Real Estate Agents get BETTER with Age
I won’t deny the fact that I watch reality TV. I love it. I have shows that I have been following for years. I feel like I know the people, though I am sure they are different when the cameras are running, just as I would be. Bravo has some GREAT reality shows, but their Real Estate reality shows, with adorable, YOUNG, real estate agents KILLING it with high priced sales in high priced cities… Those shows, I don’t like.
Am I jealous? Of course. Do I wish I was as successful? Absolutely. Do I think they are better real estate agents than me? No, not even close. Why not? They earn way more money, they sell way more homes…how can I tell myself I am better? Here’s how….I’m older. I STARTED selling real estate 14 years ago this month. I was 31 years old, married, and my kid’s ages were 3 and 18 months. Was I better then than they are? In some ways, yes I was. Simply because I had had more life experience than those 24 year olds have had. That life experience has continued to accumulate as well. Real estate sales aren’t only about the house or condo, they are also about the lifestyle.
Experience
Have I experienced everything that every client I work with with has gone through? No way. Do I understand their priorities and their way of life? Probably not completely…but I try to. Early on in my career in real estate I figured out that most families were very much the same no matter how different they appeared. Income, current socio-economic standing, different nationalities, races, religions…we are all so similar and experience the same things day to day, so no matter what they are looking for I know where the pitfalls in different properties lie. I can point out the positives and the negatives of different homes depending on the buyer’s current circumstances. For example, there are newer, less expensive homes the further out you travel. These can appear very attractive to buyers…not having to worry about repairs needed due to age of the property as well as having everything nice and new and in style is hard to resist. But if those buyers must go to work in town, travel time and expense must be considered, and considered HIGH on the list of considerations. Often those most pulled to the outskirts are young families with young children.
Been There
I remember those days. I remember waiting for my husband to get home so I could take a shower. Every minute he spent in traffic was annoying and we fought about it. I know this experience of mine isn’t unique. If you were considering a home in San Tan Valley that is newer and bigger than a home in Chandler that is closer to your family and work…I will point these things out to you. I feel it is my job to give you the opportunity to consider everything when choosing your next home. No matter how much you might not want to hear it at the moment.
The older I get, the more I have experienced. My life has taken a path that is different than other people’s, but the longer I live the more I am able to see different motivations and priorities of buyers at different stages in their lives. I understand things now that I couldn’t when I was 31 and a new agent. Will I “get” stuff even more in 10 years? Yes, I will. My children will be adults soon and I will experience things from their perspectives, as well as my own. I will only continue to learn and grow with every year I age. So Bravo will never be interested in following me around, especially as I get older, but I will be a better agent, and provide a better service to my clients…and really, I would never want the fame of a reality star…I know I am too cool for that!
Leave a Reply