For the most part, I was totally convinced that I had lost my mind--and I think most people around me felt the same way, too! However, I was getting sooooo tired of having grant-funded jobs, watching the grant money disappear, while left to wonder "Hmmmm, wonder how much longer I'll have this job????" I've always been a very driven individual, but it's kinda hard to focus on a "career" when you don't even know if the money for your job will be there next year!
After a lot of reflecting and discussion, my husband and I decided we're young--we have tons of time ahead of us. But, I didn't want to continue changing jobs every two years in hopes of more secure funding--or slightly better benefits. If I was going to make a big change, it was going to happen NOW, while we still had nothing but time awaiting us!
That said, I gave notice at my jobs. I had decided I would join our local Coldwell Banker agency but the funny (or, scary) part--I hadn't even taken my licensing test yet when I quit my jobs! This made my husband EXTREMELY nervous but as I kept telling him, "I got this, babe--just trust me!"
Here I am, a month and a half into my new life as a Realtor. And I'm still saying, "I got this, babe--just trust me!" I took my licensing exam in April and passed the first time around--which, was really the only "option" because it took about 4 weeks for my licensing application to be approved by the State board. I didn't have time to retake the exam because as luck had it, I listed my first property just 2 days after my license was approved! Talk about perfect timing :-)
During the first two weeks of June, I spent my days in one-on-one training with my Broker. It was pretty intense and I was EXHAUSTED by the time I got home. There was TONS of information for me to learn--but all the while, I was learning to the ropes to managing a listed property. Regardless of how draining it was, I gave 110% of my energy to my broker because hey, he knows what he's talking about! It's with his leadership and guidance that our agency has become the #1 agency in our area--and if I can have things my way, I will do what it takes to become one of the top producers in our office!
So, what HAVE I been doing?
I have been working my butt off.
Last Saturday was the first day in over a month that I did not go into the office. BUT, I worked from home instead! When we went to Dallas for the 4th of July, I worked. As we like to say in the world of real estate, there is no such thing as a weekend/vacation/holiday. Even though Realtors work for an agency, we're all technically self-employed. We're set up on 1099's as Independent Contractors for the agency we go in with and yeah, your broker has basic expectations of what their agents will do. But really, we set our own hours. For example, this past Monday, I stepped out of the office for the afternoon to have a play date with this cutie:
But once Marci and her momma hit the road (and baby girl said her "good-byes" to the dog), it was back to the office to meet with clients for the evening. There is no such thing as vacation or sick leave in my new world, but rather, you just have to learn how to balance everything! And that's exactly why the husband and I are headed out of town tomorrow for a day trip, as just the two of us :-)
For the most, everything is going very well. Or, at least that's what everyone is telling me! I honestly don't have a frame of reference for success so I'm just going along, doing what I need to do! I have spent many a hours out in the hot, hot, heat showing houses and following up on any leads I receive...as a result, it's led to offers on various properties and to be completely honest, I only get paid when I sell a house. Oh, yeah--you saw that right. The only paycheck I will receive is after a house successfully closes at the bank. There is no "salary" or "hourly wage." Based on what I currently have under contract, my first paycheck will be here in September. Now, can you see why my husband thought I was crazy? Start a job in June and not get paid until September?!
And some people would say I'm crazy for what I'm about to say. Honestly, the last thing I care about is the paycheck. Hell, after years of being in social services, you know I'm not about the all-mighty dollar sign! My focus is on helping people. Whether that's helping someone find a home that will meet their needs--or, helping someone sell their home so they can start the next phase of their life. I don't care if it takes me 6 months and driving all over God's green earth to find the right house for first-time homeowners. I want to ensure that my clients are purchasing solid homes, that will not cause them any problems. I want to make sure that my clients can truly afford the home they're purchasing. The last thing I want is for my wallet to be full while former clients find themselves in a world of financial or structural problems because of a home I pushed them into. After all, real estate is all about word-of-mouth referrals. If you start looking out for nobody but yourself, you can kiss your business good bye. And, in my opinion, you'll go to H-E-double hockey sticks while doing so!!!
Like I keep telling my husband, I do believe "I got this, babe--just trust me!" My first listing has already gone under contract (so, now I'm ready to help someone else sell their house and move onto greener pastures!), I've written multiple offers for other houses, my clientele base is growing (even though I'd still be happy to work with additional buyers--wink, wink, referrals, please!) AND PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO ME! Like I told my broker, people have never listened to me before, even though I knew what I was talking about! But people ask me for advice, I provide counsel, they make a decision that best suits their needs, and things work out!!! I love it! For once, people are taking me seriously. As my broker says, he's convinced I've really been doing this real estate thing for years now, but guess it just goes to show, "I got this, babe!"
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