MEMOIRS OF A REAL ESTATE NEWBIE

SO I FOUND A CLEVER WAY TO INCREASE ACCESSABILITY TO MY SOI

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:11:39 -0500

...It may not be new to alot of you, but it certainly is to me! I haven't been licensed very long, nor have I been successful in keeping up with my contacts/SOI consistently, at least not the same ones.

As I am sure alot of agents rely on the speedy and convenient presence of technology, we are always looking for things to make our lives and line of work easier for us.

Being a "crackberry addict", I am always looking for cool applications to add to my device and some that will make communicating easier. Some of us own the ever so cool "don't be a hater cuz others have one and you don't I-Phone"! Both of these devices give you a means to communicate with others in at least a hundred different ways, if someone doesn't have a cell phone, more than likely they have an email address they can use to get to you, if they don't like email, they can IM you, and if they just want to send a message and be done and wait for your reply, there's old reliable...text messaging.

I recently stumbled upon two GREAT apps for both "abusers" of the I-phone and the blackberry, both of which allow you to have ONE portal in which to dump all 800 of your Instant message screenames! For the beloved "crackberry addict", there's "Beejive", currently giving you a free 30-day trial, then you will pay $20.00 to download the application once your "free 30 day license" expires. Like Meebo(for i-phone users) you have ONE application in which your AOL, YAHOO, ICQ, WINDOWS LIVE, AIM, GOOGLE TALK and whatever other IM you have goes into. You have ALOT of options in which to set this up and it allows you to log in to all of your accounts at one time, set a status/away message for all of your accounts at one time, see who is online through your various accounts at one time...do you see where this is going? If I want to change my status message that day to remind people (apart of my SOI) that they can contact me to get information, a CMA, a listing appointment, etc. these applications allow me to do just that. Aside from just Instant messaging portals, these apps also enable use of Facebook Chat, which is yet another great outlet for Real Estate professionals as I have learned over the last year or so.

So even with all the madness of having many social networking accounts, screenames and IMs, there is still a way to combine all for the sake and sanity of convenience and still use them as a productive tool for our work. And further on the upside...you can delete the three different accounts that are using up application space, memory, and battery life as these apps cater to those who use their devices ALOT and therefore use alot of power from short-term or quick usage of different applications.

As a newbie, this may help me more than it helps you as someone who has established contacts and maybe has a more uniform system of your own in which to get word out to your SOI...but I don't mind passing along cool info!

Here is where you can get the apps!

I-Phone/MEEBO:

http://www.meebo.com/mobile

Blackberry/Beejive:

www.beejive.com

Enjoy! :)

NEWBIE'S PRODUCTIVE SUNDAY: A FSBO DETERMINED TO PROFIT AND MY FIRST OPEN HOUSE EXPERIENCE...AND LESSON

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:43:22 -0500

So, yesterday I had a pretty interesting and somewhat productive day on the open house front. I had a little time to kill before meeting a colleague at his open house (he was helping another agent), so I followed the signs to a FSBO open house. I've visited quite a few open houses in the last year or so, and this was the first time I have been to a FSBO. The property was really nice and had great space, not sure if was priced properly for the area where it was, but if it wasn't, I doubt it was priced outrageously!

Well, in my limited experience, I knew right away said homeowner/seller had run out of feet to shoot himself in! Aside from his reluctance to come down in the price (I could tell it in his voice when he answered my question of how much he was asking), he mentioned that he has held and open house EVERY Sunday with no offers since it's been on the market...it's been on the market since MARCH! Now I first shook hands with the gentleman before handing him my card, to let him know I came in peace and not to shake up his harmonious open house he had going on! His next question pretty much informed me what his goal was and why he had the home on the market with no offers..."What about your fees?" Instantly I felt a panic, what word vomit was I going to throw out as to make my first rookie mistake? Well, at this point, I had looked through the property and was pretty much on my way out the door, so knowing this, I chilled and simply smiled. I told him what I could in my limited power and experience. "Well Mr homeowner/seller, it will take looking at some comps among other important elements, but the fees are always negotiable, these can be discussed in a listing presentation where I can also offer you a way better alternative than an open house so we can get QUALIFIED buyers to the property and get people bidding right away...does that sound like something you possibly would be interested in?"

