Most of you already know that I am no longer a REALTOR®. Since my real estate license is in a holding company (Professional Referrals, Inc.), I am legally unable to practice real estate, even if I wanted to.
I must say, I am happier than I have been in a long, long time. I knew more than a year ago that I wanted to leave the real estate business but kept at it throughout 2008 anyway. Once the final decision was made and I was able to untangle myself from my client obligations and refer out all of my business, it was a like a weight that was lifted off my shoulders. I could breathe again.
I had a light bulb moment this weekend. We were with a group of friends, one of which is a dentist. He was talking about how business is down because of the economy, and everyone was sharing their experiences with their dentist (none of which were very positive, I must say). Before long I could see that he was starting to get somewhat defensive about his profession, and frustrated with the fact that nobody likes having to go to the dentist and is so verbal about it. That's when the light bulb went off for me.
When I was a REALTOR®, I often felt like that. Although my own clients appreciated me and were very happy with my services, the general public seems to have an overall distain for real estate agents. There were many times when I felt defensive or frustrated as people either complained about their REALTOR® or the fees they were charged, or about how they felt a real estate agent is unnecessary to the transaction. Real estate agents are often made the butt of jokes or slammed on message boards. They are attacked for what they do, how much they make, called swindlers and listed as one of the least-trusted professions in polls.
I always hated that. Worst than that, though, was the knowledge that there are many agents out there who are overpaid for what they do, that don't put their client's needs first, that are disciplined by the Board for unethical behavior and still making tons of money off their unsuspecting clients...agents who are completely deserving of being called a swindler and untrustworthy.
The experience of working in real estate allowed me to grow in many ways professionally and also allowed me to see both sides of an industry that is currently in flux. The real estate profession is changing daily and will continue to change as challenges are made to the commission structure and technological advances alter the nature of the job REALTORS® perform. There are many agents that I deeply respect and admire. For their sake, and for the sake of the public, I hope these changes result in higher industry standards and that unethical agents are given more than a slap on the wrist for their misdeeds. I hope that the outcome will be a deeper understanding and respect for the real estate profession. Most of all, I hope that in the future real estate agents are listed as one of the most-trusted professions in polls, and that real estate agents will no longer feel frustrated or defensive about their profession.
As for myself, I am happy that I am no longer a REALTOR® for many reasons, but I'd really like to be able to someday cross off lack of respect for the profession as one of those reasons.
If you are looking for a good real estate agent, give me a call. As a referral agent (I'm no longer involved in the day to day real estate business), I can help match you with the perfect agent to help you buy or sell your home.
It's hard when you do good work, but you are associated with people who have made a bad name for a profession or a group. I try to just press on, and do what I can to turn the image around!
In every profession there is alwways the good, the bad and the ugly. Fortunately it is easy to stand out and shine if there are a lot of "the bad" in your area. It is tough beating an overall stereotype, but I think that some clients want to be handled harshly or rudely... it just works for them. I wouldn't or couldn't work that way, but that is what works for me. To each his own!
I think it is the part time nature of so many agents that do not treat this job as a career that causes the BAD... Fortunately there are MANY professional agents that do the right thing every day... and unfortunately we have the hand full of rotten apples that make us all look bad.
A very thoughtful post, indeed. Thanks for sharing. It's great that you could see that your expertise, learned in the trenches, so to speak, would benefit the profession if you moved into an offshoot of same. In having been a realtor, you will know the qualities of the realtor you'll be searching for, in your credible referrals. Have to walk the walk, first, to be able to talk the new talk, down the line. You clearly paid your dues. Good luck in your new adventure.
There is just not enough training required, in Florida you can become a Realtor in one week! Now that the market is dead a lot of the fast buck Bob's have moved on to another deal, we still have a long way to go to fix the problems with the public.
Good luck to you. I don't know anything about the company that is holding your license, but Weichert Referral Associates is extremely well known and pays referral agents quite well. You also have a national network of Weichert offices to assist your leads. Keep them in mind in the event your current situation doesn't work out.
