Is the grass really greener??? Sometimes it just might be...

pictures courtesy of: http://images.ask.com/pictures?q=pictures+peeking+over+the+fence&qsrc=31&o=1251&l=dis

So, about two weeks ago, I made a huge decision regarding my career in real estate.  I decided to make the move from a small local company to the international, household name RE/MAX!  Here is the story of how I came to make the big decision...

When I first got my real estate license, I was a full time high school science teacher.  I really only got my license because I loved real estate and thought it would be a great way to keep busy during the summer.  I also thought it would be a lot of fun to help people purchase something as special as a home.  So for the first three years, I did just that, but really only with family and close friends.  I didn't advertise or blog or really even hand out business cards.  I certainly didn't facebook, myspace or twitter!  For the first few years I was with a small local company.  This suited me just fine, since I was not looking at real estate as my "career" and the company required very little financial commitment and even less time commitment.  I probably visited "the office" a total of 10 times in the first three years (see what I mean)...

Then last May, with the encouragement of family and close friends I made a very scary decision to quit teaching and become a full time Realtor.  Of course I had thoes telling me I was crazy and was making a huge mistake but I had faith in myself and in God.  I just had this feeling that I could do it and with hard work and perserverance,  I would be okay.  I wasn't really interested in overnight success, I just wanted to be able to control my own future (teachers pretty much know their schedule, salary, and weekly hours from year 1 to year 30).  So this past year I did it, I went out on my own and swam with the big fish (okay, I splashed around in the wading pool).  I wasn't always easy and for the most part I felt like I was completely on my own.  I really had no guidance or support (now don't get me wrong, my family was very supportive...they just know squat about real estate).  If I hadn't stumbled upon Active Rain, I would have been in real trouble. 

Thanks to AR I found some awesome people; some in town and some out of town.  I became "AR friends" then "facebook friends" and finally "twitter friends" with two amazingly cool sisters Sheila Moran and Kristin Moran.  I got invited to a social media wine and cheese (you say wine and cheese...I usually can't say no)!  I went and got to meet them in person and some other great people they work with like Pat Obrien.  After some conversation I made the very easy decision to join RE/MAX Access.  This office had the best of both worlds!  I am a small town girl and really love the atmosphere here, it is really a fun place to be and I feel like I can finally call real estate a career!  This may sound cliche but it is totally true, the people in this office really enjoy seeing everyone around them succeed and they are some of the most helpful and genuine people I know! 

So that is the greatness of the RE/MAX Access crew....now about the company.  I could never have imagined more resources being thrown at me!  I have not even scratched the surface of what RE/MAX does for its agents, but I know one thing, they have a on line based system for leads called "Leadstreet".  Last Wednesday (my third official day as a RE/MAX agent) I went to a training for this system.  You have to register and then sign up for zip codes.  Then as website hits come in for your zip codes, the agents in that area are notified (at first just one agent on a rotating basis, if he/she passes then it goes to a few agents on a first come first get basis).  Well...I finished my registration and went on to managing contacts (the system does that too!) and not 20 minutes later...I got a lead!  It was a person who wanted to see a home in Cibolo!  Now a week and a half later, I have 5 leads from this program.  These are 5 living breathing humans with real email addresses and real phone numbers who get updates from me and may one day buy a house (maybe from me, maybe not but without RE/MAX I wouldn't even be in the running)!  I am sure the more I learn about the massive resources, the more blog material I will have but for now I am still a little overwhelmed (in a good way)!

Let me end this long and drawn out blog by simply saying...SOMETIMES IT REALLY IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!

Thanks Sheila, Kristin, and Pat....and