Yes, 8th grade dorky me made these badges by hand.  No, I have never even been to Disney and I have no desire to go (except maybe to the Enchanted Tiki Room).  And no, I didn’t win.  As a matter of fact my first ever trophy was for my achievements in real estate.  I actually ran for student government every year from 7th grade until senior year and never won.  But I persisted.  I was so used to not winning, that I was never afraid to try anything. That has proven to be a very good character trait for a Realtor®. 

I have always been a bit of an enigma.  I was editor of my high school newspaper, but I was never popular.  I won a contest to name a Crayola crayon (mauvelous – check your box of 64), but I’m not artistic.  I am passionate about design, but I’m not an architect or designer.  Clearly, I’ve always been drawn to marketing long before I even knew it was a thing.  I’m a Realtor®. 

My Realtor® friends are the most interesting group of people I have ever known.  Probably because no one ever sets out to be a real estate agent.  It’s not exactly a highlight of grade school career day.  As a matter of fact, studies show that it’s one of the least respected professions.  Which is hard for any real estate agent to believe since we have to abide by a litany of legal and ethical standards, pass a licensing exam and complete continuing education for the duration of our career.  We are on call 24/7 and we work our butts off for our clients.  It is quite simply the most rewarding path you never imagined. 

We are used to being marginalized, but anyone who works in this industry knows how vital Realtors® are to the American Dream.  In good times getting a home transaction from contract to closing is complex and difficult.  In these unprecedented times of extreme low inventory, we play an invaluable role for our sellers and buyers.  As my broker Sarah Close says, if it was easy, they wouldn’t need us.  And boy do they need us!  These days working with a good agent truly makes the difference between not being able to buy and buying. 

A Real Estate career is often a second act for people.  But why?  Everyone loves looking at houses online.  Did you see the SNL sketch with Dan Levy equating browsing homes online to sex?!  So why not make some money showing houses in person?  It’s more complicated that that, but it can be done.  My real estate friends and I jokingly refer to ourselves as ‘the misfits’ (as in the Island of Misfit Toys). We come from diverse backgrounds with different skill sets.  Many agents come from corporate or sales backgrounds.  Very few are like me and come from a passionate and intense love of design.  It seems that all successful agents have elevated tenacity levels. 

Do you think you have what it takes to be a great cincinnatimodern Realtor®?  I am looking for someone with mad tech & graphic design skills, an enviable social media presence, who loves modern architecture as much as we do, and who wants to learn the modern real estate business from the ground up.  Must not value ‘me’ time on the weekends.  Or evenings.  Or anytime, really.  Must be willing to learn and be enthusiastic about vintage bathrooms.   Do you think you have the chops?  Show me! 

>

>

>

>

Realtor® is a licensed real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), a professional association.  The terms Realtor® and real estate agent are used interchangeably in the above text.