Natalie Simon
JULY 2023 COVER STORY
STORY BY ZACH COHEN | PHOTOS BY NESTED TOURS
COMING HOME
Over the past century, Nichols Hills has become one of the most desirable places to live in all of Oklahoma. Founded in the early 1900s, Nichols Hills boasts impressive homes on expansive acreage, a bustling restaurant scene, beautiful green spaces, and a vibrant community. This suburb of Oklahoma City has managed to maintain its rural feel even as more upscale businesses move into the area. Nearly 100 years after its inception, it remains one of the most attractive places to live in the area.
Natalie Simon has called Nichols Hills home for the past eight years, the last seven of which she’s spent as one of the area’s top real estate agents.
“Nichols Hills is where I'm raising my family. I love the area and community. It's a warm, loving place where residents care about the neighborhood and want to see it develop into something special.” Natalie offers. “It’s home, and I enjoy contributing to making it a better place to live. We recently finished remodeling our current home in the area and wouldn't be surprised if we got the itch to do it again in a few years.”
Coming Home
Natalie’s first career was as a project manager for IBM. All told, she spent ten years working for the company, first in Michigan and later in Oklahoma. She moved to Oklahoma after meeting her husband, Simon, and she eventually joined him in real estate.
“My husband opened a brokerage 13 years ago. He started in 2008 by buying rental properties and building a portfolio, got his license, and started a brokerage. He didn't expect to sell real estate, but clients started to call, and it turned into much more,” Natalie explains.
As Simon became engrossed in real estate investing and other entrepreneurial endeavors, he asked Natalie to take over the residential division of his company.
Natalie's interest in real estate was sparked when she and Simon began remodeling homes. Exploring and developing architecture, layouts, and design gave her a fundamental understanding of structures, materials, and construction procedures and inspired her to launch her own real estate career. In 2016, Natalie was licensed. The transition into real estate coincided with the birth of her oldest daughter, allowing her the flexibility to be a present mom and hold a career.
“It was an easy transition. My husband is my mentor, and it is fun to work with each other. It has its challenges, but overall we are a strong team who push each other to succeed,” Natalie shares.
Natalie has now been selling real estate for seven years. Her commitment to building her business through word of mouth and referrals has allowed her to develop one of Nichols Hills’ strongest reputations. In 2022, she closed 23 transactions for $19 million as an agent with Simon Simon Real Estate with eXp Realty.
“Clients like working with me because I pride myself on being professional, honest, efficient, and discreet, and I get the job done. I’m there for my clients and will go the extra mile to make sure my clients get what they want and the process is seamless. I try to think creatively and outside of the box to make things work for them. It's never a simple transaction in the luxury market, so you have to be creative. Buying or selling a home is typically one of the biggest financial decisions my clients will ever make, so it is my job to make sure it is a sound, stable investment for them and their future,” Natalie explains.
Living in Balance
Outside work, Natalie can be found playing tennis, volunteering, and hanging out with her family. She and Simon have two daughters, Sienna (7) and Sloane (2.5).
“They keep me busy. Between after-school activities, school, summer, and running a business at the same time — it’s a little chaotic but so much fun. I wouldn't change a thing about it,” Natalie beams.
As she looks ahead, Natalie aspires to continue serving her clients, growing her business, and being there for her family. She admits that achieving work/life balance was more challenging in the early years of her career, but now she’s able to set better expectations with clients and, thus, create more time with her family.
“I know at times it can be challenging when things are urgent, but in my eyes, family always comes first,” she says. “Having two girls, I'd like to show them you can accomplish anything. You can pick up a new career, and if you put your mind to it, you can achieve endless goals. I didn't know anything about real estate, picked it up seven years ago, and have accomplished so much. Whatever you want to achieve — as a woman, you can do it.”
Fun Fact
Natalie was born and raised in Michigan. She landed in Oklahoma after meeting her husband in a serendipitous fashion. “We met in Vegas,” Natalie laughs. “I was at a bachelorette party, and he was at a bachelor party. We had mutual connections from two of our parties who introduced us at the pool. We long-distance dated, and the rest is history.”
