05/04/2026
I want to share some important thoughts with you about negative opinions of Realtors. I saw a post today from another social media influencer/agent putting down real estate agents who say how long they have been in the business. She implied that proven experience was not required and only sales production mattered. This was my reply:
"This may be true for some agents, but not for all. Every profession has a pendulum that swings from one extreme to another. Some are only in the business for the bucks. Others are in the business to provide excellent service. While interviewing at an office in the early years of my career, the manager kept telling me to take listings at any price knowing they would not sell. He said I just needed a place to put my sign to get other sellers and buyers. I asked him if he was concerned about his clients and their best interests. He finally took his feet off his desk and leaned forward. He said if he thought about it, he would go to the top of Lookout Mountain and look down upon the twinkling lights in the city. He said every light was a sucker. He just needed 40 or more a year and he would never run out of suckers. I promptly left his office. My pendulum swings to giving excellent service. This can be done with one month's experience or a lifetime of putting the client's needs and goals first. With experience comes knowledge and skills. Every transaction is different, challenging, and a learning experience. Don't put down experienced agents. There is a saying "We do not know what we do not know". Instead learn from them. I got into the business after my husband's company transferred us to California for what was to be a temporary assignment. We rented a house. When they said they wanted to make it a permanent position he jokingly told me to get a real estate license if we intended to buy a house. I entered real estate school the next day.
I have never worked for a commission. Money does not motivate me. I am motivated by happy faces at the closing table. I am happy because over the years I have learned the skills needed to help my clients navigate through the process to accomplish their goals. I am still shocked at every closing when I get paid for doing what I love to do. Yes, I need an income, but I am rewarded with happy clients who provide me with repeat business and referrals.
Over the years I have been at the top in my company, mentored other agents, served on advisory boards, taught at the real estate academy, and received many accolades. While proud of my accomplishments, I am humbled by the wonderful opportunities to put my clients' needs first. I do not consider other agents as competitors. While representing my clients to the best of my abilities, I still consider the other agents part of my team. Please do not use their high volume to put down a competitor who chooses, for whatever reason, to focus on service to a smaller clientele. Yes, I am one of those competitors. I have no aspirations at this point in my career to compare the number of transactions and the size of my commission volume with other agents. Yes, I am one of those agents who proudly says, when asked, how long I have been in the business. Through this roller coaster of a business called real estate, I have experienced the ups and downs, the twists and the turns. By the way, I am still working in this wonderful industry, learning new skills everyday, advancing my education, and sharing my knowledge with clients and colleagues for half a century - that is 50 years of joy. Best wishes for your very successful career no matter where your pendulum takes you."
