Meet Andrew Johnson—Area Realtor, Family Man, and All-Around Good Guy
Andrew Johnson lives and works in Martinsburg, WV. He co-owns a successful real estate company, Touchstone Realty, and is a proud dad and husband. Truthfully, his company is quite successful, and has created quite a buzz around the area for its innovative approach during hard times. And his family skills, well, that’s sort of the reason we wanted to do a piece on him.
He grew up locally, joined the Navy, flirted with some ideas for a career after that, and basically did what all of us do, or have done, along the way. When the dust settled, he had discovered some valuable things about himself, as well as a path towards success that best suited him. He’s a young man (a self-proclaimed “settled young man”), but he has carved out a niche for himself, and realized some special dreams early in life. He shares some of his thoughts on the past, present, and future, and what life means to him now that he’s made it through the tricky part.
YEP: You grew up in the Eastern Panhandle; describe those early years.
Johnson: I was born and raised on a farm on Swan Pond Road (Martinsburg). Our house was known as a place to hang out. We had four-wheelers, guns, junk food, paintball—everything. We had five teams of five kids. Every summer, we’d have the Swan Pond Super Bowl—football was always being played. We weren’t even allowed in the house. We came and went for meals, but other than that, my parents left us outside. We got into a “little” trouble here and there—I burned down two barns “smoking out rabbits.” All in all, we were good kids—fishing, fighting, wrestling—we were just kids.
YEP: You played soccer at a high level in high school. Did sports carry on for you after graduation?
Johnson: I graduated in ’96. I went to Hagerstown Junior College—played soccer there—totally loved it. But I overlooked one small detail—I had to go to class. My grades were pretty low. I went back the second semester, intent on getting my GPA above 2.0—but I was bored, and couldn’t deny it, so I switched gears. On September 28th, 1998, I left for the Navy. It changed me for the better. Make no mistake, I was lazy, but my views and my priorities started to change. And then one day, I was skimming through my textbook before a test, and I realized I could recite anything that I read. I ended up graduating first in my class, and got my pick of orders—wherever I wanted to go. I could have taken anything, but I wanted to see some of the world, and selected the USS Cushing, a destroyer stationed in Yokosuka, Japan.
Johnson: I graduated in ’96. I went to Hagerstown Junior College—played soccer there—totally loved it. But I overlooked one small detail—I had to go to class. My grades were pretty low. I went back the second semester, intent on getting my GPA above 2.0—but I was bored, and couldn’t deny it, so I switched gears. On September 28th, 1998, I left for the Navy. It changed me for the better. Make no mistake, I was lazy, but my views and my priorities started to change. And then one day, I was skimming through my textbook before a test, and I realized I could recite anything that I read. I ended up graduating first in my class, and got my pick of orders—wherever I wanted to go. I could have taken anything, but I wanted to see some of the world, and selected the USS Cushing, a destroyer stationed in Yokosuka, Japan.
YEP: How did life take shape for you after your time in the Navy?
Johnson: Even after the Navy, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I had an option to stay in Japan and make decent money playing soccer, but I felt as if I’d outgrown it. I was ready to move on. So, I got into Shepherd College, even though I didn’t necessarily have a plan. But again, I got bored. So, I finished out the semester and picked my classes for the next semester—but this time, they were all classes I actually wanted to take: biology, physics, calculus. It was all very intriguing, especially physics, and I did extremely well, but I just couldn’t shake the “who needs it?” feeling. I get bored easily.
Johnson: Even after the Navy, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I had an option to stay in Japan and make decent money playing soccer, but I felt as if I’d outgrown it. I was ready to move on. So, I got into Shepherd College, even though I didn’t necessarily have a plan. But again, I got bored. So, I finished out the semester and picked my classes for the next semester—but this time, they were all classes I actually wanted to take: biology, physics, calculus. It was all very intriguing, especially physics, and I did extremely well, but I just couldn’t shake the “who needs it?” feeling. I get bored easily.
YEP: Ok, so college wasn’t for you, and you needed a steady challenge.What led you to real estate?
