Short help is better than no help at all

Since I am not afraid of my geek nature, I have no issue quoting Han Solo on this one.  Sometimes, real estate agents HAVE to work.  Yes, we should be working smart.  Yes, we can do all kinds of things to help business from our desks or homes.  But, no matter how hard we try, even the Birmingham real estate agent with the most thorough marketing system in the area HAVE to physically meet people and show houses (or list them).  There is no way around it.  In my case, that means having to work when my son is with me.

My son is nine. He has been my assistant since he was five, and his job duties have increased each year.  First, he carried my cards and left them in the kitchen when I showed houses.  Next, he added holding the tape measure to his list of duties.  Lately, we added going to the reception desk at the office to get mail or faxes.  All of these duties are added to "just sit and play on the ds or draw" and "try to point out how right daddy is when he mentions something,"  and, what seems to be his favorite, "try to show the house myself."  The latter one is, naturally, discouraged, but he is trying to help as best he can.

Sure, he is less costly than a full time aide.  He is also less help, but that is not the point.  This is something that we do together.  Plus, most clients enjoy it, even when he tries to show the house himself.  For the record, most homes have at least one place where the sunlight will help you catch the most pokemon possible on your ds and he really doesn't understand why some homes are built like they are.

Well, this week, we decided to add an e-mail address for him.  Another agent suggested business cards.  So, we picked those out, too.  Crazy part about that: I like the cards he chose so I am getting some too.  Team marketing and all.  All he is going to need now is a cell phone and no sense of fear of rejection and he can be an agent, too.  I know he already works at least two weekends a month.