I wasn't met with any resistance as he hadn't been given the "hard pitch" (what do you think?) and I wasn't pushy so as to insist "Gimmie the listing when you FIANLLY wanna sell this house buddy!!"...I offered a solution with a possible alternative...we both ended the 10 minutes with a smile, and my business card had been passed to somone with a need

Ok, so on to the open house with my colleague!! I got a chance to assist a colleague yesterday at an open house. Nothing big, just buzzing in guests and making sure they signed in, that's pretty much it. Of course I was more than happy to observe while my colleague engaged potential clients and interested buyers at the property. Well, when I first walked in, I was greeted by a VERY distinctive smell. Considering this was an open house, you might think that smell was fresh baked cookies? No. Perhaps some potpourri warming on the stove or a scented candle? No sir!

Pet odor!

Yes, both the agent and I had the displeasure of smelling this odor along with doing our best to contain our displeasure that the place wasn't furnished either. This by the way, again, was my colleague doing a favor for another colleague who was not informed by the seller that the place was not furnished, and of course the smell was probably lost on the seller since they lived there with the pets and unfortunately were probably used to the smell. Now, had we not had this experience, I doubt my notion to let potential sellers know what I expect of them would have been solidified...I am now determined more than ever, to ensure potential sellers do their "homework"...even if people coming through to the open house don't buy your property, it should be noted...MR/MISS HOME SELLER YOU'RE BEING GRADED BY WHAT WE CALL WORD OF MOUTH!!! NASTY ODOR=FAIL!!! NO FURNITURE (AND NOT TELLING THE AGENT)=FAIL!!

Someone...anyone...PLEASE tell me you have something a bit less shameful and more interesting from an open house experience!!!

....Please!?

I got a freebie for you guys!!

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:32:19 -0500

The catch is...you gotta be a blackberry user!!!

I found a cool tool in the Blackberry application store. It's called "Homes for Sale by Smarter Agent". You can search listings and homes for sale by Broker/zipcode...basically like MLS. First you have to have a blackberry (LOL), then you download Blackberry Application World to your phone, go to:

http://uk.blackberry.com/services/appworld/download.jsp#tab_tab_download

Follow the directions to download and install. Once you have done so, go ahead into the icon/app on your phone and go to the search option and type in "Homes For Sale"...it will take you right to the application and give you step by step insturctions to download and install.

I am sure there may be something similar for those who use Iphones (they have meebo for Iphone and not blackberry...darnit!!!) but this is of course for those of us who are loyal to good old blackberry!!

Enjoy!!

Ok, How do you possibly work with your clients when you are SICK SICK SICK?!?!

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:03:31 -0500

Today's blog post, though a bit off topic, I think can be appreciated by all.

I just got over the flu, FINALLY feeling human and 100% again! I hadn't been cursed with the flu since age 11 I think? Anyhow, I must say, I am glad I have yet to attain a client roster as of yet, because I don't know how I would be able to work with the flu! I am assuming alot of you more established agents have an assistant, are on sales teams, or somehow have someone who you can count on to back you up should something like this keep you out of commission for a bit (in my case 8 whole days).

Needless to say, this has inspired me to encourage all of us to take care of ourselves when we are well. Such a line of work is going to need us to be as healthy as ready when the time calls for us to go above and beyond for our clients. I am going to share a recipe I found which is to help maintain your immune system. I HIGHLY encourage all of you to research and google various natural remedies and other things that will help keep you well so that you are not u attacked with something that keeps you in bed for several days...

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RECIPE FOR IMMUNE-BOOSTING SMOOTHIE:

2 cups of milk (soy or rice beverage)

1 cup of plain non-fat yogurt

1 serving of a multinutrient suppliment

1 frozen banana cut up

1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

1/2 each of your favorite fruit, frozen (eg. organic strawberries, papaya, mango)

1 tbsp of flax oil or 2 tbsp of flaxseedmeal (because fiber steadies the absorption of carbs and therefore contributes to a steadier blood sugar, it's suggested using rich sources of fiber, such as flaxseed meal-ground flaxseeds containing the oil and the fiber)

3 ounces of tofu

10 mg of zinc

100 mcg. selenium

50-100 iu of vitamin E

1 serving soy isolate powder (optional)

2 tbsp peanutbutter (optional)

Combine all ingredients until smooth, serve immediately while the mixture still has a bubbly milkshake like consistency

OK Class...who attends Broker's Opens regularly...raise your hands!!