Johnson: I went to work for my grandfather. He’s a landowner, and has been a land developer in the area for a long time. I worked in Spring Hill (one of his 700-lot subdivisions) and learned real estate from the bottom up. From putting in sewer pipes, water, and fire hydrants to lot surveys and paving roads—I did it all. One day, he took me to lunch and said, “You should get into real estate—you can sell a house and make an extra five thousand dollars.” That’s how it started. I already knew I could sell; certainly I could sell houses.
Johnson: I went to work for my grandfather. He’s a landowner, and has been a land developer in the area for a long time. I worked in Spring Hill (one of his 700-lot subdivisions) and learned real estate from the bottom up. From putting in sewer pipes, water, and fire hydrants to lot surveys and paving roads—I did it all. One day, he took me to lunch and said, “You should get into real estate—you can sell a house and make an extra five thousand dollars.” That’s how it started. I already knew I could sell; certainly I could sell houses.
YEP: When did you know that you’d stumbled into the perfect profession?Johnson: I knew this was the profession for me after I took the test and went to work the next day. I sold my first house on my first day, and closed it. It was easy money; it came naturally to me. I could figure things out quickly; I was quick on my feet—it was just easy. In the beginning, I worked until I couldn’t sleep; I drove myself to nosebleeds and migraines. I was determined to be at the top. It was personal. Other realtors might have known more about the industry, or about people, but they were not going to outwork me. My mentor once told me: “Hustle will trump brains in this industry.”
YEP: What is your role at Touchstone, and how do you plan on keeping it a leader in the industry?
Johnson: My task is simple. I am to stay in front of the market and look back—guiding our company on the correct path. We’ve talked to several national builders and large Top-100 builders that are returning to the area. It used to be that you couldn’t get ahold of anyone at these large builders. Now, they’re coming into our office, asking us to work for them. The money an agent makes in five years starts today. It’s like turning an aircraft carrier. You have to understand that it’s slow—yet doable.
Johnson: My task is simple. I am to stay in front of the market and look back—guiding our company on the correct path. We’ve talked to several national builders and large Top-100 builders that are returning to the area. It used to be that you couldn’t get ahold of anyone at these large builders. Now, they’re coming into our office, asking us to work for them. The money an agent makes in five years starts today. It’s like turning an aircraft carrier. You have to understand that it’s slow—yet doable.
YEP: There’s no question you can sell houses. Touchstone Realty has become the standard in the area, and you are personally setting national-caliber records. People might perceive you as this numbers-driven guy who works at hyper speeds, but there’s a whole lot more to what motivates you.Johnson: Absolutely. My family.
YEP: How did you meet your wife?
Johnson: I met Amber in the gym at the beginning of my first semester at Shepherd, 2003. She was unavailable, naturally. I bobbed and weaved, put pieces together, learned her schedule, and even used some friends to get in front of her. I wanted to prove to her that I wasn’t just some guy trying to sow wild oats. Well, she wouldn’t give me the time of day. My final attempt was to spend the last $800 I had left from the Navy on an “extra” ticket for a cruise over spring break. I had to call her to get her last name for the ticket. When she called back, I told her I’d purchased us tickets for a Caribbean cruise leaving from Miami. It was terribly risky, but I had no other play. She came up with every excuse possible as to why she couldn’t go, and I found an objection for every one of them. We went on the cruise and were engaged three months later. Seven months after that, we were married. And two months after that, she was pregnant.
Johnson: I met Amber in the gym at the beginning of my first semester at Shepherd, 2003. She was unavailable, naturally. I bobbed and weaved, put pieces together, learned her schedule, and even used some friends to get in front of her. I wanted to prove to her that I wasn’t just some guy trying to sow wild oats. Well, she wouldn’t give me the time of day. My final attempt was to spend the last $800 I had left from the Navy on an “extra” ticket for a cruise over spring break. I had to call her to get her last name for the ticket. When she called back, I told her I’d purchased us tickets for a Caribbean cruise leaving from Miami. It was terribly risky, but I had no other play. She came up with every excuse possible as to why she couldn’t go, and I found an objection for every one of them. We went on the cruise and were engaged three months later. Seven months after that, we were married. And two months after that, she was pregnant.
