In honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to tell the stories of Real women. Each week, we’ll be posting a new, in-depth look into the life of a Real agent and the career path that led her to the Real community.
My real estate story began with my love of looking at homes and attending open houses every weekend. I used to go by myself. Then I started dragging my fiancé with me! At first, it was easy because we would eventually buy our first home. It became a hobby for both of us. He would joke around and say, “Why don’t you get your real estate license?”
My reaction was always, are you kidding me? Work for free and hope to get a client that will work with you and wants to buy a house from you? No way, I like my safety net! Mind you, that safety net was only $38,000 a year. But what did I know!
Two years later, we were ready to purchase our first home right after we got married. His promise was to have a big wedding or buy a house. I was smart enough to know that I wanted a house. And two years later we bought a home. It took sacrifice, but was well worth it!
So the search began.
As a lot of us did before we got into real estate, we looked for a referral and asked a friend who they recommended. At this point in time we had a friend that was a real estate agent. So, naturally, we used her.
The process only took about three months – what a difference 18 years makes, right? And during that time I was thinking to myself that it had to be better than this. We finally got to the closing table and moved in. Once we were settled and unpacked I decided to drop the bombshell on my husband. I said at 11:30 pm on a Thursday night, “Babe, I want to get my real estate license.” His reaction? It’s about time!
The new journey begins…
I started in real estate just as the market was turning, which was actually a good thing because it made me become a better agent. I shadowed seasoned agents in my office. I went on appointments with them, and I watched how they wrote contracts and how they negotiated. I felt it was an honor to learn from the best, and they were willing to teach. Within the first two weeks of having my license, I got my first buyer and my first lease client. I was so excited and nervous at the same time. But with the help of my team lead and other agents, we got to the closing table, and I had happy, satisfied clients. Till this present day, I still talk to and have had three other transactions with that first client.
What I learned from my own personal transaction was that buying a home is a big deal whether it’s your first house or your seventh house. Clients depend on you, they rely on you, and they trust you to not only hold their hand, but to fight for them. And when it gets hard, to keep them motivated and tell them we will find it. That’s what I learned makes a good agent. I feel like it’s a great honor to help someone find a home.
I am pleased to say that I am still going strong….85-90% of my business at this point is referral. I have hired my first buyer's agent, and I’m excited for this upcoming year. I have also started a second team, Follow My Heels Home, in the Charlotte, NC area, which I am in the process of building with the help of some awesome people. I am building my empire one client at a time, between Dallas and Charlotte.
I am so blessed to have my wonderful husband Tim who is my strength, my support, and my biggest cheerleader. He pushes me to be a better me.
I consider myself really blessed, and I am so glad to have been told about Real. The collaboration, the leadership, and the culture is something that I was looking for and that I needed. I have met some phenomenal people who hold a special place in my heart. I’m excited to see what the future holds.
And as I always say, be positive, be kind, be you and do you. You can’t go wrong.
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