Kelly - I take it with a grain of salt. I know that you can't please everybody. I also know that if I can do MY job and it doesn't keep me up at night worrying about my actions then I can feel good about the job I have done. I have always said there are two sides of every story when I hear people bashing their real estate agent. I have often given people advice only to have them do things their own way and end up sorry they didn't listen to me in the first place. I have to wonder when they tell friends and family of their transaction not going so smoothly, if they ever admit their own wrong doing, or if they let it look like it's their agent's fault. A good example is when I told my clients a few months ago to NOT give notice on their lease until the attorney gave a thumbs up on the transaction - they did not listen, the sale was delayed and they ended up homeless at Christmas and had to stay in a hotel. I wondered if when they gathered with their family, if I had become holiday dinner fodder.
Kelly,
Great post.
This credibility issue is something that the REALTOR community is dealing with, and I don't think it is going away anytime soon. A housing depression is further eroding what little confidence the community has in us.
I realized this when I moved to a new state. I had a lot of friends before I became a realtor in Colorado and they knew me. When I moved to KC I knew nobody and being a realtor I feel people shy away from relationships because of it..
Hi Kelly.
Just keep working hard and honestly, and don't worry about the "noise".
That's my strategy.
Glad to hear things are going well,
Ken
Kelly ~ I am glad to hear you are "much happier" now that you are no longer able to practice real estate. Realtors do have a bad rap but I think many a professions do as well.
My husband is a firefighter and constantly has people asking him if all he does at work is run errands, watch T.V., work out and wash his truck, doctors get bad raps for making to much money, teachers get to much time off. We could actually nick pick at most professions.
In the end, I feel, if we are lucky enough to be in a profession we love, it shouldn't matter what others think as long as we are doing our jobs well. There will always be those that will attempt to cheat, slack and make a bad name for themselves and the profession they are in. But does it matter as long you we (me, you) are doing our jobs well? Can't we rise above?
Kelly ~ I have always enjoyed your posts and subscribe to your blog. I hope you will continue to be a part of ActiveRain and are happy happy happy in whatever you do!
Kelly, Glad to hear you are happy. What are you doing now?
Kelly- I found this insighful and honest....too good qualities for anyone. Best of luck in the new referral arena.....at least that part people are happy about :)
Kelly, good for you enjoying what your are doing? I can't think of anything else I would be happy doing except work at Google. LOL I love my clients (most of them) but it is a challenge now with the sellers. I helped Christa do a CMA today for some friends of hers wanting to sell and move into Ann Arbor.
She was so upset. "mom, I had no idea you dealt with these kinds of prices, I hate to have to tell them the truth".
Yes this too shall pass...
good luck in your endevors
Kelly, I don't think the "profession" will ever gain higher esteem in the eye of the consumer unless and until tighter licensing requirements are implemented. I just had a conversation with another agent today about this subject! It's tough I know. Glad to hear you're happy and in a position to be able to enjoy being out of the profession.
Wow, Kelly! I hope your change in license status will not impact your blogging habits! I love reading your posts!
Kelly Sibilsky- All that matters is that you are happy and I am happy for you. Much success to you in all of your future endeavors. Great post.
I am so happy for you that you are a happy girl again. Your blog is a true testiment of your character. Never once would I have guessed that you were unhappy. Now...a little more about me. I'm sad. I think you were a brilliant Realtor and I feel like we lost a REALLY good egg in our industry but if it was for the sake of your happiness, then know that I am smiling for you Kelly! I hope this will not make a you a stranger. If you decide to continue a blog elsewhere, please let me know how to keep up with you! :)
Thanks for all of your comments - I appreciate each and every one! It sounds like each of you are doing your part to raise the image of this profession, which is wonderful...and necessary. Keep up the good work! :)
Kelly... I wish you the very best of luck at whatever you decide to do. You were certainly a credit to the profession and will be a success at anything you decide to tackle!
