Greg Sapp Sets the Pace!

Greg Sapp, a 51 year old seasoned real estate veteran in Phoenix real estate sales, is driven by the same self motivation that enabled him to scale the world’s highest mountains.

He has climbed over 50 mountains. Five of them are the world’s tallest: Everest, in Asia, Aconcagua in South America, McKinley in North America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, and Elbrus in the Soviet Union.

Only Mt. Vinson in Antarctica and a third try at summiting Mt. Everest stand between Greg and his dream. In 1985 and 1987 he was on Everest expeditions. Both times his team came within 1,000 feet of topping the 29,028 foot peak.

In his first Everest climb, after 87 days, his team’s oxygen supply malfunctioned when they were only 800 feet from the top. There were other problems. A Nepalese team member developed cerebral edema, a build up of brain fluid, which often occurs at high altitudes. Unchecked, it can result in death. Greg volunteered to make the descent as quickly as possible in order to save the man’s life. At one point Greg lowered his companion thousands of feet down a precipitous slope on the end of a rope. It was a challenge requiring Greg to stop periodically to boil water for tea, liquid both of them urgently needed. The temperature had plunged to 50 degrees below zero. It was tough going, Greg says, but the venture was successful.

In his second Everest climb, Greg missed his goal after 45 days of brutal snowstorms and an avalanche that nearly claimed his life. After the descent Greg and his team members were off on another adventure. They walked 125 miles across Tibet, sometimes in 10 feet of snow.

Greg has been meeting challenges throughout his life. His goal setting, long-range planning and rugged determination continue to pay off.

His interest in sales began at an early age. He continually canvassed his suburban neighborhood and church friends, selling greeting cards, candy and other items.

Greg attributes his life-long practice of goal setting to his Boy Scout experience. He acquired 21 merit badges, becoming an Eagle Scout at age 14. While still in high school, he and a friend started their own business, producing handmade coats and jackets. He was a licensed Realtor at 21 years of age.

The travel bug bit him early on. Every summer his family spent a month camping in National Parks across the country. At age 16, after his mother’s death, his dad took him and his brother and sister on an extended tour of Europe. The following year Greg and his dad toured the Mediterranean, Israel, and Greece. Enterprising Greg returned home with an ample supply of handbags. They were a popular sales item at his high school. Since those first European trips Greg has traveled to over 96 countries and is well on his way to reaching his goal of 100.

Goal setting and adventure go hand in hand for Greg. He reached the top of Switzerland’s Matterhorn at age 16. To observe America’s bicentennial in 1976, 21 year old Greg and a friend made a 2,000 mile trek from Phoenix to Vancouver, Washington, on mules, 1850’s style, using no modern equipment. They were greeted by the Los Angeles vice mayor. Victor Recreation Products, manufacturer of Daisy air rifles and toys and Heddon fishing tackle, sponsored the mule trip, an early attempt at self-promotion.

At 26, Greg spent two months caravanning with Touareg nomads across 350 miles of the Sahara Desert in North Africa. He has gone scuba diving for sunken treasure in different locations in the South Pacific.

In the past several years, trips have included reaching the top of Kilimanjaro and an African safari in Tanzania. Hiking in Eastern Europe topped him out on Poland’s highest peak – Mt Rysy. A boat trip off the Ecuadoran coast landed him in the Galapagos Islands among giant tortoises and thousands of iguanas. A 10 day hike through the Ancient Inca trails to Machu Picchu was a highlight as well. A recent trip to one of the least populated countries in the world, Mongolia, saw Greg riding camels once again in the Gobi Desert and then north to the Siberian border to ride horses. Mongolia is famous for discovering the first dinosaur eggs and “real estate mogul” Genghis Khaan.

Greg still hasn’t given up hope of reaching the top of Mt. Everest. Meanwhile, he keeps busy with his real estate work. His unique advertising has paid off. His ads claim, Greg Sapp is a house“SOLD” name. Billboards around Phoenix feature a grinning four year old Greg, with the caption: I do my “HOME”work. He produces a variety of attractive booklets and brochures that are helpful to those selling and buying houses.

For several years he won first and second prize in National Marketing Awards from the Residential Sales Council. Greg has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Top 30 Realtor in the Phoenix Board of Realtors.

Greg is married to Laurie Berg Sapp, who runs the government television station for the City of Glendale. Among her duties, planning for Super Bowl 42 and overseeing the city’s website, www.glendaleaz.com. She spent years at CNN and network affiliate news, including KPNX Channel 12, traveling to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Laurie also has a great love for the outdoors and for travel. She is an avid hiker, runner and practices Pilates.

Together they study travel brochures and maps, always planning yet another adventure in some distant part of the world.