I moved to Keller Williams, teamed up with a Sellers Agent, AND am now working exclusively with Buyers! It's been on my mind for awhile so it wasn't a rash decision but I feel like a 100 lb weight has been lifted off my shoulders so it feels like a good one already.
I think part the reason that many
agents don't stay in the business very long is that they get overwhelmed with the different facets (financing, paperwork, staging, paperwork, inspections, paperwork, marketing (themselves and the homes they sell), and so on) involved in selling real estate. Even when you're good, there is only so much that one can focus on well. Yet we continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results (isn't that the definition of insanity?).
Buying and selling real estate is usually an emotional transaction for my clients. For most people it’s the most expensive purchase they’ll ever make so it makes sense. I’ve found that depending on the day, I may get to play marriage counselor, cheerleader, consoler, or some other role…and always an ally and educator. I never know which hat I’m going to wear but I like that every day is a new adventure. Because I like working with/for Buyers so much, I roll with the punches very well. Sellers are over my head. It's not personal. Sellers are good people. I'm just not interested in honing this skill right now. But I didn’t want to let my friends, past clients, and referral sources down so I had to find someone that was. And I did!
It took a few months and several meetings with different brokerages but I finally got it right.
Mic Gordon has been in the business for 18 years, sells a boatload of homes, and is the managing partner of the Keller Williams office that I joined. So when someone I know wants to sell their home, I can rest at night knowing that they are being treated fairly, are well informed about the market, and will still have someone to negotiate a win/win on their behalf. If you're a past client/friend, I'll probably help with the process too. But I'll leave the tough stuff to Mic :)
And my perfectionist personality can focus on being the best Buyers agent that I can be. The past few days have been an emotional roller coaster but I’m completely relieved and overwhelmingly excited about this opportunity!
Just an aside: I got an e-mail a couple days ago from a past client who wanted to refinance. It went something like this: “I just closed on my refi today at Union Savings Bank. No escrow, no pmi, and no fee for not escrowing. Cost me a total of $771 to close and my payments went down by $384 per month! God bless you” . I share this because nothing thrills me more than to be able to benefit someone’s quality of life. And now that I'm able to focus on one subset of the market, I’ll be able to keep up to date with lenders to find out the most recent changes the banks are making (and deals like the one I just mentioned), stay more abreast of Builders inventory, and develop even greater ideas for the Buyers I represent. So when someone says they're thinking about Buying a house, remember to give me a call. They'll be glad you did!
If you aren't already overwhelmed by things to do in this great city, here are a few resources to keep you better attuned:
