This is a paid piece from the REALTOR® Association of the Sioux Empire.

Simplified: Four Sioux Falls real estate professionals were recognized recently with the annual RASE YPN "4 Under 40" award from the REALTOR® Association of the Sioux Empire (RASE). Meet the winners and learn what sets them apart.

Why it matters

  • RASE started the 4 Under 40 award in 2021, and the program is modeled after the National Association of REALTORS® 30 Under 30 award, which recognizes candidates who are successful in the real estate business and have demonstrated skill, success, creativity, and leadership in their careers.
  • Winners are selected by a RASE committee, which looks for people who are not only successful in terms of selling but also who volunteer and who support the association's work.
  • The hope is that by recognizing people who are relatively new to the industry, the association can help mold its future leaders.
"This award highlights the accomplishments within the real estate industry but also our communities and is truly an honor to receive amongst our industry," said Kate Patrick, RASE board president and past winner of the 4 under 40 award.

Tell me more about the winners

Winners are listed here in alphabetical order.

Blake Bohner built a team and made a name for himself in the real estate industry within only six years. He's currently an agent with Keller Williams Realty leading a high-producing team.

  • Colleagues say Bohner is dedicated to always making himself a better agent for his clients, and he's gone through the highest levels of the industry's CORE coaching.
  • The 4 Under 40 award is not only an honor to receive, Bohner said, but it's also a motivator to continue to strive for excellence in the industry.
"This recognition is incredibly meaningful to me as it reflects the hard work and dedication I've put into my career as a REALTOR®," Bohner said. "Being one of the four recipients is not just a personal achievement, but a reminder of the support and trust I've received from my clients and colleagues."

Rebecca Ohayon in many ways has been a part of the real estate world her entire life, having watched her dad's career in the industry. The 38-year-old initially went to school for criminal justice to work as a paralegal, but it didn't take too long for her to realize what she really wanted was to be her own boss.

  • Ohayon got her license in March 2016, and she's committed to ensuring people have a positive experience and see the value of working with positive, ethical agents.
  • She said she cried when she found out she won the 4 Under 40 award because it was so humbling to feel that all of her hard work and sacrifices were worthwhile.
"I'm very proud of what I do," Ohayon said. "I want the world to know that I'm not here for the paycheck, I'm here for the people."

Julie Roth began her real estate career as an extension of her work as an interior designer and her business, JR Designs. Today, she maintains both businesses and helps people both find their dream house and make it feel like home.

  • Roth said her favorite part of real estate is working with clients to understand their needs and how they use their spaces. It's all about relationship building, she said.
  • Just days after learning she'd received the 4 Under 40 award, Roth announced that she was opening her own real estate office, Real Broker, which opened in Sioux Falls in early November.
"It's validation that I'm doing the right things and moving in the right direction," Roth said. "It means the world to me to be recognized by my peers and by people who I respect and get to work alongside."

Marcus Walgrave learned how to work hard at a young age, helping his parents and his older brothers at the family farm in Luverne, Minnesota, so when he finished college in Wisconsin and started working a typical desk job in Sioux Falls, he felt like he had the energy to do more.

  • Inspired by his older brother, a real estate agent in the Twin Cities – and after having bought his first investment property at age 20 – Walgrave decided to pursue real estate in 2013.
  • The 4 Under 40 recognition is "humbling," 39-year-old Walgrave said, and he attributes his success to the support of his family.
"I have a ton of gratitude for everyone who helped, my wife, my clients, and the community itself," Walgrave said. "I'm just so blessed to be a part of this."