Although it's impossibly hard to believe, this April marks my 27th anniversary as a Realtor®. It has been a very good career for me and for that I am so grateful. So indulge me in this short trip down memory lane.
My very first deal (actually I lost it in multiple offers) I drove to the buyer's home at 1:00a.m.. Yes, that is 1:00 AM! Nobody had a fax machine in their home, including me. Scan and e-mail? cell phone? I don't think so! I thought I was so cool when I got a car phone...you know the one that's actually installed in you car? I cried when I lost the deal, but to my credit it was the first and last time I cried over a lost real estate deal.
I followed an agent in my office around for about 2 months.....still, IMHO, the best real estate training!
Whenever someone in the office received a bouquet of flowers, it meant their client bought a FSBO.
I was once asked to come list a home that had 12 cats. I was standing in the basement next to the washer and did not notice one of the cats jump onto the washer until I felt it tapping me on the shoulder. I referred the listing to someone else in my office.
One fall I made 2000 cold calls...got a few listings and a couple of sales from it....but it was like nails on a chalkboard.
Once in the winter, I took out someone's mailbox, which I of course had to replace.
One of my first "showings" was of a vacant lot....because I thought there was a house there. I never made that mistake again.
Just so you don't think it's all been negative....
After 27 years, the majority of my business is referrals.
I have really embraced the use of social media to expand my business and love learning more and more about the technology.
I have some wonderful clients that are now my friends and I so enjoy seeing the improvements they have made to their homes. It's nice to see their families expanding too!
I still love what I do!
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