Every agent sees “family of 4 looking for 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, at least 2500 sq.ft, move in ready.” It’s an easy search for listings that fit your criteria, and boom…in your inbox.
But do you have an agent who knows that you’ll be looking for a teaching job and aren’t sure where to begin? Or that your 12 year old who plays lacrosse is wondering where he’ll find a new league? Or that your 3 year old will need full time daycare? Or that you have a child with special needs and you aren’t sure how to navigate this school district to apply for special services?
I am SURE that you know at least 5 real estate agents…maybe more. Any one of us is licensed to draft and execute the paperwork necessary to buy or sell your home. We know how to run numbers and comps to make sure you get the best price, and we know how to market your home on all the trendy sites to get all the right eyes on your listing. And while some may be more skilled or experienced in one area or another, many of us talk the same game, so from there, it is relationship and trust that sets us apart from the pack. Real estate is a second career for me, and I ended up practicing real estate full time through circumstance, but I have since learned that the universe has a way of making sure I land where I belong, and I have found my previous career to give me insight into real estate that I would never have expected.
Before I entered the real estate world, I spent 14 years as a teacher. I taught every age of children from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and as much as my students learned from me, I can tell you I learned every bit as much from them, if not more. When I began teaching, I was all about following the rules. I followed the curriculum with rigor, I followed that pacing guide fastidiously to get in all the content, and I sent home nightly homework for every student to review the day’s lessons. I expected this “checking the boxes” approach to work and for my students to experience wild success because of my diligent work.
Wrong.
After just a couple of months of this, I was feeling frustrated. While some of students were successful, many were not, and it didn’t take me long to realize that this one-size-fits-all approach to teaching was not going to work. Each student is different. Each one begins each year at a different starting point, each one learns differently and at a different pace, each one is ready to move on at a different time, each one’s progress was exhibited in a different way, and each student went home with different experiences and a different amount of energy and focus left in their tank for homework. Being a great teacher wasn’t about cramming in all the content and sticking to the pacing schedule…being a great teacher was about taking the time to get to know each student, what they bring to the table, and how they learn, and then figuring out how to create an environment and teach in a way where every student’s needs are met and each one can learn and make progress. This would be a much more difficult task.
So how does this apply to my job as your Realtor?
Your family isn’t just an MLS ID number to me. I don’t just plug your home sale or purchase into a mathematical formula to give you answers. You aren’t cookie cutter. Your home isn’t cookie cutter. Your life isn’t cookie cutter, and it shouldn’t be. And after 14 years of getting to know countless students and families, it is my nature to get to know you as my client… to really listen to your needs, your wants, and your concerns, so that I can help you move on to the next chapter of your life in the best way possible.
During the time I’ve spent in real estate, I have found so many opportunities to apply everything I’ve learned as an educator and as a mom. Of course I help people buy and sell homes, but I have also helped navigate the process for finding school services for a 3 year old with autism, researched advanced placement classes and opportunities for gifted high school student, monitored changes in school district lines as our area continues to experience growth and change, and set up school tours for nervous families relocating from a much smaller school district who didn’t know where to start. I’ve also kept in touch with clients who have become friends to help them connect with other local families, find new doctors, coffee shops, and hairdressers, figure out where to take their kids to the park on a Sunday, and learn where to sign their kids up for summer camp or sports.
I loved my years as a teacher, and I love even more how my years as an educator have brought such value to my experience as a Realtor. When you buy or sell a home, it’s about so much more than just numbers and paperwork and unlocking doors…it’s about the keys to the next chapter in your family’s life. If you are looking to make a move, I hope that you’ll call me and allow me to assist you with every step of the process, through closing day and beyond.