I’ve asked around and it appears that my suspicion was confirmed: people get jobs to make money. I’m no exception. I became a realtor with the hope of making supportive income. I liked the idea of “the harder you work, the more you make”. Maybe the lack of this condition is what made me such a hard to handle employee. I felt as if I would grind with any job I was in but I was too impatient to wait for the recognition.
What I’ve found throughout this career has surprised me. With real estate, you create your own recognition, which isn’t just dollars. In fact, if money wasn’t a factor, I can honestly say this is still what I would do (but only because I’m 5’7″ and wouldn’t get picked up by even the New Orleans Pelicans). I really do love the feeling of a first time homebuyer getting the keys and seeing their look of genuine wonder over what they’re supposed to do next. I thoroughly enjoy getting a card or a text or email after the transaction to thank me for helping them through. One client even bought me a cake! I bought my Christmas tree from my client whose land included a tree farm. While I was there, I felt like the mayor because all of their friends there were referred to me by them. A few years ago, I was texted a family Thanksgiving photo that consisted of an entire family that I helped to get into their homes.
This is the good stuff and keeps me in it. It keeps me hungry. It keeps my eye on what’s important. I tell clients that the worst case scenario is that I see them at a Hannaford and I have to hide behind the asparagus because I knew that they didn’t get the right house in the right place at the right price. So, sometimes I have to tell my buyer that I’m not going to allow them to buy a house that they’re really interested in because, once that energy fades, they’re not going to be happy with it or me.
We’re all in everything for the money. Not much is for the love of the game anymore. But, by very good fortune, I have a job that gives me everything. It gives me gratitude, client appreciation, time flexibility, and a decent wage. Best of all, though, I’ve made some great friends along the way. Friendships that are lasting long past the transaction. That’s kinda awesome.