Show me the Money!!! Why are you in this business?

That line was a great one from the hit movie, Jerry Maguire. I loved that movie! You might have looked at the title of this blog and thought to yourself, "Here's another money hungry Realtor out there trying to strike it rich". That couldn't be farther from the truth.

I was reading a great blog post by Lola Audu today. The blog talks about people who got into Real Estate looking to strike it rich. Some people did just that, but that's not the reason I got into the business. I got into Real Estate for much more personal reasons. As Lola pointed out, those who work hard will survive and yes, even thrive in this business while those who are merely here for the money will fall to the wayside or move on to the next thing they think will make them a ton of money.

Do you remember the movie, Jerry Maguire? He was an agent too. He dealt with people's lives, their money and their issues in order to promote them and get them the best deal possible. His business was a cut-throat business where the very clients being represented were just a commodity to be traded, bought and sold. One day, he had an epiphany and wrote a letter to his entire company about a paradigm change that needed to take place. They were representing real, live people...not commodities. He stayed up all night putting it together, then presented this masterpiece to his colleagues at a convention and was laughed out of the place. He had a change in the core of his being that caused him to be unable to continue with business as usual. He had to change on a personal level because he couldn't live with his old self.

This is how I look at Real Estate. My clients are so much more than the property they are trying to sell or the money they represent as a buyer. They are people who have worked hard, are working hard, or will work hard to achieve their dream of home-ownership. I am here to help them. That's the reason I became a Real Estate agent, more specifically a Realtor. We're like Disney without all the commercialism. We make dreams come true.

I started in Real Estate part time a little over 2 years ago. It was a rough time, trying to juggle a full time management job and sell Real Estate at the same time. I came to the realization in May of this year that I couldn't do both and take care of my clients the way I knew I had to, so I resigned from my $50K a year job to sell Real Estate full time. People thought I was insane. My own wife had her doubts, which she voiced very frequently in the beginning. I was afraid, don't ever doubt that, but I stuck to it. I don't regret my decision at all. I love being a Realtor. It is by far the most rewarding profession I have ever had and I proudly tell others that I'm a Realtor.

I also work hard. My wife asked me not long ago if I realize that I work much more now than before. You know what, I really don't realize it at all. When I became a Realtor, I became something else altogether. I live, breathe, eat and sleep Real Estate. I love telling people, "Sure, I can help with that". I think that's what has driven my success as a Realtor and it's certainly what has fueled the steady flow of referrals to my phone.

The other part of the equation? I care about my clients. Very much. I have done more for my clients than they ever thought possible and I could and would do even more. I have clients who are constantly telling me that they can't believe that I'm willing to do anything to help them. To me, once I get to know someone they're a friend. I begin to care about a person as soon as I start talking to them. That makes a great deal of difference. My clients know that I'm not doing this so I can make my fortune from them. I'm making money. As a matter of fact, this month will be the best month I've ever had, in any job I've ever held, but that's just a side effect of what I do. I happen to get paid for doing what I love to do. How many people can say that?

And so, when I think of what it is I'm trying to accomplish in this new profession I've chosen, I like to think that I'm doing what my slogan says on my website, www.wilkesbarrehomesales.com, "Turning Houses into Homes". I stay focused on my clients. I work hard and do what's necessary to help them reach their goals. And I truly care about them as people. I'm interested in what they want now and in the future. No, this isn't about, "Show me the money" at all. It's way deeper than that, like it was for Jerry Maguire.

Until next time...