Menu
Menu
Learning the reality of my dream job was a blow for my future plans. I suddenly had an overwhelming number of avenues I had to start exploring. It meant trying new things, getting creative, and putting in a lot of work. Luckily, I’m always up for a challenge.
Everyone thinks their upbringing is normal. My younger years in the Hamptons were filled with adventures. My family owned a scuba shop, so I was at the beach all the time. Summers were especially exciting. The population would quadruple, and there were tons of new people to meet. I was carefree with big dreams. I just had to choose what direction to go in.
That direction turned out to be the University of Colorado Boulder to study aerospace engineering. You know how people are always saying things aren’t rocket science? This literally was. I had daydreams of going to space, meeting with the top minds in the field, being out in nature, studying the stars.
The first was that much of the world isn’t like the Hamptons. I was used to mom-and-pop shops; small, but full of character. Here were sprawling superstores and gleaming skyscrapers. And it was like the Hamptons in the summer all the time.
The second was more of a punch in the gut. Being in the aerospace engineering program meant the opportunity to go to Lockheed Martin Space Systems and see the men and women working on their craft. While I was there, I found myself wandering down aisle after aisle of workers in little cubicles. In my head, I’d seen myself exploring the magnitude of space, not confined to a box working out math equations.
That day I realized aerospace engineering was not where my future lay. That night I took myself on a long walk down a noisy street, tuning out everything other than my thoughts. I was feeling a lot of things. I was disappointed, realizing what this job really was, feeling I’d been lied to for years. “Space exploration” was little more than numbers and figures. I was frustrated by the amount of time, money, and energy I’d spent on this, having traveled so far from home, pouring so much effort into my classes. I was concerned about my future. I’d put everything into this one goal. Where did I go now? I was back where I started, but had lost my passion.
Despite feeling jaded, I tried to turn my attention to other subjects I liked. I considered studying history and becoming a teacher, but the income was disconcertingly low. My dad had opened a gym and talked about passing that over to me, but he couldn’t quite give up the reins. And neither option seemed quite right.
Then I got involved in appraisals, and, to my excitement, I felt a drive and passion that I hadn’t had for a long time! I got to go to different places, think critically, and meet new people. It had almost every aspect I had been looking for. I was immediately hooked.
I was learning a lot about real estate and real estate agents, what made the good agents good. The common thread there seemed to be a legitimate concern for the well-being of their clients. That was the one thing missing from appraisals. Working to help families find their new homes would be quite the adventure.
Not that changing careers is ever easy. After getting my real estate license, I compiled all my business connections from my time as an appraiser and created a comprehensive database of everyone I knew. I started making phone calls. I just went down the list, reintroducing myself with my new realtor branding. It felt good. It felt right.
That’s why I remain successful as a realtor. I care about the work. I’ll put in the hours, make the calls, and deliver the results. I’m eager to meet my next client and show them what I’m capable of. It is also becoming a small family business, as my wife and I have joined our combined experiences and look forward to potentially providing opportunities to other family members and friends.
I love talking to people and making new connections. It’s why lead generating, the part of the job most agents shy away from, is my favorite part of my role as realtor. That’s where I get to meet some of my new clients. I have experience and knowledge in this field, not just as a real estate agent, but from my time as an appraiser. I know what a house is really worth. And if I know the right thing to do is walk away from a house, a sale, a bid, then that’s the advice I’ll give you. I’m willing to provide guidance in the areas clients are less confident about. I’m there to help them make the right decision. 80% of my clients are referrals from other people I’ve worked with. People have seen what I can do and urge their loved ones to reach the same levels of success with me as their guide. I know every facet of the industry and am anxious to put that knowledge to use for you.
