My First Year In Real Estate

After spending the majority of 2023 actively working in real estate, I have learned SO MANY things, but here are a few that stand out…

I have reexamined my lifestyle in general as I welcome this new business in my life, and one of the things that really come to the forefront is gratitude. I now start (almost) every day by writing down a short list of things I’m grateful for. I start most written communication with gratitude, and do my best to convey the random gratitude that pops into my mind to whomever it relates to. It not only boosts my general sense of happiness, it seems to bring about even more to be grateful for in my life!

Knowing what is available to sell in your particular corner of the market is essential. It’s important because it’s what gives you the FEEL for the market. You get the feel for what’s priced right, what is a good value, what’s overpriced, what needs work, what’s not worth the work, what’s new, what’s dated, what’s what! Every Tuesday there’s this wonderful thing called Broker Tour. The North Bay Association of Realtors hosts a marketing meeting where local agents pitch their new listings, then we all get in our cars and go to see them in real life. It’s kind of like speed dating, because we’re usually in and out of the houses in 5-10 minutes, but once you know what it smells like, you’ve walked the floor plan, and seen the surroundings, you know. Without seeing them in person though, it’s impossible to truly KNOW your inventory, a bad smell or a neighboring house looking right into your back yard can quickly spoil the house that’s otherwise brilliant online. That feel for the market that I gain from touring the houses, is how I do my job well. Without the feel, I would just be some out of touch agent behind a desk pushing paper and unfounded decisions that might not lead to the outcomes I want my clients to have as I walk alongside them through these huge transactions.