Busier than a.....

One armed paper hanger? ... A one eyed cat watching 9 mouse wholes?

Whatever the saying, real estate picked up in mid-march and hasn't looked back. Since my last post I have sold five homes and have learned more about the business, about people and about myself than I thought was possible to cram into my wee little head. It's funny how not too long ago it was overwhelmingly daunting to be thrown in as a buyer agent underneath one of the most successful REALTORS ® but now looking back I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect transition. My parents have always told me that as a young child they were never needing to coax me into trying something new, I loved to just jump in head first and figure it out as I went. And come to think of it, I'm notorious for saying "meh, I'll just figure it out when I get there".

Now this can be both a positive and negative quality as it could have serious reprocusions. Like the day a 5 year old Jennie decided that there was no better time to jump off the boathouse like the big kids and prove I wasn't scared of heights. Naturally this could have ended horribly but I somehow managed to survive to tell the tale and spend the rest of my summer not held down by fear or restrictions.

It seems the same mentality has been used for this new transition in life, I have jumped in feet first, have quickly learned along the way and have spent the last 2.5 months jumping freely from transaction to transaction without fear or restricitons.

Meet & Greets

Starting a new career as a young adult is daunting at best but when you have spent your life growing up before an industries eyes it can be challenging to be seen as an equal professional. Stepping out of the childhood shoes and at the same time out of the shadow of a parent creates a test that I have continued to face and love. When I was growing up I loved to meet new people and more than anything I loved to hear that they loved me too. It was never a conceded thought but more of a relief that I could sleep at night without worrying what I did wrong.

I have always envied people who can easily dismiss the idea that someone does not like them for a petty reason. They never have that knot in their stomach and constant subconcious reminding them that they failed at obtaining that new friend, the hurtful colleague or the competitive relative. Myself I have been plagued with the incessant need to have people like me, which can be a detriment while also boasting advantages at the same time.

In real estate I'm finding it benefitial for my clients as I want to work above and beyond their needs to ensure that they are enjoying the buying and selling process and at the same time their time spent with me as their agent. However, I also find that in this line of work and especially in a small town like Smiths Falls, I can become easily rattled when someone chooses another salesperson or just use me to see a property and put in an offer with someone else. The negative aspects of this little trait that I have harboured since my childhood has the ability to increase my stress level and cause my anxiety to at times go through the roof. I try and de-stress or focus on the positives in my lfe and the aspects of the situation that are out of my control but my seven year old self fights through and tends to win the battle of forcing me to dwell on problem.

Although I will always be working to perfect my character I find it hard to surpress the urges that I've carried with me for most of my life. I think it always boils down to control. It's hard for anyone to lose control of a situation or feel helpless in making something go the way you intended them to.

And when things get really bad I can always watch the pranks Ellen Degeneres does on her shows to lift my spirits and it kills me everytime!

In the Groove

Three weeks into my new life in Smiths Falls and things are starting to form a rhythm. I'm finally starting to recognize what is on the market and feeling comfortable enough to answer phone calls without the constant feeling that I am going to lose my lunch. In the short time I've been in this industry I've come to understand that real estate involves a lot of acting, which at seven years old became one of my strongest loves and one that I still hold dear to me. In this industry, you need to act confidently and knowledgeable to your clients and to those around you and when you don't know the answer to reply by saying that you will "look into that". This was a hard tip for me to learn as since I was small I've always wanted to look like I know everything and hate to admit when I don't. However, luckily for me the first time I showed a home by myself my buyers were more than nice and made the experience enjoyable rather than daunting. And when in doubt I always have The Toronto Real Estate Board website where they explain everything in "plain english". Very helpful for buyers and new real estate professionals a like.

Although I loved my life in Toronto and my job in PR was constantly fun and challenging, I am amazed at the enthusiasm that comes out of my mouth when people ask how I'm enjoying this new career and life in "Sensational Smiths Falls". It has been fun, busy, frustrating, educating and exciting. It reminds me of when I was small and went on a local Talent television show (Home Grown Cafe) and told the producers that I wanted to be a real estate sales person when I grew up- their reaction took me back a bit and out of this small person came an excitement for this industry that would overpower any doubts.

I'm starting to learn that my seven year old self is not only my professional voice but may also be my inner actress, full of confidence and personality.

A New Chapter

There is a philosophy that says “You’re outlook of the world and who you are at seven years old is who you truly are as an adult” and I've always believed this idea. Since I was small I have loved everything to do with entertainment (musicals, dance, television, etc), politics, my family and friends continue to be the most important thing in my life and at seven years old I was convinced that I should be a real estate agent. Now at 25 I’ve made the transition from Toronto Living and a career in Public Relations to a small Ontario town, Smiths Falls, and beginning a career in real estate.

Real estate is at the core of my family unit- my mother is currently the President of the Ontario Real Estate Association and owns and operates two Royal LePage franchises in Perth and Smiths Falls. My retired father, who cleverly coined himself the “erection man” as he assists my mom in putting up for sale signs and open house sandwich boards, toils away at the offices doing any running around that may be taken off of my mother’s plate. And as with any family run business, my older brother and I have spent countless hours welcoming home buyers as the receptionist during summer months. So it only seemed natural that I too would pick up the reins and decide to dabble in the real estate market.

Growing up I would continuously joke that one day I would write a book in support of all other real estate children that have had to spend Christmas Eve or their thirteenth birthdays sitting in an unknown living room as their parents finished a deal. Well, I guess this blog will be my chance to expose that while also chronicling not only what it will be like to begin a new profession but also working alongside a parent, who I have looked up to, admired, and rebelled against for most of my life.

Hopefully my seven year old self is proud.