A little about my life …
Through this site I am grateful for one more way to reach out to my past clients, friends, and, of course, to people I have yet to meet. Believe it or not, this is also a great way for me to stay in touch with my family which is spread out from to Virginia to Florida. In the paragraphs below, I’ll tell you a little about myself …my background, how I came to live and work at the beach, etc.
This business of real estate has always intrigued me. After graduating from American University in Washington, DC with a BS in Administration of Justice thinking I would pursue a career as a Secret Service Agent (like my Uncle Eddie) I found that the Federal Government was in a hiring freeze. I went into banking and ended up managing a branch office for the then Citizen’s Bank & Trust in Bethesda, Maryland. Just prior to that I had been a bank teller working part time while in college. This is where I met a man named Urban Donnelly. This ultimately changed the course of my life. Urban managed a real estate company in Aspen Hill at the time and as a customer often came into the bank where I worked. It was at Urban’s urging that I decided to pursue obtaining my real estate license. After obtaining my license I joined his firm on a part time basis. Later he became a Top Producing Realtor with Long & Foster in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was about then that I also moved on to associate with Long & Foster in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Interestingly, about fifteen years ago Urban (whom I had not communicated with in probably 30 plus years) did a name search on himself and found his name in my website and reached out to me. I got to thank him again for all that he did to help me in my career. Such a blessing.
My sister and I visited the Outer Banks with our parents on vacation every year for many years in the late 60’s and early 70’s … and like many, fell in love with this place. In the early ’80’s my Dad, Charlie, remarried and relocated to Kitty Hawk with his wife Pat, and later (in 1985), I moved here. I was soon followed by my sister, Jeanne, and her husband; and then by my Mom, Jan. I like to call it a “mass exodus” to Carolina (no more Beltway mania for the Leatherwoods).
You may not remember, but 1985 was centuries ago in technology. Lets see … NO Multiple Listing, No Voice Mail, No Fax Machines, No Computers, No E-mail, No Cell phones, and NO INTERNET! The only word that comes to mind is “Wow!”
I have watched our little Beach grow into a thriving year round economy. Back then, the only “traffic” you had to wait for when making a turn on or off the main highway was the “deer.’ Now it is even busy in January!
During my real estate career here on the Outer Banks, one of the questions I am often asked is how I came to be known as “The Sandman.” One summer day years ago I was working with a couple who were looking at Oceanside Lots in Duck which is really one big sand dune. The wife of the couple turned to me on the spur of the moment and said “You sell sand … You’re the Sandman”! I kind of liked it and have used it ever since. Funny thing is sometimes people I talk to cannot remember my name, but they remember “The Sandman.” This was never more obvious to me than when I called a fellow REALTOR® at his home some time ago to discuss an offer. His then 12 year old son answered the phone … when I asked for his Dad, and told him my name, “John Leatherwood,” he yelled out to his dad …”Dad, its the Sandman!” I thought wow even my competitors kids know me. I guess its working!
I believe that my success, in addition to my continuous efforts to provide excellent service, communication and sound advise, is due to my commitment to my clients. Whether someone is purchasing an Oceanfront property in the $3M plus range or a Soundside home in the $600,000 range, I want that person to receive the very best service in the market. It must be working, for I have received so many nice letters from past clients … see Testimonials on the Home Page where you will see some of the letters I have received.
So … although I love what I do, I also enjoy time away. I love to take short trips to explore new places. I love to do anything with my (now adults) progeny – one son, and two daughters and now one granddaughter. I also enjoy the beach of course, and the occasional round of golf at the Pointe or Carolina Club courses. I have had a lifelong love of motorcycles and currently have a Goldwing which I like to ride … mostly locally. I once had a dream of riding across this great Country of ours (and back!) and see what I see. I had always had a plan to do this with my “brother from another mother” Dave Filler – my lifelong best bud. Sadly, Dave passed in 2020 within the first few months of Covid. I have found a new love! Recently I have found my way back into tennis and LOVE IT. It allows me to get great exercise and has opened the door to meeting so many new and awesome people. And through those connections have sold 2 homes and currently have another one listed as of this writing. So, it has been a blessing on all fronts. The OBX Tennis Community is filled with some of the nicest people you will ever meet.
I also enjoy a good book. My favorite authors are Michael Connelly, James Patterson (when Patterson wrote his own books), John Grisham, and Lee Child. About 2004, I began to do some writing of my own. This was a cathartic process for me which ended up morphing into a book which I titled: “Man Alive – What it Means to be a Man of God”. The front cover footer reads: “For Men Only – Prompting the Hearts and Minds of men to The Path for a Life of Excellence”. *** You can Google “Man Alive – John Leatherwood”, or search by ISBN#9781498490986. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and available in Kindle format. Published by Xulon Press, a part of Salem Media Group, with release date of 12/13/16.
I continue to be blessed in my work which I still enjoy with a passion. I get to meet so many interesting people each year. It is a good thing when a person really enjoys what they do because even though it is work (which can be challenging) … it is never boring! 🙂
I hope you will find this Website interesting and informational. Please email me with any questions. I look forward to being of service to you one day with your real estate needs here on the …
OUTER BANKS of North Carolina.
John
John “The Sandman”
252-202-3834 Cell Direct
John@SandmanTeamOBX.com