We have a million “first times” in our lives, each one having the capability of taking us on new adventures, new avenues and defining who we are.   This month Patricia Kennedy is sponsoring An October Contest: Your First Time – The Real Estate Edition! Patricia Kennedy has asked us to reveal one of our first time interactions in real estate that left an indelible mark on your psyche.  I first got my license in 1985, so many of my first time experiences as an agent are riddled with cobwebs. They say you never forget your first sale, although for the life of me I can not remember what that was. I do remember a quick very fuzzy orientation showing me where my desk was, the floor schedule and handing me a key to the office.  I remember the first phone call I got a positive response from only because it followed a healthy volley of bad phone calls.  Most of all though I remember that feeling of someone throwing you into the deep end of a pool when you don’t know how to swim. I was like most agents completely overwhelmed and wondering what I got myself into.   I was working for a very large bustling office of 200 agents and I am pretty sure I never learned all of the agents names. The brokerage had sponsored the real estate classes in the office so when I actually went to work I was thankfully familiar with my surroundings. I remember thinking that while I could calculate a mortgage payment or cap rate and knew the definition of estoppel nothing in my classes has taught me what I was supposed to do on a day to day basis. In the classes I had never even seen a listing form or a purchase and sale contract, had no idea what really happened during escrow and didn’t have a clue as to what I was supposed to do when I walked in the office each morning. Between youth and inexperience I was completely worthless on how to advise a client yet people liked me and trusted me anyways. I actually treated it like a job and jumped in with both feet. I pulled a farm of about 600 properties and spent 8 hours a day on the phone calling them. At the end of my first month I had 12 listings. Whoo hoo!!! What I didn’t know at the time was that as a new agent I let the sellers dictate the price and I had effectively gathered up a great group of over priced and unwanted vacant land listings that a more experienced agent would never touch. On the bright side I was off and running, had properties to advertise and was working on getting my name out there. The first office meeting I attended was very memorable and a major saving grace for me. Once a month the broker reserved a banquet room at a local restaurant for breakfast awards. There was probably a good 120 agents there and I have never been much of one for crowds and I was absolutely terrified and eager to fade into the background. I had never seen such a collection of designer suits and Rolex’s in my life. I was a wet behind the ears kid, completely out of my league and I wanted to be anywhere else. We went through the usual market reports, upcoming events, motivational speeches and then a round table of new listings and needs. By the time it was my turn I already understood that I would need to relay the information on my 12 new listings and had written notes about them all. I got through my list without any hitches and was busy planning my escape when it was time to hand out awards. The first one was for top listing agent for the month and they called my name and wanted me to give a speech. Yikes a what? We went through a round of jokes about beginners luck and the new kid on the block. I remember the broker telling me to just talk about what scripts I used to get the listings. Scripts? what scripts I haven’t had that training yet! I simply talked to people, listened to their needs and tried to help them sell their property. It worked for me then and still does to this day.  After the meeting a very respected and older agent come up to me with congratulatory praise. Her name was Fran and everyone just adored her, she knew everything and every one. She told me that she had never used a script in her life and she offered to take me under her wing. Fran did an outstanding job at teaching me what I needed to know and help develop the skills I needed to be a good agent. Since that time when we have new agents come to the office and I see that deer in the headlights look I try to extend the same kindness in mentoring that Fran showed me.

I would say anything that I can remember vividly a few decades later has indeed left an indelible mark in my life.  More importantly taught me a way to make a good difference in someone elses life.  None of us get through this life all alone and even some of the smallest kindness may make a big difference.Which bears the question….How will you leave your indelible mark?
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http://www.lakeandhomes.com Rain Silverhawk
rain@lakeandhomes.comRain Silverhawk RealtorKeller Williams  Realty Coeur d’ alene Sandpoint Idaho120 S. Second Ave. |  Sandpoint, ID. 83864 Phone (208)  610-0011  FAX 800-760-1936