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:43:58 -0500

...And assuming these agents have buyers, which of you ahead of time makes a little portfolio of YOUR listings to hand to them should they have buyers that qualify for them? No?....Well consider that your tip of the day!!

Later! :)

Are You Taking Care of Your INDUSTRY Colleauges??

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:41:25 -0500

So just how open are any of you to networking and marketing yourselves/brands to RE professionals ASIDE from other agents/Realtors??

You mean you don't have a separate set of business cards to hand out to a title agent, or occasionally take lunch to a small mortgage office? What are you in this business for?!!? It takes a village to put a family in a home! (LOL) Often, I hear and read from agents and Realtors how important it is to network and get your name out there, etc...Well who better to network with than others who are instrumental in the home buying/selling process as well as yourselves?

The same process we come up with to get tactics to sell homes and get listings are some of the same things we can gather to attract others in the RE community, getting on a first name basis with these people is just as important as getting that contract signed with the potential buyer or seller. Has your day to day activity changed or lessened since we are experiencing a slightly different market at the moment? By all means, go steal a bit of an office's time! Go on Vista Print and print up a batch of "Networking cards" (cheap and free right now if you hurry on over there), take the time to run by Domino's, Subway, or Mrs. Field's and steal 15 minutes of time at least one Title, Mortgage and notary office a week...introduce yourself and point out your Active Rain link on the card tell them all about it and how it works, chances are they know nothing about it, A LOT of RE professionals still don't! They'll never forget it, and you'll never regret it!! Happy Real "Estating" :)

Greetings!

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:23:30 -0500

I am new to CB and Real estate as well. I just signed on with a Coldwell Banker office (Here in Washington, DC) just last month. Very excited!

"Why would I want somone inexperienced selling my home?"

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:26:25 -0500

So, the newbie has FINALLY found a home to hang her real estate hat. I have been mulling over a few different brokers and pretty much came full circle to the broker where I was originally taking my classes.

My Branch Vice President implored me to blog about why buyers/sellers should work with me being a new agent. I have had tons of ideas dancing around in my head for months and while I got excited about putting them to work, I must say it’s a whole different story actually conveying why these ideas would be good for new/potential clients.

Most of what I have come up with was after hearing how a lot of sellers not only want to get the most they can for their home, but how it may not be easy finding buyers once their home’s listing price has been set. It got my mind going when I started visiting open houses on my own out of curiosity; how so much foot traffic through their home may or may not produce serious buyers who are interested in the property and REALLY want to set forth in putting and offer on the table. The traditional open house, as said by many agents, helps the agent more than it would help the sellers. That is not to say that an open house is something an agent should refuse to do. But in this current state of our business, we not only need to be creative about how we get the business, but how we STAY in the business.

Time and time again in the last year, I have heard that QUALIFIED and MOTIVATED buyers are the key to getting one’s home sold not only in this current market, but in ANY market. Putting forth something unique and exclusive would be the ticket. What says unique and exclusive more than a “Look and Leave”?

Sure, I’ll answer your question! A “Look and Leave” is just that, motivated buyers go to look at the property, and they leave. There is no puttering around your home, “just to look”, and no people coming into your home just for the freebies and the food only to have left tracked dirt in your home as their way of saying “thanks” when they only wanted to pass time rather than put forth an offer on your home. How this works, is once you get your listing, a call to action is put to fellow agents (who have buyers) letting them know that the property in *area/address/location* is up for sale (you may even want to get a jump on this before the property listing hits the MLS…remember I’m a newbie, not sure how plausible this would be) and to bring their buyers to the property on the designated date and time. This could be in the form of an invitation of sorts.

This is where we would deviate from an open house in the traditional sense. Only motivated buyers are going to come to a home and view it at say between 5 and 7 in the evening…yes, I am aware that isn’t anything new, but to take it a step further, this is where the “leave” comes in, they are given a designated amount of time to look through the home 15, maybe 20 minutes tops before exiting through the back of the home, allowing them to have a look at the yard space on the way out. A simple “thank you” followed by how you and those one or two interested parties’ agents will discuss their putting an offer on the home. This way, the sellers didn’t have their home open for 2 or 3 hours with individuals who more than likely were not interested in the home. The idea, of course has a couple of other elements to it, but for the most part, this is something that shows benefit and hopefully alleviates any doubts many may have about working with someone less experienced. In a listing presentation, this I feel, would be very appealing to individuals who at the end of the day want to be equally impressed with what speaks to their question of “How can you give us results?” more than your designations and what broker/brand you work behind.

