23-year Morgan Hill resident founded nonprofit Air For Paws

Published in the Oct. 2-15, 2013 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Staff Report

Terry Moriyama

Terry Moriyama

Intero real estate agent Terry Moriyama got into the business of helping families find their dream homes when she realized she needed a job that would give her the flexibility to take care of her aging mother. With her background in sales, her love of the Morgan Hill community, and her passion for helping others, she found that real estate was a natural fit as a career path that would also give her time to help her parent.

Moriyama grew up in the Bay Area and has spent more than 23 years living in Morgan Hill. She is married to Tom Moriyama and the couple raised their daughter Jennifer here. She loves playing the role of grandmother to Jennifer’s two daughters, 5-year-old Ella Vaughn and 2-year old Taylor Rae.

Why do you enjoy helping people find a home for their families?

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love what I do. It’s not easy by any means, and sometimes downright challenging, but my passion is helping people find the home that best matches their dreams.

Purchasing a home is one of the most important decisions a family will make. And selling a home is an equally important process when a family is ready to move on. My job is to help my clients meet their needs and dreams, with as little stress as possible. It is all about them, after all — and it should never be anything else.

What nonprofit organizations are you involved with and why?

I am extremely involved in the local community and enjoy my connections with the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill, Leadership Morgan Hill and the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce. I’m also a board member at Hometown Holidays of Morgan Hill. We are a nonprofit that is the coordinating arm of the Morgan Hill holiday events. Our goal is to promote events that foster a sense of community and encourage families to gather and enjoy a festive holiday season.

But I am most proud of my position as founder and CEO of Air for Paws, Inc. In memory of the wonderful animals that have graced my life, I started this nonprofit to help provide much needed canine and feline resuscitation kits to first responders. Started as a small local charity, we are now beginning to make a difference in communities all across the country. But what makes this extra special is that most of our fundraising and volunteer support comes from the South County area, including HOPE Services — so we are able to give back, even as we receive.

What simple advice would you give people in purchasing a new home during this market?

Regardless of the market, it is all about trust. Home buying and selling is just too important to be handed off to just anyone. You have to find an agent who will understand your needs, have your back, go the extra mile, and always put your best interests first. That relationship of honesty and trust is what matters most to me.

How would you describe your style of serving your customers?

Ninety percent of my business is based on referrals from satisfied clients. My clients can have full faith in my ethics and fiduciary responsibilities, knowing that I will always do my very best at representing them in one of the biggest transactions of their lives. I am committed to stay with my clients every step of the way.

What is your favorite thing about living in Morgan Hill?

There’s just no other place like it anywhere. Morgan Hill combines some of the political and business sophistication of a large city with the spirit and sense of community that one usually finds only in small-town America. There is room to breathe here. Morgan Hill has history and tradition. It is a community that is not afraid to grow, but respects its roots in the process. It’s a place to call home.

Terry Moriyama

Location: 175 East Main Ave., Suite 130
Call: (408) 201-0111 , or (408) 710-1832 (cell)
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit: www.interorealestate.com