Special offer

The Littlest Realtor

By
Real Estate Agent with Inhabit Real Estate

I've been a working mom my daughter's entire 2 ½ years. It's part of our routine. She came with me to preview homes when she was only two months old. Every summer my husband will walk her by houses that I'm holding open.

On the Merry Go RoundBeing able to work around and with my daughter is part of what makes real estate a great career. It provides my daughter with some special insight into what mommy does, too.

The other day I heard her playing in her room with her dolls.

"You like this house," she said to her baby.

My ears perked up and I tried to listen in without interrupting. In her little two year old voice and pronunciation, she was showing a house.

"There is a master bedroom and that's your bathroom. And you like the closet." Around Portland's East side there is a lack of master suites with good size closets. Apparently even she has noticed.

"It's a pretty house and that's the sidewalk. It's not my house but you should live here," she gave her dolly quite a sales pitch.

A few weeks back I previewed some houses with her for a client. I thought she'd be bored so I tried to hurry through. It was a vacant house with a very large living room, so I left her running circles around the room while I ran upstairs to glimpse the bedrooms. When I came down she was in the kitchen.

"Are those new, Mommy?" She asked, pointing to the appliances.

In the living room, she asked if the fireplace worked. And when I tried to leave without checking the basement, I quickly was re-directed downstairs. "You need to look down there," she insisted. "To see if there is water."

You hear all the time that kids are like sponges. I know it's true, but it still amazes me. How do they pick this up so quickly?

The same afternoon when I overheard her acting out Realtor games with her dolls, I asked her what she had been playing.

"Nothing," she dismissed it. "Just only looking at a house."

"Oh, was it fun?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's my work." She said before she changed the subject.

The best realtors I know are honest, hard working, balance work and family, and have other people's interest at heart. If my daughter wants to do that, then she has my blessing. I hope to live up to those standards myself. I get a little help daily from the smallest realtor I know.

~Amy

Chuck Carstensen
RE/MAX Results - Elk River, MN
Minnesota/Wisconsin Real Estate Expert

Thats cute. I take my kids with sometimes and they normally say something dumb.

Aug 26, 2008 09:36 AM
Kelly Willey
Long and Foster BEL AIR MARYLAND - Bel Air, MD
Short Sale Agent - Harford County Maryland Real Estate

Hard to do the balance, been there done that. Raised 4 kids.

Aug 26, 2008 09:48 AM
Erica Muller
The Flamingo Group - Davenport, FL

This is so sweet! My little girl is three and she loves to show houses with Mommy!

Aug 26, 2008 09:49 AM
Linda Lipscomb
Linda Lipscomb RE/MAX Lexington Henderson County TN - Lexington, TN
731-695-1118, Lexington TN Homes

How cute!!!!  

My granddaughter has gone with me on showing appointments she was 2.  She  is 12 now and knows so much about the real estate business.

 We have spent some quality time at open houses and showing appointments.

Aug 26, 2008 10:05 AM
Barb Van Stensel
Chicago, IL

Kids are the best.  I remember my Dad telling us a story about a house he was appraising and he knew but still asked the homeowner if the basement ever flooded.  She said "no".  The little boy peeped up and said "Sure it does Mommy, every time it rains!"  Got to love 'em. 

Aug 26, 2008 10:09 AM
real estate real estate
Providence, RI

Very cute. She will be a real realtor soon.

Aug 26, 2008 01:06 PM
Jennifer Monroe
Indigo Home Team powered by Compass - Charlotte, NC
Real Estate REALTOR®/Broker/Designer

Amy, I commented on our office blog but want you to know that this is as precious as it gets. Beautifully conveyed, as is fitting for such an adorable little Realtor! You are a fabulous writer. And Mother.

Aug 26, 2008 01:16 PM
Anna Matsunaga
Team Momentum Keller Williams Realty Tacoma - Lakewood, WA
Seller specialist, Certified Negotiation Expert

Thank you for sharing....by 2.5 year old came with me to everything I did until she was 18 months and started to be too active to be with me on consults, she comes to much of the rest of what I do and the other kids come too.  Samuel can find anything wrong with a house ( I tell him he should be an inspector) and of course he points any and all of it out to any client we are with ( which is ok I want them to know) and Chlo'e she plays with Kelly ( my office manager)'s kids and they go from room to room and she shows them the home. ( my house) and then they sit down at the dining room table, she pulls paperwork out of recycling and she has them sign.

 

I interviewed a new child care provider a couple days ago.  Chlo'e liked her, so she sits down at the table, she writes out a contract and she walks over in our conversation and says, do you want to work with us?  Ok well sign here.

 

They really do learn from us ( good and bad) good for you for being with your child and not sacrifcing that time to work,  but integrating it instead!!!

Aug 27, 2008 03:46 AM