The day before Keller Williams Family Reunion (our annual conference) began in Las Vegas, Ashlee and I went to hike around Red Rock Canyon. The canyon is roughly 20-25 minutes from the Las Vegas strip and we conned an Uber into taking us there. Note: You do NOT have cell service once you arrive at the canyon so schedule your return with a driver BEFORE you get there. I was so thankful for having done a bit of research or it’s quite possible that we would have been stranded. Continue reading
If there’s one thing I could talk about all day long besides goal-setting, it’s business. It doesn’t even matter what type of business really. I just love the concept. Looking back, I can see signs that I was destined to be a business owner from day one.
I’ve opened two business so far in my short lifetime. At 23, I opened Salt & Pepper Accessory Boutique with my sister. At this point in my life, I had very little experience in knowing what all was out there in the world. I did have experience in the fashion industry, and this business came from the idea of providing affordable, out-of-the-ordinary fashion accessories to the average woman. The premise was that a shopper would get the service of a boutique store at affordable prices and that absolutely everyone would be welcomed there. Our staff was rigorously trained to make every shopper feel special, important, and wanted. I loved how we were subtlety empowering our shoppers.
After opening in 2009, we added clothing, shoes, vintage furniture/home decor, and various household goods. We also expanded and moved to a newer, larger building. Looking back, my sister and I opened a business that thrived primarily on disposable income right in the middle of a recession. Realistically, that doesn’t seem like a smart business move. However, I’ve always operated on my gut feeling and something said go for it.
Four years after opening Salt & Pepper, I made the oh-so-tough decision to sell the business and move on to new ventures. To this day, I miss searching out the coolest, non-mainstream items for the store. Nonetheless, I love business number two and haven’t looked back.
I became a licensed realtor in June of 2013. At that time, I really had no idea where this career would take me. All I knew was that I’d always had a strong interest in the real estate industry. Shortly after becoming licensed, I created Pamela Petrus, LLC. On the surface, it looks like I show houses for a living. Sometimes my short answer to people when they ask the ever-popular what-do-you-do question is, “I sell real estate.” That’s just the short answer though. In fact, I run a business.
At this time, Pamela Petrus, LLC is a business that focuses primarily on aiding third parties in the sell and purchase of residential properties. I don’t show houses all day, and I’m not a salaried employee of Keller Williams Realty. lnstead, I am an independent contractor (self-employed) and Keller Williams is my broker.
In all honesty, I’m likely selling myself short by saying, “I sell houses.” In reality, I am a business owner. I am a professional marketer and negotiator. I study pages and pages of contracts daily. I manage communication between a host of parties involved in a single real estate transaction…bankers, lawyers, buyers, sellers, contractors, insurance agents…the list goes on and on. I possess a wealth of information, not known by the general public. I protect my clients’ investments and help them make the best decisions during what’s often the largest purchase of their lives. Frequently, I’m a counselor and I help manage emotions.
I don’t just show houses. I do all of the tasks done by the average business owner. I advertise. I pay payroll. I research my market. I study trends and manage finances. I pay lots and lots of taxes. Undoubtedly, my paycheck comes from commission paid on the sale of a home. That’s ultimately how I pay my bills. However, it’s so much more elaborate than selling real estate as a hobby. I didn’t get into this industry to look at pretty houses everyday. I’m a professional, not a hobbyist.
In thinking about what it really means to be a business owner, sometimes I’m taken back. Sometimes, I myself, forget to treat Pamela Petrus, LLC as a business, not a job. Sometimes I’m simply amazed/proud/humbled by the fact that I’ve opened two businesses already, and I’m not even 30 years old. Most of all, I’m thankful for this business mindset that I possess and for the opportunity to do what I do.
This post came to be after a pretty humbling realization I had. I read all of the blog posts on business. Seriously, if one of my favorite bloggers writes anything about their businesses, I’m all ears (or eyes, rather). I’m always a tad jealous of how much control they have and how unapologetic they are for crafting things to be how they want. Then, it dawned on me. I, too, am a business owner with the ability to run my business how I choose. I don’t have to work with mean people. I can manage my schedule so that it provides the best life possible for my husband and I. I get to decide what I will and won’t do and what’s next. The scary truth is, all of the decisions begin and end with me, and I get to decide how this business of mine is ran. That fact is both invigorating and immensely frightening.
