When You're Stuck...

Are you a slave to your job?

Alarm Clock

Are you overworked and exhausted?

Exhaustion

Do you just feel stuck?

Stuck

Do you cringe at the costs you're paying for childcare while you're at work? Or are you intimidated by the prospect of returning to work and the associated childcare costs?

Childcare

Does your debt keep piling-up with no end in sight?

Debt

I remember feeling all of those things.

My earning potential was limited and yet my debt was this massive obstacle staring  me in the face every moment of every day, and I had no hope of paying it off without a corresponding massive change in my income.

It was a vicious cycle. No matter how many extra shifts I took; no matter how many days I didn't spend one penny more than required to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs; I couldn't get ahead.

It was demoralizing. And it was frustrating. Because I knew that I was smart; I knew that I was a hard-worker; and I was motivated to build a life I could be proud of. I just didn't know how to do it. That

stuck

feeling is horrible.

Work Smarter, Not Harder.

I realized I needed a career--not just a job. I searched online but every position that sounded perfect for me required the college degree that I didn't have. And here's the thing about college degrees--they aren't magic. You can feel stuck and broke, overworked and dissatisfied with a degree too. So degree or not, this applies to you.

What I wanted was to be a in position where there were no limitations. Where whether or not I succeeded and to what extent was totally up to me and how

hard

smart I was willing to work. Where the rules that had governed how I thought about work went out the window, and I could, for once in my life, take a chance on

ME

.

All that to say, I've been where you are. And I can show you the blueprint for how get from where you are to where you want to be. Wherever that is! Your real estate career may not look exactly like mine. That's okay. That's good, actually. You have probably spent many years structuring your job/career based on what someone else (your boss, maybe) wants or needs it to be. Or having a recruiter or interviewer decide whether you're qualified enough for the job you want.

That can stop now. Be your own boss. Own your own business. And reach your potential.

We should meet! Email or call me to set up a time to chat.

5 Realtor Myths

There are a few misconceptions about real estate careers that I'd like to address today. These are by no means the only ones (sadly), but there the one's that come up most often when I talk to people about this career. Okay, here we go...

Misconception #1: It's an easy job.

It's not.

It is a very rewarding career. It's a career that's challenging in some wonderful ways. It's a career in which you have the potential to define and achieve your own success. But it isn't easy. We work hard to earn a license and to stay current on the laws that regulate our industry. We spend time building our reputations and relationships, so that we can have long-lasting careers. I tell the aspiring agents I work with that I use the word "career" and don't use the word "job" deliberately. At my brokerage, agents are essentially building businesses within the company. We set our own goals and make plans for reaching them. As our business grows we can hire our own support staff, transaction coordinators, and listing agents. So, it's definitely not a 9-5 job. But I think that's a good thing!

Misconception #2: It's a cutthroat business and agents will do anything for a sale.

Oh my goodness, does this one bother me! I feel like the agents I work with and have gotten to know over the years are some of the most supportive and encouraging people I've ever met AND incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. Keller Williams really fosters this culture with our new agent coaching program, but there are specific examples that spring to mind. I work with an agent who has the corner on a particularly large market here in the Northwest. When new agents come on staff, he'll let them work his (many) open houses, so that they have the chance to meet prospective clients and gain valuable face-to-face marketing experience.

Secondly, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has a code of ethics and standards of practice to which all of their members commit to honoring. If you'd like to check it out, click here. There are also laws that govern what Realtors can and cannot do and say. At Keller Williams we formalized our own belief system and gave it a name, WI4C2TS. It guides how we treat each other and our clients. It's on my homepage, but here it is again:

belief-system-poster

Are there unethical real estate agents? Sure. There are dishonest and unethical people in every profession. But the vast majority of us are honest and ethical and abide by a strict set of rules.

Misconception #3: It's expensive to get started.

It does cost some money for licensing, that's definitely true. But it's a far, far smaller financial investment than say, a 4-year college degree. The cost varies by state, so I can't give you a number that will be accurate. I guess my point would be, don't assume it's financially out of reach. You can easily research the costs in your area. If there's a brokerage you think you might want to work for once you're licensed, they can help you figure out what you need to budget for study materials, licensing exams and other fees.