I can certainly emphathize with you Kelly. I am also weighing the pros and cons of renewing my real estate license in a few months.
All that matters is your health and happiness. From all the comments, it sounds like you will be truly missed by a lot of people.
I run a mobile notary/loan signing agent business and have been very busy in the past few months. Hopefully it will be a good year. It keeps me in the "real estate" business anyway and I absolutely love what I do. All the best to you!
Thanks, everyone for your well-wishes! I made the decision (and announced it in my blog) in November 2008. I'll definitely still be around...so stay tuned and keep reading! :)
Kelly-I wound up here after reading Colleen Fischesser's blog post about your post. What a shame that you had such negative feelings about being a Realtor. I too went through that period where it was almost embarrassing to say "Real Estate" when people asked "What do you do?" because they would almost always say "Oh no, I hate Realtors!" But I like my job so much that I just tried to over look it because you know what? In every field there are scammers, unprofessional people, and people that make that particular field look bad. I just tell people who say that-"I'm sorry you had a bad experience with a Realtor in the past but not everyone is like that thank goodness. Here is my card. If I can ever answer any questions or be of any help call me anytime." Alot of times it has gotten me a new client. Other times people have said occasionally "Yea right!" And you know what...people with those kinds of attitudes you don't want anyway. They would take forever to convince and it would be exhaaaaaaauussting. I am glad you found something that makes you happy and I wish you so much luck and more happiness! It is a wonderful feeling when that weight is taken off your shoulders. I am jumping off the soapbox now....! LOL
Debra - I didn't have negative feelings about being a real estate agent! In fact, I have the utmost respect and admiration for many real estate agents, and was very proud of the way I did my job. But the fact remains that there is a lack of respect for the overall profession ("Oh no, I hate Realtors!"), and I hope that in the future, agents like yourself don't have to deal with this lack of respect at all.
Hi Kelly...How interesting to read your post.
On Saturday while showing a house I saw a former client who had purchased the house across the street last year. When he saw me he came to talk and proceeded to tell me how happy his family is with the house. They used it every weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Today I had a call from another former client. She told me how much she is enjoying their waterfront home. There are days that she spends about three hours on the road just to spend a few hours down here with her dogs. The rest of the family comes as frequently as they can.
Both conversations made me feel so good. I never get that feeling when I collect my check but I sure do when this happens. Without both I would not be in this profession.
As far as how people view our profession, I would have to agree with you. It does not faze me a bit personally although I strive to do my part to elevate that perception.
I have three adult children.
One has a law degree. We know what people say about that.
Another is a stock broker and manages an office for a major brokerage. Enough said.
The third has a masters in special education. Have you heard some of the things people say about teachers, i.e. overpaid and under worked?
Their father and I felt that we had raised three young people to be motivated, intellectually curious, and productive members of society. Is that how others view them?
Nowadays there are not many professions that are admired. Priests, doctors, bankers, so many seem to be viewed quite differently than when I was much (OK much, much) younger.
We have become disenchanted by the actions of a minority and let that color our perception of the majority. Only by doing the best we can within our chosen profession can we ever hope to see that change. And if it doesn't, we'll keep plugging along.
Kate
P.S. You are not blogging enough!
Kate, I always measured my success like this: success = happy clients. The most rewarding part of the business was knowing that you actually had a part in a very important milestone in a client's life, and that they were not just satisfied, but thrilled with your service. Doing your part to elevate your profession and provide honest, ethical and superior service will certainly help (and keep your clients happy), but the licensing boards also need to be proactive about increasing standards, entry requirements and following through with appropriate discipline - so that the public feels protected and well-cared for.
"There are many agents that I deeply respect and admire. For their sake, and for the sake of the public, I hope these changes result in higher industry standards and that unethical agents are given more than a slap on the wrist for their misdeeds."
I just wanted to give a big "AMEN!" to this statement. It's the few unethical agents who reflect so poorly on the many good ones who are out there doing their best.