5 Years of Real Estate
When asked what real estate means to her, licensed real estate professional Vershae Ward repeated one word: “freedom.”
“Freedom is both for me and my clients,” said Ward. “I am able to create a legacy for my family to come, and for those who are here.”
Ward is the oldest of four siblings, and said she’s always had an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2019, Ward partnered with a colleague in construction to begin investing in Milwaukee properties. Unfortunately, those plans didn’t work out, but that didn’t stop her journey. She then enrolled in the Milwaukee Area Technical College to earn a degree in real estate.
November 2025 marked five years in real estate for Ward, where she now works at Keller Williams Realty, LLC, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, which has more than 1,100 offices and 176,000 agents, according to its website.
She went from selling one house in her first year to reaching $100,000 in Gross Commission Income last year. GCI is the total commission a real estate agent or broker earns before any expenses are taken out. For example, an agent might earn a $20,000 commission on a home sale, but expenses such as broker splits, marketing, and taxes are still deducted.
Ward said being herself and building genuine relationships has helped with the success of her career. She added that it’s important to build trust, especially since most of her clients are first-time home buyers who are looking for their forever homes in Milwaukee.
She meets her clients wherever they are, whether they are pre-approved for a loan or not.
“In any industry, if you lead with being yourself, anything that happens outside of that is just noise,” said Ward.
Investing in Milwaukee
Creating generational wealth starts with intentionality. Going into 2026, Ward is looking to invest in Milwaukee properties because owning property and land creates financial stability.
“It’s so simple to invest in real estate,” she said. “Once you do it, it pays for itself.”
She also sees the potential in Milwaukee and wants to invest in the continued growth of the city.
“Invest in yourself and invest in the economy,” said Ward. “I feel like this year will be transformative for everybody.”
Ward has a goal to be licensed in three states, with Georgia being next on her list.
Nyesha Stone founded Carvd N Stone in 2017 to cover positive news while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Stone has a B.A. in Journalism. She has raised over $30,000 to award grants and scholarships. She has also been featured in ESSENCE and worked with the American Black Film Festival.
