2004
Katie graduated from Queens University and became focused on a career in Real Estate. After falling in love with the city of Kingston during her time at Queen’s, she decided to stay and start her career there. She landed her first job as a Real Estate Administrative Assistant to Jeff Sands, a young and already successful Realtor who had earned his license in 2003. It was not love at first sight, but over time, a strong connection built between Jeff and Katie.
2010
Jeff and Katie tied the knot and settled into a happy life together in their charming country home in Kingston, Ontario, accompanied by their two English Bulldogs. As they enjoyed their personal life, they also thrived professionally, watching their successful real estate business grow. Both their careers and lives were on an upward trajectory.
2015
Life took an unexpected and challenging turn. After privately beginning to struggle with addiction and substance use disorder a few years prior, they began to speak openly about their struggles and made a few unsuccessful attempts to get into recovery. This period was marked by immense turbulence and a sense of being out of control. They often describe it as though they were watching from the sidelines as their careers, personal relationships, and the financial successes they had worked so hard for slowly unraveled.
2017
After failed attempts at rehab centers, detox facilities, and recovery programs, they found themselves depleted of resources and possessions, facing financial hardship, and struggling with severe physical and emotional health. In 2017, they hit their all time “rock bottom”. In that moment, both Jeff and Katie knew this wasn’t the life they were meant to live, and together, they embarked on their journey to recovery. They immediately recognized the need for a profound change and a fresh start.
2018
The duo moved back to Katie’s hometown of Peterborough, Ontario. They joined a wonderful, close-knit brokerage, Ball Real Estate, and set up their own office on Hunter Street in downtown Peterborough. One day at a time, they started to clean up the “mess” created during their addiction. Little by little, they began putting their lives back together and learning a completely new way to live. This was a remarkable period of deep self-reflection and personal growth. They both gained a great deal of humility and felt gratitude for even the smallest of life’s pleasures.
2020
Shortly after celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary, Jeff and Katie were overjoyed to welcome their first child, Mitchell David Sands. Then, in May of 2022, they were further blessed with the arrival of their second son, Charlie Henry Sands. As their family grew, so did their real estate business, which continued to thrive and expand.
2024
Recognizing the need to expand their team and continue providing exceptional service to their clients, Jeff and Katie welcomed new team members and invested in their own staging warehouse, fully equipped to professionally stage their listings. This marked an exciting period of growth for the team, with a continued focus on enhancing the client experience and strengthening their marketing and listing services. During this time, Alexa Robinson also transitioned from her role in social media and marketing to becoming a licensed Sales Representative, further expanding the team’s ability to support buyers and sellers throughout Peterborough and the surrounding areas.
2025
In 2025, Jeff and Katie continued to grow their team and take their full-service approach to the next level. They welcomed Helena Frei as their Media Specialist to oversee digital marketing and help bring their vision of a fully in-house listing experience to life. Building on their existing staging services, they invested in professional photography and videography equipment, allowing the team to handle every aspect of their listing presentation in-house. From staging and photography to video, virtual tours, floor plans, and marketing, everything could now be managed by their own team, ensuring consistency, quality, and a seamless experience for their clients.
Today
Jeff and Katie are thrilled to offer their valued clients ‘full-service’ real estate. With an upbeat and hardworking team, they collaborate to handle every detail. Their goal remains to help alleviate the stress for both sellers and buyers, managing each step of the process with precision and dedication!