Misconception #4: If I'm not a natural sales person, I won't be successful.

I would say that you have to be a good communicator and a good teacher, but not necessarily a "sales person," by the traditional definition.  You do need the ability to talk to people; to connect with them; to hear what their needs are and gauge whether your particular skills and expertise are a good fit for them. And then you need the ability to communicate who you are and what you offer in a genuine way. Lots of successful agents don't have a "sales" background. I think I may have said this before on the blog, but I find that teachers, baristas and bartenders are common backgrounds for real estate agents. It's something about the patience, communication skills, service mindset and attention to detail, that makes them successful. I think.

Misconception #5: Real estate careers are a good side gig/part-time job.

I've done a blog post dedicated to just this topic, but I'll give you the shortened version here and then you can go back and read that post by clicking this link.  I think it's impossible to stay up on all of the laws, regulations and details required to represent clients well if you aren't in it full-time. There are just too many moving pieces and the consequences of missing something are too grave to part-time this career. So if you find yourself in a position where you have to straddle the fence of 2 careers at 1 time, you would benefit from joining a team so that you can have the support you need to stay on it and your clients receive the best care possible. Or let's talk about referrals.... This is a great option for people who can't be 100% dedicated to the business. Ask me and we can go over the details together.

Thanks again for reading! I'll be back here with a new post again soon!

A Sneak Peek...

No matter where you live, we can meet and you can tour the Puyallup, Washington, market center! Through the magic that is iPhone cameras and YouTube, I'm bringing the tour to you. So grab a snack, get comfortable, and spend a few minutes hearing some of my story and the highlights of a career with Keller Williams. Click here to watch!

The Points of Pain

Are you a slave to your job?

Alarm Clock

Are you overworked and exhausted?

Exhaustion

Do you just feel stuck?

Stuck

Do you cringe at the costs you're paying for childcare while you're at work? Or are you intimidated by the prospect of returning to work and the associated childcare costs?

Childcare

Does your debt keep piling-up with no end in sight?

Debt

I remember feeling all of those things.

My earning potential was limited and yet my debt was this massive obstacle staring  me in the face every moment of every day, and I had no hope of paying it off without a corresponding massive change in my income.

It was a vicious cycle. No matter how many extra shifts I took; no matter how many days I didn't spend one penny more than required to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs; I couldn't get ahead.

It was demoralizing. And it was frustrating. Because I knew that I was smart; I knew that I was a hard-worker; and I was motivated to build a life I could be proud of. I just didn't know how to do it. That

stuck

feeling is horrible.

Work Smarter, Not Harder.

I realized I needed a career--not just a job. I searched online but every position that sounded perfect for me required the college degree that I didn't have. And here's the thing about college degrees--they aren't magic. You can feel stuck and broke, overworked and dissatisfied with a degree too. So degree or not, this applies to you.

What I wanted was to be a in position where there were no limitations. Where whether or not I succeeded and to what extent was totally up to me and how

hard

smart I was willing to work. Where the rules that had governed how I thought about work went out the window, and I could, for once in my life, take a chance on

ME

.

All that to say, I've been where you are. And I can show you the blueprint for how get from where you are to where you want to be. Wherever that is! Your real estate career may not look exactly like mine. That's okay. That's good, actually. You have probably spent many years structuring your job/career based on what someone else (your boss, maybe) wants or needs it to be. Or having a recruiter or interviewer decide whether you're qualified enough for the job you want.

That can stop now. Be your own boss. Own your own business. And reach your potential.

We should meet! Email or call me to set up a time to chat.

Mega Mom Event!

Are you a Realtor,  balancing your business with your role as a mom? I am too! If you're in the Greater Seattle area, consider joining me and other mom-agents for my Mega Mom Mastermind event.

I'm hosting this opportunity for collaboration and support on Monday, October 2nd from 12-1:30PM. Lunch will be provided by my friends at Eagle Home Mortgage, Stephen Wright and Sunny Wilson. Just bring yourself, your ideas and your questions and we'll have a great conversation.

The event is free, but seating is limited. To reserve your spot, RSVP to Kate Roussell Favaloro at k.roussellfav@kw.com today. Contact me with any questions.

Hope to see you there!