Why I Became a REALTOR

In early 2000, I was a single mother with two daughters.  I was working in retail sales and juggling all of the challenges that come with being a single parent.  During this time, when I made the decision to purchase a home, the housing market was very hot and people were buying and selling expeditiously. My biggest priority was finding residency in a good school system for my children.

When I started my home search, I was unfamiliar with the home buying process.  Like many, I turned to the Internet for information, gleaning advice I thought was helpful. Unfortunately, the information I gathered was not accurate, which led me down a road of unrealistic expectations and houses above my price point.  As my search progressed, I found myself constantly online, digging through newspapers, flipping through local realty magazines, and working with any real estate agent who would answer their telephone.

Finally, I found a home that I wanted to make an offer on.  The agent representing the seller said I needed to get pre-approved first.  I was uncertain what this process entailed, so I contacted the loan officer with whom the agent recommended. I qualified for a $175,000 mortgage. That was $50,000 less than what I had concluded from my independent research!  I was crushed.  All those months searching autonomously were wasted, as I had been looking outside my price range.

My new search became even more daunting.  At my reality price point, I could only find houses in areas with schools rated below my standards.  Every time I saw a listing that interested me, I would call the listing agent to go see it.  I ended up meeting with a variety of agents over the course of my home search.  Not one ever tried to build a relationship with me or seemed to listen to what I really wanted.

One day I was driving around a neighborhood that I liked when I saw a house for sale.  I called the number on the sign and set up a time to view the home.  When I toured the house, I knew it was “the one,” so I told the agent I wanted to make an offer. The agent responded that the seller would not take any less than full asking price nor pay any of my closing costs; and that the seller would be more likely to accept an offer without a home inspection.

Regrettably, I listened to what the selling agent said and I signed without having someone looking after my best interests. Since I was a first time buyer, I wasn’t completely aware that the listing agent represented the seller; and therefore, I had nobody representing me.

Years down the road, I came across my old paperwork and realized what had happened.  It made me angry, but it also gave me the push I needed to get my real estate license.  I wanted to educate buyers and sellers on the complete realty process, serve as an advocate on their behalf, and to make sure no one would be taken advantage of the same way I was. That’s why I have dedicated myself to being a lifestyle realtor you can trust.