NETWORKING WITH OTHER REALTORS...IS IT GIVING BUSINESS TO THE COMPETITION?

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:28:49 -0600

Long time, no blog! Today's entry is inspired by a message board post in which many thought networking with other Realtors is a waste of time and essentially giving buisness away! Being a newbie, I don't have alot of money to join alot of the organizations and whatnot! But networking is still a BIG part of the process. Living in Washington, DC there are alot of foreign embassies that have parties and gatherings and whatnot, I go to them, that is a strong possiblity to meet with individuals who will need somone to help them buy or list their home. As mentioned in a previous blog entry, I strongly suggest having a seperate set of cards to hand out to other RE professionals as opposed to the basic cards you would hand out to those who are going to want to buy/sell a home through you. I don't see how networking with other agents is a waste or throwing business to the competition, if you are REALLY loving Real Estate like I do, you will find a way to come up with some of your own original concepts that "flocking closely" with the competition won't hurt you at all. How else are you going to get agents with buyers to come look at your listings? It makes perfect sense when I get a listing to call so and so and see if they have any buyers interested in a listing I have, I mean if I have networked with and exhanged information with 10 agents last Saturday, get a listing the following Tuesday, that's 10 potential offers that could go in on the property, that's how I look at it! Your thoughts?

HOW ARE YOU ADAPTING TO OUR MARKET??

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:39:25 -0500

That is a question I would love to ask a Real Esate professional once I am able to sit and talk with one. Ever since the bursting of the housing bubble and the exposure of the sub prime lenders and everything that has dramatically changed the current RE market around the country, that's been on my mind. The smoke has cleared a bit and the dust has settled, and there are still those who chose not to turn in or allow their licenses to expire.

So given the current state of things, and how many must look at us (especially those new to the business), my question to you is: DO YOU LOVE REAL ESTATE? Are you passionate about this and what you do and represent to people, or have you decided to hang in there for the sake of the next chunk of money? What keeps you going and do your clients see it reflected in all you say and do?

It's been quite an interesting thing to see as recently in my area (Washington, DC) there are many agents who are no longer in the business of Real Estate, licenses have been turned in and expired. So I ask, what is it that kept you in this buisness other than the money, what have you always gotten out of it that you feel you probably couldn't in another line of work?

WHO IS TAKING CARE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES??

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:08:34 -0500

So just how open are any of you to networking and marketing yourselves/brands to RE professionals ASIDE from other agents/Realtors??

You mean you don't have a separate set of business cards to hand out to a title agent, or occasionally take lunch to a small mortgage office? What are you in this business for?!!?

It takes a village to put a family in a home! (LOL) Often, I hear and read from agents and Realtors how important it is to network and get your name out there, etc...Well who better to network with than others who are instrumental in the home buying/selling process as well as yourselves? The same process we come up with to get tactics to sell homes and get listings are some of the same things we can gather to attract others in the RE community, getting on a first name basis with these people is just as important as getting that contract signed with the potential buyer or seller.

Has your day to day activity changed or lessened since we are experiencing a slightly different market at the moment? By all means, go steal a bit of an office's time! Go on Vista Print and print up a batch of "Networking cards" (cheap and free right now if you hurry on over there), take the time to run by Domino's, Subway, or Mrs. Field's and steal 15 minutes of time at least one Title, Mortgage and notary office a week...introduce yourself and point out your Active Rain link on the card tell them all about it and how it works, chances are they know nothing about it, A LOT of RE professionals still don't! They'll never forget it, and you'll never regret it!!

Happy Real "Estating" :)

Does anyone know of any opening at a Mortgage office in the MD/DC/VA area?

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:34:37 -0500

I have a freind that was laid off from one company and she would still like to assist people in mortgages. Can anyone contact me and let me know if anyone is looking for assistance?

Regards!