What’s next? Something big. Only time will tell. I do have big plans, for sure. I have dreams of investing (rentals and remodels), coaching, and consulting. I’m not sure what each of these items will look like, yet I know they’re on the horizon. Will I open other businesses? Most likely. Will I continue to run a real estate business? Most likely. Will I constantly be looking for the next big thing for me and my family? Definitely. I truly believe that the best lives are lived by always seeking new adventures and by always looking for more. Some ventures may succeed and others may fail. However, you’ll never know which is which without making that first step.
P.S. A post on how I manage a full to-do list.
P.S.S. Click here if you’re interested in becoming a professional realtor.
If you’ve followed along here more than two days, you know that I’m no stranger to goal-setting. It’s one of my favorite topics, and it’s often how I measure my success. I’ve written about not accomplishing goals before, and I recently had another break through that I thought I’d share.
I have a tendency to want to accomplish everything. Literally everything. This shows up in practically every area of my life. Have a day off? I want to do all of the fun things. A regular day at work? I think I have to get every single thing done. Goal setting time? I’m going to work towards every single idea I had. Did you see my idea list for #the100dayproject? My mind ran wild with ideas, and I wanted to do every single one. When we started renovations on our first house, it was sooo hard for me to not do every single project at once. I probably would have done them all if the funds would have been available!
When I was setting my goals for 2015, I had to pare them down a bit. Even after limiting myself some, I still ended up with quite a full list of goals (three separate lists actually). When I purchased these tracking sheets for monitoring my progress, I was pumped. Here’s the problem though — I was tracking too many things.
I had a sheet for exercise. A sheet for blog posts, quality time with Matthew, and 3 sheets for tracking work goals. I had 8 of the beautiful bubble sheets in a pocket folder, ready to track everything…everyday. I’m sure most of you are already seeing the problem here. I, however, did not. After all, I love marking things off and filling in bubbles! It was going to be fantastic and fun!! My thought was, I’ll keep myself motivated because I’ll enjoy getting to fill in the bubbles. Wrong.
Somewhere around the end of February, I quit using them. All of them. I wasn’t doing as well with some of my goals as I’d hoped, and I honestly couldn’t even remember what some of the sheets were for without checking them.
Isn’t this how we end up not accomplishing most of our goals? We fall off the wagon, lose momentum, and then give up all together? The sheets even say it – progress is more important than perfection. Even when you get off track, the important part is that you get back at it. It’s ok to lose sight of the goal every now and then…you just have to get back on track when it happens.
So…I filled in what I could remember on my sheets and then started tracking things again. I did well for a few weeks and then around mid-March, I quit again. Of course, I was getting discouraged. I was working towards some of my goals, not others. I had certainly lost momentum with tracking things, even though I loved these sheets so much. Then I had the all-important breakthrough that I’m sharing with you today. I was doing too much.
I’m currently taking BOLD through Maps Coaching at Keller Williams, which is a life-changing program. It teaches you how to grow your real estate business, yet more importantly, it teaches you how to become a better person. In my BOLD class last week, we talked about a daily habit tracker. (I immediately thought of my bubble sheets and simultaneously felt guilty for being behind yet again.) We talked about how it takes 66 days to form a habit. We’re 110 days into 2015, all of my daily tasks should now be habits! Why am I not rolling out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (what a weird saying!)? Why am I not exercising like it’s second nature?? My mind was racing.
As the coach continued, I finally had the realization that I so desperately needed. I could indeed conquer every goal in the world…I just needed to do them one at a time. I was stretching myself too thin, dreaming of big ideas, so I wasn’t able to focus on any one task enough to make any of them happen. I was committed to becoming a better person. I truly wanted it. Those sorts of changes don’t happen overnight, though. I might still be able to accomplish all of these things in 2015. However, I’m going to need to focus on one thing at a time to do so.
So what’s next? I’ve chosen to work on my physical fitness goal first. Rather than having a sporadic fitness plan where I work out out here and there when time allows, I am committing to making time for physical activity. It seems like the most important one to address for the time being, and it’s the one I want/need the most. I pulled my exercise bubble sheet from the portfolio and hung it on the fridge. I’ll be focused on that one goal for now. The others can wait.
I’m sharing this realization today because it was huge for me. I need to really understand this concept and remember it. Furthermore, if you struggle with trying to do too much, you could benefit from trying to pare things down a bit too. If you set a goal for the year and then quit in the first quarter like I did, understand that it’s not over. I really considered giving up since my track record for the first quarter wasn’t so impressive. Don’t do it!! We still have the majority of 2015 left to readjust and make magic happen. If you’re not sticking with your goals, simply reevaluate and make adjustments. If you’re committed and approaching things the right way, you will win. I simply can’t way to see what this adjustment does for my goal-setting process. I also can’t wait to see what it does for you!
