have a bunch of assistants doing my work for me. When you work with me, you get me. Directly. Personally. Every step of the way.