My family was in construction, so it was really in my blood. I have a degree in psychology and also worked toward a master’s in counseling. After doing telecom sales for awhile, I thought, why don’t I just sell houses? It’s such a natural fit for my background.
As it turns out, having studied psychology and counseling is a big help as a Realtor, since you often have to be somewhat of a marriage counselor. Most people don’t understand why they have issues, but buying a house is a stressor similar to divorce or job loss. I let my clients know that I understand what they are feeling – I can listen, I can guide them, I can help them understand what they’re really needing.
It’s so funny that you can be 35 years old and be a “baby” in the business, but that’s real estate! It’s interesting, people will think I’m not as experienced as an older agent, but no, it’s more important to have an understanding of people. I think I bring a fresh perspective and fresh ideas to my business. I am always searching for new and better ways to help my clients, and in return, it helps build my business.
I’ve been in real estate since 2002, and I have seen agents during the boom who did not take care of their clients, not doing the best with customer service. The way I look at it, everyone needs a house – you just have to treat them all the same. You can’t treat them differently, whether they’re looking to lease an apartment or buy a $1,000,000 home. You just help everyone and take care of people. I want my clients to know I am there to help them, and in return, they often help me by passing along my information to their friends and family.
Technology amazes me. I love it when people respond to my blog posts! The people are “out there,” and it’s important to communicate and be “out there” as well. I try not to have a typical Realtor Website; the blog helps with SEO (search engine optimization). Technology is fun, I like learning new ways of doing things.
The other essential tool for me is photography. Fortunately, my husband’s love for technology and professional photography and my eye for details make a great partnership for the perfect shot. It will take us from 2-3 hours to go through a new listing and take pictures. It is not only staging, but staging for photos. What looks good in person might not look good in the pictures. While at the seller’s house, we load the pictures to the iPad to get a better look and make sure we have the shot we want.
Sometimes the sellers say the pictures look better than the house does in erson. But that’s important for buyers who are looking on the Web. It’s so important! Think about it, would you put a bad picture of yourself on your business card? When you look at a listing and there are only a couple of pictures, buyers will wonder what you’re hiding. [Two of Julie’s listing Websites with great pictures: http://www.3714norwich.com/ and http://www.49pristine.com/ ]