Speaking of goal-setting, I pre-ordered the Get To Work Book from Elise, and I can’t wait to get it in my hands!!
(photo via The Great Discontent)
When I saw details for #the100dayproject (via EliseJoy), I knew I had to participate! I’m always the first to get behind any sort of daily challenge. (I’m also probably the first to fall behind half way through…no judging!)
The premise behind this project is that you make something daily for 100 days. Can you just imagine what all you could get done by making something every day for 100 days?? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make something or do something…I just knew I wanted to participate somehow.
I actually had quite a bit of trouble deciding which project I wanted to tackle. I made a rather lengthy list and then deliberated for hours on what to do. By deliberated, I mean practically stressed over it and sent waaay too many text messages to Amanda for her opinion.
Nonetheless, I finally made a decision! I decided to go with 100 days of crafty things! I wanted something that had a bit of flexibility, so I left my topic a bit open ended. (I didn’t want to have to work on the same type of project every day.) As of right now, I envision my daily tasks being a variety of things. Some days I’ll paint. Some days I might finish decorating an area of my home, make something new, or learn a new, crafty skill.
Regardless of what actual task I complete each day, my focus is to actually do something fulfilling each day. Most days I am completely exhausted by the time I get home from work, and I tend to put off all of the fun projects I’d like to do. By participating in the 100 days project, I’m hoping to reserve a bit of time each day for creating/doing something fun.
What have I done so far?
Day 1: wrapped a wedding present and made a gift tag for it
Day 2: made a bracelet
Day 3: doodled a quote from Cinderella for my mirror
Day 4: I’m planning to work on some crafty Lovely Lady Letters!
Think you might like to participate? It’s not too late! Go to the site and register. The project continues until July 14, 2015. You can play catch up if you’d like, skip a few of the first days, or continue on past July 14….whatever your heart desires! If you do decide to participate, let me know! I’d love to follow along.
If you’d like to keep up with what I’ll be doing through this project, you can follow #100daysofcraftythings on IG (@pamelapetrus). Happy crafting!
I spent most of last week in Orlando, FL at Family Reunion. Family Reunion is one of the largest real estate conferences in the world, if not THE largest. Keller Williams agents from around the world converge once a year to discuss results from the previous year and insight for the current year. We spend most of the days in classes, learning new strategies for growing our businesses, and this year was no exception….I learned A LOT and left with a TON of ideas!
The biggest announcement for 2015 is that Keller Williams is now the #1 real estate company in the world!! In 2014, we were pleased to announce that we were the largest company in the US, but this year’s announcement was even larger! It is honestly so humbling to sit back and think of what a magnificent company it is that I work with. The Keller Williams company was started in 1983 in Austin, TX. In just 32 short years, it has grown to #1 in the world. Such substantial and sustainable growth in such a short period of time is a large testament to the culture and vision of this company. I am very proud to get to work with such a fantastic, progressive-thinking group of people.
We also announced that we’ll be welcoming our peers to our neck of the woods next year. Family Reunion 2016 will be in New Orleans!!
Over 11,000 agents attended this annual conference. If you ever need perspective on how small your corner of the world is, sit in a room of 11,000-12,000 like-minded people who do the same exact thing you do all across the world. It’s an invigorating experience and offers an ample dose of perspective.
Now that I’m home from the 2015 conference, I’m ready to take this year by storm! It’s so easy to return home and get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle and never implement any new ideas. However, I’m committed to taking steps to implement the things I’ve learned and ideas I’ve had. I plan to set aside time for dreaming big and planning for my business. After all, these are the things that will set me apart and guarantee my success.
Whether they’re personal or professional, I hope that you’re setting big goals for this year, and I hope that you’re committed to making them a reality. Don’t forget…you and you alone are in charge of what your life looks like and where you go. Don’t let the routine of daily life cloud your focus. Here’s to a happy and successful 2015!
Want more information about becoming a realtor? Click here! You can also email me at pamelapetrus at gmail dot com!
Related: Family Reunion 2014 – Pheonix, AZ
I wrote this post after returning home from Family Reunion in Phoenix, AZ last year, but I never got around to sharing it here on the blog. In honor of being in Orlando for Family Reunion 2015 this week, I thought I’d finally share the post. Enjoy!
