As I look back on my career, I ponder the question "How Have I Changed"? I recall the initial thoughts of getting into the real estate business. I remember the excitement and fear of studying for my real estate exam. Interviewing companies to place my license and learn the ropes. We don't know what we don't know until we get started.
Each transaction was a learning experience, and it was frustrating! Thankfully I chose a nurturing independent agency as my sponsor and they guided me through the things you don't learn in real estate school.
The early years can be a struggle. Sure, you make a list of everyone you know, send out announcements, and tell anyone who will listen that you are now in real estate. Some of those people will give you a chance, but honestly, everybody knows SOMEBODY who sells real estate, so if you are new without experience, you might not win the business in the early years. Additionally, you are still learning, so you WILL make mistakes. Let's hope those mistakes aren't monumental and that you have a good Principal Broker looking over your shoulder to keep mistakes to a minimum.
While you are learning, you are slowly building your business. Depending on your market, you hope to get repeat business and referrals, if you do a good job and if you ASK for it. We refer to this as planting the seeds. I was told this many times in the beginning of my career. So much so that it was nauseating. It is trite but true!
"The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit"
You can be a one-shot Realtor; a one and done, or you can NURTURE your clients and hope they will use you again, or at the very least recommend you to others. There are other ways to find clients, of course. You can pay for leads. You can partner with an agency who gives you leads, you can call FSBO's and Expired Listings. I've done all of these and more. But at this point in my career, I am thankful for my sphere, my "Raving Fans", my happy clients.
"Do what you love and the money will follow"
Now, buyers and sellers call ME instead of the other way around, and I am thankful. In the age of social media, people know me. My reputation precedes me. I don't chase every lead, and I can choose who I work with.
In the early years, I was barely eking by financially. But along the way, I learned a valuable lesson, and if you remember nothing else, remember this:
"It's not about you; it's about them"
It doesn't matter that you need a sale. It doesn't matter that the kids need braces. If you put your clients needs first, and forget about yourself, your clients will sense this and respect and appreciate you. Work hard, do what you love, and the money will follow.
This is my entry for the July 2025 Challenge: Change Hosted by Patricia Feager and Lew Corcoran
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