What Is It Actually Like to Be a Real Estate Agent?

Most of my blogs are about the market, neighborhoods, schools, or home values because I want them to be useful. But summer is a little slower, so I thought I'd pull back the curtain on what it's actually like to be a real estate agent. If you've ever watched HGTV, you might think we unlock a few doors, write a contract, cash a check, and head to the beach. I wish it worked that way.

The truth is, this business is equal parts advisor, therapist, project manager, negotiator, marketer, contractor, and occasionally marriage counselor. One hour I'm explaining inspection reports and negotiating repairs. The next I'm helping a nervous buyer decide if they're making the biggest financial decision of their life or talking a seller off the ledge because their house didn't sell in the first weekend. Every client is different, every transaction is different, and there is no such thing as a normal day. I've answered calls from clients at Disney World, hospitals, weddings, airports, and just about every vacation I've ever taken. Real estate doesn't really care if it's Tuesday afternoon or Christmas morning.