YEP: You’re a family man, in addition to being a businessman. You’ve done something extremely special for your daughters, though they won’t realize it until later. Can you elaborate?
Johnson: I came up with an idea that when my girls are at the age to get their own website, or their own email accounts, they probably won’t have that option. So I purchased their names as URLs. I also opened them each an email account. Every Friday, I sit down and email them a quick message—just notes about things they are doing, or things they are struggling with. Or things that I am struggling with. I want them to know, when the time comes, that they are very lucky to have parents who care, and very lucky to have all of the things they have. I am very careful not to spoil them. The email accounts are a simple theory—an outlet to tell them things that they don’t understand right now. An opportunity to tell them how hard their mom works to keep things nice for them—and how often Amber and I discuss how to try different things and get better results from them. I want them to know that we worked hard to bring two wonderful girls into the world. Currently, my oldest is struggling with being bored in school. This proves very challenging for me because I get it. I understand what she is going through; however, I don’t have a solution. But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying very hard. So I try to communicate to her that I recognize the issue and Amber and I are addressing it the best way we know how.
Johnson: I came up with an idea that when my girls are at the age to get their own website, or their own email accounts, they probably won’t have that option. So I purchased their names as URLs. I also opened them each an email account. Every Friday, I sit down and email them a quick message—just notes about things they are doing, or things they are struggling with. Or things that I am struggling with. I want them to know, when the time comes, that they are very lucky to have parents who care, and very lucky to have all of the things they have. I am very careful not to spoil them. The email accounts are a simple theory—an outlet to tell them things that they don’t understand right now. An opportunity to tell them how hard their mom works to keep things nice for them—and how often Amber and I discuss how to try different things and get better results from them. I want them to know that we worked hard to bring two wonderful girls into the world. Currently, my oldest is struggling with being bored in school. This proves very challenging for me because I get it. I understand what she is going through; however, I don’t have a solution. But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying very hard. So I try to communicate to her that I recognize the issue and Amber and I are addressing it the best way we know how.
YEP: What does it mean to you to be able to call this area home?
Johnson: I love the Panhandle—the area, the weather, and the people. It has been very good to my family and me. However, we will leave soon after retirement. Maybe Montana, or Maine, if I get my way. Hawaii, or the Florida Keys, if Amber gets hers. We plan on going to all of the NFL stadiums to see a game. Then it will be a Super Bowl. But for now, the Panhandle is my home. My entire family lives here—all of my aunts and uncles live within a mile of each other. We are all very close. My mother was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer about six years ago. Somehow, and call it what you will, she is now cancer free and living a healthy life. Her energy is contagious and amazing. I hope that someday I can share the tough stories with my children of how she fought that cancer head on. These are lessons that are important for us to learn, and if I was not living in the area with my family, I would have missed out on this.
Johnson: I love the Panhandle—the area, the weather, and the people. It has been very good to my family and me. However, we will leave soon after retirement. Maybe Montana, or Maine, if I get my way. Hawaii, or the Florida Keys, if Amber gets hers. We plan on going to all of the NFL stadiums to see a game. Then it will be a Super Bowl. But for now, the Panhandle is my home. My entire family lives here—all of my aunts and uncles live within a mile of each other. We are all very close. My mother was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer about six years ago. Somehow, and call it what you will, she is now cancer free and living a healthy life. Her energy is contagious and amazing. I hope that someday I can share the tough stories with my children of how she fought that cancer head on. These are lessons that are important for us to learn, and if I was not living in the area with my family, I would have missed out on this.
YEP: Would you say you’re living the dream—your dream?
Johnson: I am living my dream. I always wanted a family, a wife, and a few toys. I have that. Money used to be a big thing to me. Over the years, I’ve realized, it doesn’t matter that much any more. I’ve got what I want.
Johnson: I am living my dream. I always wanted a family, a wife, and a few toys. I have that. Money used to be a big thing to me. Over the years, I’ve realized, it doesn’t matter that much any more. I’ve got what I want.
Photo(s) courtesy of: Andrew Johnson
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