What a High Schooler Taught Me

A few weeks ago I received a call from a Loudoun County High School teacher. She was looking for a realtor who’d be willing to have a high school student shadow him/her for the day. She reached out to Pearson Smith and received my information from my broker Eric. He had filled her in on my story and felt after making my way into the Top 10 in my brokerage, I’d be a good fit for what she was looking for. I felt meeting a high school student could be beneficial for the both of us, after all he was someone I felt I could make a good impression on and illustrate what can come from working hard, so I jumped on the opportunity.

I requested Dylan (name changed) meet me at my office at 10am because I didn’t want to bore him with some prospecting calls I had to get in beforehand. The rest of the day was spent as most days are—in the car. From Ashburn to Herndon, to Alexandria, to Arlington, Alexandria again, then Vienna, and back to Ashburn again.. we drove 119 of the 30k miles I drive per year. We met with one of my clients whose house I was listing, stopped by a home that was coming soon to the market and get an idea on how it would work for a client of mine, checked on the status of construction at a flip I have hitting the market in Alexandria which was probably the coolest errand of the day. I was able to show him how the construction process works, what to look for in new constructions, as well as where some contractors tend to cut costs (how those cuts can impact the livability of the home) and so on. He was eager to learn more about what my job really entails; the calls, the emails, all the preparation of paperwork, the listings, scheduling photos, meeting with inspectors, checking out market activity, home inspection negotiations, speaking with lenders regarding clients pre-approvals, all of it. While a majority of my day was spent with clients and on the phone, for the time we were able to speak I feel Dylan received real insight into my day & that I don’t spend all day in the office… rather it’s a bunch of errands, tons of phone calls, and how sometimes I need to stop what I’m doing to pull into a parking lot – take out my laptop and prepare an addendum or send over a document for my clients’ signatures.. oh how thankful I am for that personal hotspot feature on my iPhone.. Without it I’d be lost & by business wouldn’t be doing as well as it is.

At the end of the day I asked him what he thought—he was quick to say how busy my day is. To be honest, I was expecting his answer to be something like this. Do any of us realize how busy or stressful others jobs truly are? Or what goes into those jobs? I sure don’t. I’m not a doctor, not a lawyer; I’m not building skyscrapers or working on rockets… I’m a real estate consultant, a matchmaker for people and homes. Pretty simple. Most of my work is done behind the scenes, I’m aware of that. Dylan made me realize I need to show the public what I do on a daily basis. I spend most of my day between the office and the car, juggling work and family. I’m thankful that my career is so mobile, I can block out an hour to pick up Braylee from school, or head into the office early if I have an afternoon of showings. I enjoy being in control of my business, it makes me work that much harder to assure myself I receive a paycheck.

While the public sees us put a sign in the yard and sell homes. They don’t see the hours we work, the hundred or so calls we make per day to earn business, the hours spent on advertising and marketing our listings, networking with industry professionals, the continual research on the market, home inspection reports, the calls with home owners’ associations, confirming zoning regulations, negotiating with other agents & their clients. My job as a realtor isn’t just selling homes; my job as a realtor is to listen to my clients’ needs, to educate them on the market, specific communities, the cost of home ownership, what future development plans may be etc. My job as a realtor is to be a go-to resource for anything-home ownership. AC broken? I have someone. Little Sammie needs a tutor? I have someone. Looking for a new barber? I have someone. Anything you need, my role is to either know of someone or where to find them.

If there is anything I can do for you– feel free to comment below or message me privately.

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