Remembering and Liking to Say ‘I’m a Realtor’

April 19, 2022 Examiner Media

Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.

By Bill Primavera

Each Home Guru column I write has the benefit of an excellent proofreader, my wife Margaret. She not only is perfect with spelling and grammar, but she also comments and advises on the subject matter I might tackle each week.

On occasion, she crosses the line between editorial content and commercial promotion by reminding me to inform my readers that, besides my editorial pursuits, I am also a realtor, ready and able to list and sell homes.

I remember the advice of mentors early in my real estate career who would remind me frequently not to be a “secret agent” and to do all I could to promote my role as a realtor.

I have followed that advice in my own way. Having been a writer, editor and public relations practitioner in my earlier careers, I write this column weekly and even wrote a book on the subject called “Musings of the Home Guru,” which I think can be found on Amazon if you probe deeply.

But, besides promoting myself as an agent, I enjoy promoting the profession as a whole to other second-career prospects. Indeed, most of us have done something else as a livelihood, or quite a few things, prior to earning our real estate licenses.

As a group, that makes us a more interesting lot because we bring a broad range of life experiences to our roles. In fact, in all of my years in this profession (I think it’s more than 20 years now), I have met only one realtor who chose this profession as a career before doing anything beforehand.

No one has employed me to recommend real estate as a career choice or to tell why I enjoy the profession so much, but I offer the following reasons for others who may be considering venturing into the field.

First and foremost, a career in real estate is satisfying because it promotes a basic human need of providing shelter.

Secondly, it provides a platform of communication and service with other people whose lives we affect in a meaningful way.

Next, for anyone out there who can’t stand routine, real estate offers something new and different every day. No two transactions are exactly the same, and sometimes the unexpected can be astonishing.

The mechanics of real estate keep changing, so realtors must be willing to remain in learning mode. It’s a good thing to be learning all the time. It keeps us young in spirit, even to the point of old age.

There was a famous woman realtor in Westchester, now deceased, who kept working into her early 90s. Everybody loved her, both her colleagues and her clients. In her later years, there was one caveat: she could show only the first floor of homes. Clients had to venture to the second floor, attic and basement on their own.

Real estate offers the opportunity to run your own business where, following guidelines, you can set your own rules and work conditions, including the amount of time you want to spend doing it. For many young mothers, this offers a wonderful opportunity to set their own hours around family responsibilities.

And, of course, let’s not forget that it can be a good moneymaker if you work hard.

Can you tell that I love doing what I do? I would be happy to share my experience with anyone considering the possibility of making real estate their chosen profession. Just give me a call. I love talking about loving what I do.

Bill Primavera is a realtor associated with William Raveis Real Estate and founder of Primavera Public Relations, Inc. (www.PrimaveraPR.com). To engage the services of The Home Guru to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.