STAY-AT-HOME DAD BECOMES REALTOR

By
Real Estate Agent with Prudential Missoula Properties

When my daughter was born in 2003, I was regularly found standing waist-deep in an archaeological excavation unit or traversing a mountain in Wyoming for a forthcoming gas pipeline. I thought at the time I had the greatest job on the planet. I got the chance to travel the back-roads of the west, visiting towns time had forgotten, walk all day amongst the sage brush seas of the arid west and even master camp-stove cooking in a hotel room without setting off the smoke alarm.

All this was great, but I needed to be on the home-front in Missoula, not in southern Wyoming chasing artifacts and fossils. All this changed when I joined the team at Prudential Missoula Properties. There is so much information I needed to learn, all of which were very different from the liberal studies from my undergraduate degree and the cultural/scientific information from my graduate education. But education and life experiences can all be brought down to a personal core knowledge base which helps me meet and help people. I am becoming more and more agressive and confident as I have more transactions, but I will not forget my past, but try to integrate it in my future doings.

This is my first-ever blog, so bear with me as I am just rambling and forming thoughts. I will update my ideas soon and maybe have a story or two about Missoula.

 

thanks

Mike Warren

Comments (16)

John Walters
Frank Rubi Real Estate - Slidell, LA
Licensed in Louisiana
Hey Mike welcome to the active rain community.  Keep asking and looking for information these people love to talk.
Mar 22, 2008 03:51 AM
Mike Warren
Prudential Missoula Properties - Missoula, MT

Thanks John for the response. Where are you located?

Mar 22, 2008 03:54 AM
Jonelle Simons
Windermere Real Estate - Park City, UT
Welcome to Active Rain!  I hope you will find this community as fun and informative as most of us here do - and good luck in Missoula! What a gorgeous area to live and work - The Bitterroot valley has always been one of my favorite places!
Mar 22, 2008 03:55 AM
Nathan Diones
Regioncy Real Estate - Redlands, CA
Welcome aboard Mike! Stay motivated and stay active! good luck!
Mar 22, 2008 04:01 AM
Mike Warren
Prudential Missoula Properties - Missoula, MT

It is great out here, but the cost of living is increasing like most places in the Rockies. The Market here has held its own through the winter, but still alot of inventory. Thanks again for the welcome.

 Mike Warren

Mar 22, 2008 04:02 AM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Mike.  Welcome to ActiveRain.

There are a few old fossils around here too.   We also get to travel the back roads to sell real estate, at least in my area we do.  Goodness, Montana is full of wildernes.  Selling real estate out there has to be a blast. 

When I bought the lot my home was built on, one of my agents asked, "When are they going to pave the road". 

I told him, "Hopefully never". 

Good luck in your new career.  I hope you enjoy it as much as do I.

Mar 22, 2008 04:07 AM
Mike Warren
Prudential Missoula Properties - Missoula, MT

Selling real estate and living in Montana are great. Wouldn't have it any other way. This is coming from an East Coast transplant. Thanks for the encouraging words!

 

Mar 22, 2008 04:12 AM
Frank Schulte-Ladbeck
Frank Schulte-Ladbeck Professional Real Estate Inspections - Houston, TX
Welcome to AR Mike. I saw that you have three post already, so no need to encourage you to get involved. You are already getting a hang of this blogging thing. Check out the different groups, they can help you get acclimated. I suggest joining REALTOR LIFE, they welcomed me in, and helped me see the networking possibilities here.
Mar 22, 2008 11:12 AM
Debbie DiFonzo
Debbie DiFonzo - United Country VIP Realty, SW Missouri - Lebanon, MO
Lebanon MO and Buffalo Missouri Real Estate
Welcome Mike! What a wonderful story of how you became involved in real estate. I look forward to reading more from you.
Mar 22, 2008 01:38 PM
Mike Warren
Prudential Missoula Properties - Missoula, MT

I be sure to write more as soon as I read and explore this site a little more. Thanks again for the encouragement.

Mar 22, 2008 04:04 PM
Keith Elliott Jr
KEIRE Realty Group - Manassas, VA
Principal Broker/Owner

Hello Mike,

Welcome to Active Rain and congrats on your first post! The opportunities to learn and network are incredible here. Best of luck to ya!

-Keith

Mar 22, 2008 06:09 PM
Dorene Shirley
The Mortgage & Property Connection - Campbell, CA
Silicon Valley Real Estate

Mike - Welcome to the Rain, make sure that you browse the site and become familiar with everything this site has to offer.  The more you browse the more you will learn.  I have found this site to be really helpful to me.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me, I will do whatever I can to help.

http://www.doreneshirley.com/

Mar 22, 2008 11:24 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous

Hi Mike, I am a stay at home dad with 10 month old twin boys. My wife has a successful career in the medical field and I have the option to continue to stay at home. Before staying at home I worked in the medical research field. I am thinking of becoming a Realtor as it seems to give me the opportunity to work from home and set my own schedule. What has been your experience with this and would you advise a SAHD to follow this career.

May 27, 2008 07:16 AM
#13
Mike Warren
Prudential Missoula Properties - Missoula, MT

By the time I started in Real Estate, my daughter was 3 1/2 and spending time at a daycare. Last fall she started at preschool, but it was only three days a week, so the other days was spent with her. The hardest thing about being a realtor and a stay at home parent is to stay focused on the days they are at school or daycare. It seems like you have the day off, but it really is one of the few opportunities to really do the job. Also, its hard answering the phone in the car when your kid is screaming or singing. Either way they get really loud sometimes. I now have a couple deals under my belt and have gained alot of knowledge and confidence. If you have the time and $ to get into the field, go for it. It takes a few years to establish your business, but worth it all the way. Good luck!!

May 27, 2008 10:52 AM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Mike,

Congratulations on your decision!  And WELCOME to Active Rain.  You'll thrive here.

Mike in Tucson

Nov 06, 2008 03:07 PM
Anonymous
Eric Hempler

I came across this post today while looking for ideas to balance my role of Stay at Home Dad and Realtor. I started back in July and for me it seems the only thing I can really work on is the Social Media/Internet related items. I've been able to do a few open houses for other agents, but haven't had any luck with those yet. I write a blog and have figured out how to drive traffic to my site with a few different tools, but have yet to expand my sphere group. I've tried going to a few kids things with my son, but it doesn't always pan out because he needs to nap at the same time as those events. Right now I feel a little stuck as to what I could be doing to meet more people.

Apr 07, 2010 06:51 AM
#16