Shantee

THIS BUSINESS OF STAGING...

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:50:17 -0500

Now as agents, I know a lot of you are not in the business of staging yourselves. Some of you are probably on sales teams that may have a couple of people who do staging. But have any of you considered going that little extra mile for some of your sellers and staging their patio? It's not as extensive as staging an entire home, in which an expert would be an order.

If it's not something you haven't considered before, maybe this free e-book will give you some ideas for your next open house. The idea is that even if the showing/open house doesn't result in a sale that soon, the sellers will be so impressed with your willingness to give them something extra, they will have no problem recommending you to someone...good luck!

To get the free e-book just google: Staging fabulous patios David Jones

He has put together some GREAT tips and ideas, and this is all stuff you can do yourself for your clients rather than have them do it themselves! Again, my suggestion is to get a seperate email account for all your freebies..you will have to subscribe and then confirm to get your e book, but it's some great stuff in there...let me know what you think!

A NEWBIE'S GUIDE TO ALL THE FREEBIES

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:01:07 -0500

Ever since I began say...back to taking my classes last summer, I became the queen of getting free stuff! Most of it, in the form of e-books! I will be more than happy to share these with you, of course upon the understanding that I will only be passing along things that are authorized to be shared, reproduced and passed along as per the original authors and distributors.

I am a "googling" champion, anything I want, I find several ways to phrase it and wind up with a wealth of information, some of what I am looking for, and some good stuff I tripped upon! Magic phrases like: "free stuff for realtors" or "free stuff for real estate agents" usually bring a lot of great stuff. You pretty much learn your way around by being creative with various words and phrases.

The FREE e-book realm for those in the real estate profession is a GOLDMINE!!! One thing I did initially and suggegst you do...get a new email addy...those are free as the days are long, and that's where all my freebies and other information (dial-in info on free conference call for one) get to. Most of what I have are books on setting up your presence on the web, giving you the basic "how to", "where to", etc. Hopefully you find this list to be helpful be it for you or someone else looking for the info.

ENJOY!!!!

http://www.onlinerealestatesuccess.com/

(one of a few free e-books where you are getting lots of "how to" info...GREAT STUFF!)

http://www.agentsuccesstips.com/

A site where you can sign up for a daily tip

http://www.magicbullets.com/

Dan Auito gives out alot of free e-books, keep in mind, you cannot reproduce and redistribute his work...

http://www.agentfreebies.com/

self explanatory

http://www.renewsletter.com/

more free printed info. courtesy of Al Kernek, a good e-book on creating a website

http://www.realtormarketingbook.com/Killer_sales_letter.pdf

a free ebook on writing a really good sales letter

http://www.adwords180.com/

a free e-book on google adwords (yet another great resource for the website do-it-yourselfers)

This isn't even HALF of the information I have found googling in the past year, but you get the idea!! I am happy to pass along the information, and am more than happy to come and share anytime I get something new. Hopefully, as I increasae my presence here on Active Rain, I am hopeful some of you are willing to do the same as well!

YOUR PRESENCE ON THE WEB...

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:03:43 -0500

One of my biggest challenges is the inevitable website. I have tons of ideas and have seen LOTS of various offers from companies who give free hosting, a free template, etc. Make no mistake, it's always tempting to take advantage of something free, so naturally my curiosity gets the best of me and I give it a look. W/O naming names, the offer for the free hosting turned out to be true...HOWEVER, it was a wash when it came to the "extras" they offered...at a cost. Then there are the few free templates that are given, but, they are limiting in that you can only upload but so much non-text content to the pages and you don't get many pages as per the proposed content you will want to have on.

Does anyone use anything other than their company supplied websites? What benefits do you have with whatever it is that you use? Specifically, for those who are NOT paying nearly $200.00+ every month, what kind of luck if any are you having with your site and how much business it generates?

For the do-it-yourselfers (a category I would like to put myself into), what is the range of what you pay monthly (hosting, adwords, etc) and do you feel taking the do-it-myself route worked out in the longrun as opposed to paying monthly for a company putting everything together for you?

THIS NEWBIE WANTS TO KNOW....

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:43:47 -0500

How does blogging work for you? Does it bring you leads? Or are you in pretty good dialouge with other RE professionals?

