WHY ARE YOU A REALTOR?
This was a question posed by my friend Debbie Kirkland of Armor Realty in Tallahassee, Florida recently on Twitter.
She was looking for video responses that have a story about why they are a REALTOR. She is calling it her REALTOR project.
I told her I would make a video to answer that question and I didn’t have to think long to know exactly what I would tell her.
I am a REALTOR because of my mother. I am a REALTOR because of my daughters.
I joke with people that I am a real estate BRAT. While I do have my bratty moments, I am referencing the fact that I was raised in a real estate saturated household. My mother started real estate in Western Massachusetts when I was about 10 and my parents owned investment property and flipped houses the rest of my youth.
I was my mom’s real estate assistant from the moment she began. With my sister by my side, we would fold newsletters, lick envelopes, stick stamps and help with whatever task was needed.
When I was 18, I got my real estate license and started my training in Western Massachusetts real estate. I sold one (small) house, made more money than I would have made all summer at a part time job and took the rest of the summer off.
That time off was short lived, as Mom and I had to pay for my college education. I was getting an English degree from Westfield State College (now University) and we had books to buy and fees to pay. Mom and I worked together to make it happen.
I wasn’t going to be a career REALTOR, I was going to work in public relations…real estate was supposed to be temporary, but here I am 23 years later and am proud to be a career real estate professional in Western Ma.
My time has included real estate sales, management, investment, training, speaking and writing. This career is ever changing and there is always something to learn and explore. It allows me to help so many people through essential phases of their life and gives me the flexibility to be there for my daughters.
Now it is my girls who come with me on a last minute showing appointment, or to take pictures of a new listings. It is my girls who are putting stamps on postcards and being hushed when the phone rings.
Here is a little video I created for Debbie, I hope you enjoy it!
