The Stories

I just came to real estate last April after trying a period of retirement. Frankly, spending that much time in jogging suits wasn't my idea of how to live, so, despite all the warnings about how difficult it is to get started, and how awful the market is supposed to be right now, I took the plung and the result is ...

... I'm lovin' it!

At the very top of my list of reasons why I love real estate, I would have to put "the stories".

Real estate is not retail. We are not selling houses (only the owner of a property can sell it... we just help them do it) - we are selling a service, and that service is one that helps people as they make some of the most important decisions in their lives.

I am constantly amazed at the diversity of situations in which our services are required and the richness of the experience of helping people make their life changes. Long before I started this career, a friend of mine who was a real estate agent told me, "Bob, you need to understand that many real estate sales are for sad reasons - loss of employment, marriage breakdowns, old age and disability ..."

She was right. But the truth is that all of life is about the stories we live, and, just as a photograph would be meaningless if it was all light, there is both light and darkness in everyone's life story. When could there be a better time to help clients than when our services are most needed?

So, I value the opportunity to get to know my clients, and to listen to any part of their stories that they might want to share with me. It helps me to understand my role, and how I can serve them better.