“At the core of everything I do is a desire to make a positive impact.”
After nearly two decades in real estate, Erin Ogden Oxender has built a career that reaches well beyond buying and selling homes. She began her career in 2007, which, as timing would have it, was right as the market shifted dramatically.
“I got my license and then the market crashed,” she said. “It was the complete opposite of what it is now.”
Instead of easing into the business, Erin was thrown in during one of the most challenging times in recent history, working through short sales, bank-owned properties, and a constantly changing market.
“I think I learned a lot about being resilient,” she said.
That experience shaped how she approaches work today. Although the market has since evolved, that early exposure to uncertainty created a foundation she still relies on, adapting, learning, and figuring things out on the way.
Since then, Erin has spent her entire career with Keller Williams Capital Partners and The Columbus Team, where she now serves as Co-Owner alongside her business partner. Over time, her business has grown into a high-producing operation with a strong reputation across the market. But ask Erin about what sets her apart, and she doesn’t point to a specific deal, decision, or milestone.
“I don’t think there’s one thing,” she said. “I think it’s a combination of showing up every day, leading with integrity, and always wanting what’s best for my clients.”
That mindset of showing up has extended beyond her own business. Erin has been involved with Columbus REALTORS® since early in her career, something she says was encouraged by mentors before she fully understood why it mattered.
“At first I didn’t know why I was getting involved,” she said. “But looking back now, I can’t imagine not”.
Over the years, that involvement has grown into leadership roles across the local, state, and national levels, including Chair of the CORPAC Governing Board, Co-Chair of REALTOR® Care Day, and leadership with the Ohio REALTORS® Leadership Academy. What she’s gotten in return isn’t something you can measure with awards or titles.
“It’s the relationships,” she said. “Everything I’ve put into it, I’ve gotten back, probably fivefold.”
Erin emphasizes that none of her success was accomplished on her own.
“I couldn’t do all of this without my team,” she said, referencing The Columbus Team and the colleagues who support her day to day.
That support extends beyond the office as well. Her husband and two kids, who keep her busy with volleyball courts, baseball fields, and just about every kind of practice schedule, play a big role in keeping everything balanced (or at least as balanced as it can be).
In her free time, Erin also coaches her daughter’s volleyball team and stays involved in school activities, including serving as PTA treasurer, something that, like most of what she takes on, probably started as “I can help” and turned into a larger, meaningful commitment.
Through her involvement, Erin has grown from a learner in the industry to a leader. Her current outlook centers on contributing, mentoring, and helping others find their way in the industry. That shift shows up clearly when she talks about her career goals.
“I still love what I do,” she said. “But now, my goals look more like helping my team reach theirs.”
Helping others succeed, whether they’re clients, teammates, or newer agents, is what she finds most fulfilling at this stage in her career. That perspective carries into the advice she gives to those just starting out.
“I think just showing up every day and getting involved is the biggest thing,” she said. “You don’t have to do something huge, just start somewhere.”
It might seem like simple advice, but it reflects how her own career has grown. Not from one defining moment, but from years of involvement, relationships, and a willingness to step in when opportunities came up, even when it meant adding one more thing to an already full schedule. Being named Salesperson of the Year paints a full picture of who Erin is. Not just her production or leadership roles, but the way she has approached the industry from the beginning. Showing up, staying involved, and building something that extends beyond just the work itself. And, most days, doing it all somewhere between a closing and volleyball game.