I ask due to a posting on another forum I frequent where the sentiment is that blogging is on it's way out...yet recently as just a year ago, it's the latest thing to do no matter what industry or social set you fall into. Doesn't it make perfect sense for us RE Professionals to blog daily, or a few times a week, at least for the sake of keeping abreast of other markets (for the sake of out of state referrals)?

According to research firm Gartner Inc. using data partially provided by Technorati Inc.,more than 200 million blogs lie abandondoned in cyberspace. The number of active bloggers worldwide is expected to peak this year at 100 million and then drop off to 30 million.

What do you think?

HOMELESS NEWBIE IN SEARCH OF A FAMILY....

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:46:42 -0500

Sooooo....can any office managers tell me what they look for in a new agent? I mean when a newbie comes to you for an interview, do you read their faces? Do you look for someone who asks more questions of you than you do of them? What has been your turnaround for those that you chose to take on? What were their reasons for leaving if they're still no longer with you?

I have TONS of questions as you can see. I look at my search for an office as though I am in the market for a new family. The place where I hang my license is where I am going to call home, even if I am not there very much. I'd like to know I can go to the "mother" or the "father" of the office and get the guidance needed so that at least SOME of the so -called inevitable "rookie mistakes" can be avoided. Money and independence are always big motivators, but how well am I going to benefit from what knowledge and proper training if any are at my disposal so that I can do what is needed for the benefit of the "family"? Just how soon am I going to be allowed to venture out and be tested from the lessons taught and instilled , after all, an agent should be a reflection of their office/affiliation...reputation is everything, am I right or am I right?! Just how open are you as an office/branch manager to a newbie's ideas? Would your willingness to help them implement a new idea or tactic match their enthusiasm for it and how long would you wait to allow them to put it to work?

And of course, the inevitable...compensation. Do you go by a traditional system of "show me you're worth what you are asking" Or do you simply follow a uniform system of compensating commissions to your agents?

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH A REAL ESTATE NEWBIE LIKE ME

SHANTEE HAYNES (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:48:46 -0500

As a potential seller or buyer, you are probably wondering "Why did she bother stepping into this line of work with the kind of market we are experiencing now?" It wouldn't be the first time within the past year that question has been asked of me by friends, family, co-workers and people I have met and talked to casually.

The main reason I became interested in Real Estate, was the many opportunities that I would be presented to help people, not simply just to list and sell homes. As an experienced salesperson, working retail was no longer challenging or fun, and I didn't want to start looking at customers only as transactions benefiting my pocket. Once that concern began to loom in my head on a regular basis, I knew it was time to move on and gain insight to how I could work a sales-based career and still contribute on a larger scale and get into something I would be happy saying was my career. To many, I'll be viewed as simply a Realtor or Real Estate agent, but there isn't a closet big enough for all of the hats I'll wear thanks to the many questions I'll get from people who will dialogue with me and wind up trusting me enough to ask certain questions. My goal has always been to be a wealth of information to those that I will come in contact with. If I am not in a position to assist with any particular inquiry, I am linked with VERY reputable individuals who are ready to assist and inform in any way they can within their areas of expertise! So you see, as a Real Estate professional, I realize I am not simply half or a small part of an industry ; but rather "a whole" operating within a large network of many who are also "a whole" within their chosen areas of Real Estate.

One should be willing to step and think outside the box when getting into a career in which they are free to set their own hours and work at their own pace, not to mention be as creative as they feel. Real Estate is the perfect line of work for those elements. As a new agent, I am going to be bringing something new to the table that will be in high demand in short time. I am not going to abandon the idea of the traditional open house, but I am definitely going to start something that is soon to become the "be all end all" to "business as usual" in the local Real Estate industry here in the DC/Metropolitan area, nothing from the big wig gurus of the Real Estate industry, but an original idea of my own that is sure to bring LOTS of success for those who want to list their properties with me. I can't wait to unveil this for the first time and impress. There is a new standard that is waiting to be set here in the DC/Metropolitan area, and I am going to be the one to initiate it!

So if you need a reason to work with a newbie like myself, it's my confidence and my ability to brainstorm non-traditional, yet great ideas that make my work fun and your experience positive all the way around!

Where can you reach me? How can you set an appointment with me? Can I recommend someone in another area?.....So many questions!

...Stay tuned for the answers!!