When I was growing up, my mother would regularly take me with her to open houses on Sunday afternoons. She would look through The Washington Post and circle locations that she thought were interesting. My parents weren’t necessarily in the market for a new home, my mom just enjoyed seeing what was out there and getting ideas.

As I got older, I realized that her fascination in homes had rubbed off on me. It was the excitement that came from getting to imagine how a new place could be personalized in whatever ways I saw fit. I would make mental lists of what I did and didn’t like, and then I’d visualize the renovations I could do if the house was my own. With shows like Fixer Upper, Property Brothers, Love It Or List It and Flip Or Flop, I began to see how this was an untapped passion of mine.

After an exhausting career in politics, I found myself in the position of not really knowing what I wanted to do. I was looking for a new challenge and had become well aware that I did not enjoy being chained to a desk. My love for animals drove me to starting a small pet care company, which I ran for five years. Still, I was missing something.

I reached out to some people who I knew were in realty and asked if I could pick their brains to see what I might be getting myself into. I was initially apprehensive about how well this would work in the long run, but after my first meeting, it was decided – I was going to become a real estate agent! Finding the time to earn my license was difficult. Geometry, trigonometry, calculus… Blah! I managed to get through it all by reminding myself over and over that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Although I went into each exam worried that I would forget everything in the moment of truth, my hard work paid off as I eventually found myself submitting a request for the Maryland Real Estate Commission to grant me a license.

One of my biggest fears is one that I believe most agents have – how am I going to build up my clientele? I had a strong start, and I continue fighting so as not to lose the momentum from it. My pet care business grew unexpectedly fast because word of mouth is the best kind of marketing there is. I’m trying to apply the same approach here and it seems to be going well so far.

In retrospect, I wish that I had pursued this career sooner. It combines my love of people with my love for being creative, along with the bonus of not being stuck in an office. At the end of the day, the amount of effort I put in will determine whether I fail or succeed. I have my concerns and there certainly are obstacles ahead of me, but I think that this time around, I won’t let them be so intimidating. I guess only time will tell.

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, now or in the near future, give me a call!