a question I get allllll the time.
"So, why did you decide to become a Real Estate Agent?"
A totally valid question. Probably one every agent gets. However, this wasn't my first career. I left a very steady, stable, well-paying government job to devote my time, energy, and career to real estate.
Was it super scary? Heck yes.
Did it take me a lot of long, sleepless nights to finally take the plunge? Heck yes.
Do I question my decision sometimes? ... Not necessarily.
While the stability (of a paycheck) is certainly something I miss... I was not happy where I was. I sat behind a desk for hours. I stared at a computer screen with a blank look on my face for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. I felt like I wasn't contributing toward anything. I felt replaceable. I felt like I was living out of alignment with what God had gifted me with... which was being a part of people's lives and serving others.
As most of you reading this probably know, I've also had my own photography business for a few years. I actually found a love for photography when I was super young... but that's for another blog post! I threw around the idea of being a full-time photographer for a while... but it never quite felt right. While I loved photography and it filled my cup in ways that were in alignment with the gifts God gave me, I knew it wasn't what I was supposed to be doing full-time.
So, I prayed. Prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed.
And a spark was ignited in a conversation with my sister-in-law. She mentioned getting her real estate license. And for whatever reason, it was an immediate yes to join her in that endeavor. I'll never be able to explain that immediate yes. It just felt right, though. And I'll always be thankful that she came to me with the idea and encouraged me so much early in that process of signing up/paying for the class, taking the class, studying for the test, PASSING the test, and starting our journey to being REALTORS. Of course, while I did feel that natural "yes!" to get my license, I of course started scrambling at the thought of doing it full time.
The conversation that ran through my head constantly was a little something like this:
"You can NOT do this full time. You have no idea what it takes to be a Real Estate Agent. You won't be a good boss to yourself. Have you seen how much the average agent makes per year??!! NOT THAT MUCH, GIRL. Have you checked out the stats on success?! NOT VERY PROMISING, GIRL. Your family is relying on you, your income, and your benefits. No way. Don't even think about it. You have a child now. It is not the time to make risky decisions.
... but... what if..."
So, yeah... it was a lot to think about. And it was hard. I reached out to a very successful, experienced agent for some guidance. She just so happened to not only be the agent who helped my husband and I buy our first home, but she is also the mother of my very best friend! She came over to the house to see all the hard work we had put into it, and I brought up that I was thinking about getting into real estate. I expected to be told how hard it can be. And I honestly expected the conversation to confirm that I shouldn't do it.
But boy oh boy was it the opposite.
Instead, God helped me finish that "what if..." part of the constant conversation happening in my head. He knew I was having a hard time completing that sentence, but that the wheels were kind of spinning at the thought of it. He knew I needed to hear how amazing it can be. How much she loves what she does. How much she can provide for her family thanks to it. How she loves working for herself and serving others.
SO. MUCH. POSITIVITY.
And then all the sudden, by the end of my chat with her, there was that immediate yes that had happened to me a few weeks prior when it came to just deciding to get my license. It was crazy! But I knew it was an answered prayer.
So, friends... that's what happened! It was a wild few months. But I felt so guided by God through the whole process. It was scary. And it still is, honestly. As soon as I got into the game, the market started shifting drastically. It is always hard as a newbie... but it was especially hard when I jumped in (still is, haha). Now, the rates have started increasing and the dreaded word "recession" started floating around. I'm still trying to get my footing and generate some business in the midst of all this, mind you! But at the end of the day, I feel so rooted. I feel protected and divinely guided in my current position.
I just know good things are coming. I love what I'm doing and wake up excited every day to do some more. I longed for this feeling all those years in my other job. And to be living it now... man. What. A. Blessing.
I guess I should answer the question: Why did I become a Real Estate Agent?
Well. It puts me in a position to love people. And to love them well. Home buying and home selling is a very emotional business. It's not all about the $$$ for me. Sure, it's a nice perk (hey, I gotta provide for the fam back at home!)... but money is not what brought me here. The people brought me here. The knowing that people out there need an agent like me. They need somebody who is as caring and compassionate about their home as they are. They need somebody who cares as much about their finances, their well-being, and their family as they do. They need somebody who loves to help others and loves to make other's lives easier. Because this whole thing can be a bit overwhelming and scary... right?! So yeah... I became a Real Estate Agent so I could be a problem-solver. A people-lover. An advice-giver. A counselor. A friend.
Thanks for being along for the ride, friends. I hope to work with you soon. And if you're even considering working with me, just know I'm so very appreciative.
