In the Beginning...

Lucy and the Terrierists

My first year of practice as a real estate broker I repeatedly asked myself why I ever considered trying to make a living in such a strange business?   Now I know that besides all the wonderful people I meet and fascinating property situations I work on, the real answer is that it is so darn weird, unpredictable, challenging, and flat out funny that I just cannot resist being involved.  Real estate is about people and their circumstances in the world.  People suffer when buying and selling something of enormous expense, and often there is some kind of life change that is precipitating the action.  It could be “just an investment,” but if it is, it’s an important one.  It could be a job change, death and estate liquidation, illness, marriage, divorce, children, old age, need to care for someone or need to be cared for.  There are the people one works with for twenty years before the real estate gets straightened out. Better be capable of delayed gratification!  There are the family feuds and neighborhood disputes.  Negotiating those labyrinthine communication minefields is indeed a challenge.  There are the problems an agent has with other agents—oh my.  And through it all is the issue of responsibility and trust.