I spent five days in Phoenix for the Keller Williams Family Reunion last month, and I’m totally fired up about what 2014 will hold for my career. (For the record, Family Reunion is an annual conference where our agents get together and discuss trends, ideas, the past year, and what’s new for our company.) There were over 10,000 agents flooding downtown Phoenix for this event!
There were 16 of us from Monroe/West Monroe, and I loved getting to know our team a little better. Even though we work together on transactions and see each other around the office every day, you don’t really get to know someone until you spend a solid 5 days with them!
Unfortunately, my brain was on real estate overload most of the time so I didn’t even snap many photos. We were in back-to-back sessions every day and any free time we had was primarily spent eating. If you’re ever in Phoenix, you must try the key lime pie at Fuego. It was simply delicious. It wasn’t like your regular key lime, and if I ever make it back to Phoenix, I will definitely be stopping by for a slice.
The atmosphere at The Old Spaghetti Factory was fascinating. After making our reservations, we found out that it’s known to be haunted! One of the A&E shows came and agreed that their were indeed spirits present there. The decor was very cool but also a tad creepy considering the place is supposedly haunted. I have several photos from this place, so I may make a separate post soon. Believe in spirits or not, I didn’t go to the restroom alone!
My other favorite, non-real estate experience was hearing from the Touhy’s, the real-life family from The Blindside. I’ve always found that movie to be so inspiring, and it was great to hear from the real family. The mom, Leigh Anne Tuohy, talked about how she keeps some cash in the console of all of their family’s vehicles so that they can easily give a couple of dollars to someone on a street corner. (For those who say they’ll just buy drugs or alcohol, she says that you’ll be judged on the kindness in your own heart. Let them be judged for what they do with the money.) The biggest take-away from their presentation for me was that you don’t have to adopt a neglected, homeless kid to make a difference in the world. (However, that would help.) I’ve talked about this several times, but even the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference. I’m sure you can think of instances where someone has said or done something to completely turn your day around. It was such a powerful experience.
While I am more than happy to be home to my fantastic husband and my normal work schedule, I am thankful that I had a chance to attend this event. I found some much needed motivation and came home full of ideas for better serving my clients. I am thankful for the chance to be “in the business of making friends,” and I look forward to knocking it out of the park in 2014!
Have you ever thought about a career in real estate or do you have any general questions? I’m willing to help in any way that I can, so feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email or text!
This fun fact is really only for my iPhone readers, although I’m sure there’s a similar function on most smart phones. It probably sounds a little dramatic, but I seriously can’t describe how big of a difference this new discovery has made for me.
As a realtor, my phone rings literally all the time. If I’m not chatting with a client or lender, an attorney’s office is calling. If I’m not scheduling an inspection or appraisal, someone is texting me about a new listing. (Let’s not even mention emails.) I blow through a full battery in the blink of an eye, but I’m practically always on my phone. This isn’t a complaint…it’s just part of the business that I’m in. (It’s also part of the reason I don’t really get a “day off.”)
What does this really mean though? It means that my phone is still going off when I’m home for the night. It means that during family functions, I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. It means that during a meeting with a client, they see my phone going off nonstop, and they feel rushed. None of these things are conducive to a well-balanced, happy life or a successful business. I got 11 texts back to back at 3:00 am once! I do work a lot, but I’m likely sleeping at 3:00 am. My phone has literally rang at all hours of the night. Then, I’m awake with work on the brain, and I can’t go back to sleep. This I how I come to explore the world of do not disturb.
At first, I was hesitant to use this iPhone feature because I was afraid that my mom would need me in the middle of the night or someone would call with an emergency. However, I learned that a call from anyone in your favorites list would come on through. How perfect!
For several months now, I’ve been putting my phone on do not disturb when I get into bed at night. Calls and texts still come through, but I’m not notified. This way, I’m able to sleep peacefully through the night (most of the time) and yet still be able to receive messages that I need to handle the next day.
On a usual day, I switch my phone back to its active mode once I’m done getting ready in the morning. I’ve talked about things that I’ve learned, and one of those is that if I get a call or text early in the morning with something that needs to be handled right away, I immediately start rushing through getting ready and my day starts spiraling out of control. I’ve also learned that being able to get ready in a slow, easy pace is like heaven to me. There’s just something so refreshing to me about being able to take my time getting dressed in the mornings. Almost all of my best days start with this. Therefore, I quickly learned that leaving my phone on do not disturb until I was done getting dressed made a world of difference for how my day developed and my mood. After all, I think it’s best to try to keep work to “work hours” as much as possible. (That means I’m probably not going to text you back at 6:00 am. Honestly, I’m not much of a morning person, so you really don’t want to hear from me that early. You’re welcome!)
