I always dreamed of being a realtor. I loved looking at houses I felt drawn to them. Not only that, but I was working at a security company that trained me to call realtors to sell gift cards to for the information of their buyers and sellers. This job was great and helped me get to know so many agents one particular was a friend of my husband's and all the agents would always try and recruit me. I would laugh thinking that was silly. Not knowing they are groomed to promote and paid from each recruit a small amount compared to the brokerage. I felt special they looked at me that way though. Months went on, and I started thinking about making the leap I saw this push for more sales and was looking for a sign I suppose. I had a customer who was from another country he didn't have the required info to set up and account per our company's rules. I spoke to him, and he wanted security to feel safe, and I understood when he was speaking I wanted to help him. I did some research and found out he could get home security and there was not a block per corporate it was just my company. I called the man and shared this resource and no I didn't make money or a sale but that man felt safe and listened to. The agent trusted me and knew I respected his clients every client. My boss was not too happy about that. I suppose his view was not the same and that is ok who knows unless I was in his shoes. I left home security and walked into real estate. A whole new world to me. I studied hard and finally passed my exams I was a licensed realtor with a well known brokerage. I was on a team that would help me. I have found that is very normal these teams in these business structures to help build us and teach us. My first job was to import all of my contacts into a system that was my database from my understanding. I was trained to call and email and let them know I was a realtor with this team and this brokerage. So I did friends family you name it. I was cold calling 100 numbers a day and following up text e-mail etc. First 5 months I want to say I had sold around over 1 million or so 🤔 I didn't realize I was actually good. I was paid via check by the team not under the brokerage told not to worry about all the other stuff and stupidly I trusted that. In reality you are supposed to be paid through a system to track sales and well my team lead did so but under his name every transaction. I would meet with buyers and sellers and hand over the contract to the team lead or rainmaker as they say and work behind the scenes. I started noticing His name was showing all of my work, and it felt this is not right to me. I was not making a lot compared to what I was bringing in, and I was working day and night. They train you to not trust other agents because they all want your business. My ego was growing, and I saw a cut-throat world. Friends I lost when they would choose another agent who shared how little I was in my experience. I kept pushing to prove I was good. I went to leave this team and find another but all my sales and clients were legally the teams and the brokers. I received an e mil from the broker threatening my license if I spoke badly against my team or the brokerage it's a code of ethics thing. I used to love helping people buy houses, and then I started seeing it's not just the team I was on its bigger than just one team. It's a system. I am sure my views are not the most favored but a system that works agents and uses their contacts as in owning people to me is not right. My voice wanted to be heard as I saw these agents are not bad people they just are shown they have to be better and smoother and keep selling. Meetings comparing and showcasing top agents as if it's a fantasy football draft party. The man at the top keeps getting g richer while the line of agents who fall out and some loose their friends and family trying to be good enough. I started working for a mortgage company assisting realtors with building an ethical system investing in their clients not numbers and wanting to change how the system beats agents down. I meet with agents of many backgrounds and stories. They didn't have many they could trust and showing them it was not just about numbers but investing In all relationships friends family neighbors, hobbies not always just working to work. I thought this is really helping and this company understood I was not giving contact info of agents unless I found them of use, and it was ok to connect. Not offering a gift card or money just being a friend and someone who cared. That company would of course save my information and decide to make a system more about making more numbers and hired assistants to do what I was doing word by word with the work I had for my notes. I was angry and hurt this housing industry why can't it just be about helping g people instead of numbers. It pushed me to look at myself and what I was biding creating systems for companies that don't hold the same values nor care to see in that way. However, they did help me to dive deeper in finding myself and seeing it's not just about building a dream for someone else its about living my own dream. I may have lost a nice amount of money and time and some friends but walking away from real estate opened many more doors. We don't own people and that is something I remember every day in the values in these lessons you showed me along the way. Thank you for showing me who I am not. If you are a realtor please know you are much more than another number any job you are more than a number. My soapbox moment is over now but feels good to share and not hold this in anymore even if no one reads this I wrote it and voiced what I was told and I had to hold in all of this hurt from a box I'm no longer in thank you, KW ♡Oh Keller Williams I forgive you. People are not just a profit and I would love to see this shift from numbers to truly investing in real ethical, honest, relationships. Realtors your voice does matter I promise you. Homeowners you matter more then you may even know when you work with a realtor. They are under alot of pressure and maybe if you are reading this you will see them in a more thoughtful way. We all are more then any job or box we may or may not be placed in. The small business you shop at your purchases are more then just money your reviews are read and those people you refer just because you had been treated as more then a number mean more then you will ever know. From realestate to the painter or child care worker you know and refer you help them all more then you know.
© LS