Have you ever thought of starting a real estate career in a down market?

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Have you ever thought of starting a real estate career in a down market?  Crazy thought, right?  Well that had never been my intention, but if you have looked all your life to find your passion and you don’t find it until 40, well you jump right in with enthusiasm.   It’s not that I didn’t know about the career, I had even started real estate classes some 15 years ago.  But when I was told the cost of starting a real estate career, I decided it was a bad decision.  Wow, if I had just trusted my gut and gone for it back then.  How great was the market in the 90’s and early 2000’s?

The idea of  “Do what you love and the money will come” is something that I know has worked for other people.  My brother for example, loves to fly airplanes and has since he was a teenager.   He followed his heart and is a successful pilot with a major airline.  I have heard of situations like that before.  It seems to be common place.    What is sad is when someone goes through his or her whole life without finding a passion for any profession.  What do those people do for a living?   Is satisfaction a must?

I believe it is.  So what is the key to being successful at what you love?  Here is what I believe.  Hard work, this is a 24 hour a day job.  If your going to be good at anything, as your mother told you growing up, “Practice makes perfect.”   The great thing about loving what you do for a living is, practicing is fun.   You can work 24 hours a day, go to bed at night discussing work and wake up in the morning still talking about it, and you are happy.  I have had jobs were Sundays were always depressing days, because Mondays meant you have to go back to that job you hate.  Not a good way to live life.  Believe in yourself and enjoy what you are creating in your career and your life.

Now that you have the passion and have chosen a career in real estate or another chosen path, how do you make a living?  Two things, education and flat out never giving up.  Pick a great real estate company.  I have the blessing of starting my career with Keller Williams.  Education is something that they believe in and offer everyday.  Make sure your company offers support and gives you the tools to succeed.  Surround yourself with positive people.  Yes, you will have the one person in your family that thinks you are crazy and asks all of the time, “Have you sold anything yet?”  That’s always great to hear.  But, you know one day you will get to say “Why yes, yes I have.”  Those are the moments I live for.  That satisfaction with yourself, to say I did it.   If you never give up, even if you are so broke in this market that it seems to be a lost cause.  Hard work will get you through.  And maybe a part time job, if need be.  But passion and satisfaction in what you are doing, will bring joy to your life.   

The moral of the story is, you can’t always help who or what you fall in love with, and when you do might be really bad timing.  But, if you take the blessings that have been given to you and work hard to fulfill that dream, then it will always be worth it in the end.

By Missy Henderson and David Pozy