I say all of this, not to discourage anyone for reaching out to me at any time. (I don’t get phone notifications for emails, so feel free to send those at any hour!) Instead, this post is about learning what works for you and makes you most productive. I knock out such a tremendous amount of work in the daytime hours, that I know I can limit the late evening and early morning hours for my personal time. I know that my entire day (which in turn means my mood and my ability to help my clients) becomes so much better when I give myself some disconnected time.
I shared the foundation of my productivity method last week, and I’d have to say using do not disturb would be my next big thing. If you struggle to disconnect or carve out time for yourself, you’ll want to give this a try. No one will know that you’re using the feature (calls don’t go straight to voicemail), and you can be in better control of your time. I honestly feel like I’ve been a ton happier and way more productive by using this tool.
What about you? Ever used the do not disturb feature? Have any other tips for ways of limiting your connectivity? I’m all ears!
*Again, of you’re a client or friend of mine, don’t hesitate to reach out to me if needed. I’m nearly always available and if you don’t get me right away, I’ll respond as soon as possible. I’ll just be sleeping (hopefully) during the night time hours. 🙂
I simply can’t believe that the Christmas season has already come and gone. They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s totally a reality here in my neck of the woods. The holiday season is always a blur for Matthew and I. I thought I’d take a moment to recap what our Christmas season was like this year.
We began the month with our annual trip to Ernest’s in Shreveport with Matthew’s grandmother and cousins. This is a tradition that she’s held for several years and everyone always looks forward to the event. We dress up, ride over, and eat lots (Seriously….lots.) of fantastic food. This year, I wore a black, velvet dress and a gold, vintage belt that I hadn’t had a chance to wear yet. Velvet is one of my favs, so I was pumped about the outfit. We were missing a few cousins this year, but we definitely had a blast catching up with the ones who were able to make it. (Holly, I’m still laughing at Tanner’s plunger stories…too funny!)
Next up on the Christmas agenda was Amanda‘s birthday. We went to Cotton for her birthday dinner and ate all of the duck wraps. Then, that weekend we had a small game night/marshmallow roasting party at our house for her. I was blown away that Amanda and I have been friends since 2006 and I had no idea that she has a SERIOUS love for toasted marshmallows. You learn something new every day!
The weekend before Christmas turned out to be quite a busy one for the Petruses. (Side note: I just learned that this is the correct way to spell our last name in this context. Maybe December was the month for learning new things!) Friday night we attended the Keller Williams Parishwide Partners Christmas party at a new downtown venue that I hadn’t been to yet. I’m now considering it for possible location for my 30th birthday party…more on that later. Matthew and I enjoyed the party. It’s always great to get together with colleagues in a non-work environment. I also starting working on some of my 2015 work goals while at the party, which made me happy.
Saturday night, we had our real estate team Christmas party at the new Doe’s Steakhouse in downtown Monroe. I work closely with 9 or so agents at Keller Williams through the Shane Wooten team (plus several assistants), so this was our chance to celebrate a successful year together. I prepped centerpieces and little bags of peppermints for each guest. My mom is great with flower arrangements, but it’s never been a prominent skill of mine. I think these turned out pretty well for how quickly I threw them together though! It was a lot of fun getting together with everyone and recapping memories from the past year. Plus, the food was outstanding!
Sunday brought along two more Christmas events for Matthew and I. For lunch, we gathered at our house with Matthew’s mom, step-dad, little brothers, and grandparents. Matthew made a delicious roast and the most amazing mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. We enjoyed catching up with family that we don’t see often. Then, we took a quick (and much needed) nap, and headed over to my father-in-law’s for dinner. We had a great dinner there and then watched the kids open a few gifts. (Jordan and Roxie, you were missed!) I just realized that we didn’t get any pictures from dinner here, which is a bummer. By this time next year, this side of our family will have grown and that’s exciting! Our newest niece or nephew will be making his/her debut next month!
After a fun-filled and crazy weekend, Matthew and I spent Tuesday night opening a few gifts for each other and looking at Christmas lights. I’m excited to see what next year will be like without Matthew working retail AND being in nursing school. We both worked retail our first Christmas together, and it was exhausting. I’m excited to see what next year looks like for us, even though I’m quite nervous about our daily routine changing completely.
Christmas Eve we hosted my side of the family at our house. Hosting gatherings is one of my favorite things to do, so I was excited to have everyone at our new home for Christmas. I also baked my first turkey, and it turned out edible…I’ll take that as a win! Basically, the night was filled with lots of jokes and candy-eating. What more could you want??
After my family left, we headed out for Texas. We arrived a little after midnight and spent Christmas Day opening presents there and playing board games. We got to spend some time with Matthew’s step-sister, Jenna, that we don’t see often. We had a blast learning to play Killer Bunnies (Such an appropriate game for Christmas, right?!) and having an easy day with family.
All in all, this Christmas season was a success. Matthew and I were really busy towards the end of the season, but I think we still enjoyed the hustle and bustle and made some great holidays memories. (I also got lots of pictures of us in front of our Christmas tree, which makes me happy!) In case you missed it, you can see some of our Christmas decor here and details about our Christmas card here.
I’m sort of sad to wrap up the 2014 holiday season, but I’m definitely excited about 2015. I have a gigantic list of goals and plans for the year, and I’m expecting big things to happen. I hope you’re wrapping up 2014 with lots of great memories and equally great plans for this next year. Here’s to 2015 being a fantastic one!
May was the most fantastic month. Big things happened around here. During the month of May, I closed 14 houses for a volume of over $1,100,000! This number put me as the #3 agent in our office for this month (out of over 100 agents). I was also the #6 agent in our entire market with hundreds of agents. I definitely don’t mean to brag but this is such an amazing accomplishment, and I’m so excited!
I also post this to say that I am incredibly thankful to have everyone’s support in this journey. I would not been able to accomplish such things in one month without you all sending business my way. (Remember, if someone is looking for a new house, call me first so I can help them! They don’t even have to pay me!) Most of my May transactions were from friends and family calling me to let me know of someone looking for a home. This means the world to me! I simply cannot succeed in this business without you all spreading the word for me. You’ve done that, and I’m THANKFUL! If I could drive to each of you and hug your neck, I’d do it!!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Please keep the referrals coming. I’m looking forward to a successful June too!
Today marks exactly 6 months since I got my real estate license! I must say that these last 6 months have FLOWN by, and I have learned and experienced so much in a short period of time.
I wanted to take a few moments to reflect upon what these last 6 months have been like.
1. Since I can remember, I’ve ALWAYS wanted to be in real estate. I can remember watching episodes of House Hunters for hours and hours. Something about the industry has always called my name. Once I decided to get my license, I realized that I had been right all along…I feel like I was made for this industry!
2. I finally accepted that I’ll never know every single thing there is to know about real estate. Every single transaction is different, so there’s always something new to learn. At first, this was difficult for me because I’ve always been an overachiever and not knowing all of the ins and outs was tough! However, I’ve learned the processes backwards and forwards, and I’ve accepted that each new transaction will bring with it something new to learn. For example, I now know what to do in the case of a government shutdown. How can I ever get bored??!
3. Possibly my most favorite take-away so far is all of the new friends I’m making. From fellow agents to clients, I’m thrilled with the ever-expanding network that I’m now a part of. I’ve always said that I’m in the business of making friends (even in my last business), and that’s so very true here. My goal is to finish every transaction with a new set of lifelong friends, and I feel so lucky to have already made so many. When a client invites me to their Christmas party or texts me randomly to check on Mom….it seriously means the world to me. I absolutely love that this industry gives me hundreds of new ways to develop my love of people.
4. As of yesterday, I have closed my 7th house! That may not seem like much, but when I began, everyone told me to prepare for not selling anything for 3-6 months. I’m immensely proud of myself for having already closed 7 houses in this 6th month period. There are “seasoned” agents in our market that haven’t closed 7 houses this whole year! Long story short, I feel so very blessed to have been able to hit the ground running and have launched this career with such success so early on. I am incredibly proud (and relieved) because breaking out into a new industry on faith alone is very scary!
5. I’m planning to finish up 2013 strong and have even bigger plans for the next year. I sincerely appreciate everyone who has sent buyers and sellers my way, called me for real estate advice, and supported this dream of mine. I seriously could not do this business without you all sending business my way, so please keep it coming!
Here’s to an even better 2014!
