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“Wow, Really? Realtors® are essential?”

I’ve been asked many times these past few weeks on how I will go about my business during these times. It is a time to adapt – no doubt about it. On Sunday, Real Estate Services was deemed an essential service.

No, I’m not in the cross-fires of being exposed to the virus due to saving lives but I feel a huge responsibility for those who need to dispose of or relocate for their well being.

Definition of “well being” : the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. I feel mental health is especially concerning during this time & I will do anything I can to alleviate the stresses to those who need to make hard life decisions to support their life – because for many, life as they knew it has (or will) change dramatically. “We need to adapt but stay healthy & happy while we endure & conquer!”

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If you think the listing process “can” be stressful – you “could” be right! But I wouldn’t complain too much unless you have rugrats running around! My personal experience made me appreciate this 6 years ago after having a child of my own. I listed multiple homes throughout my career prior to having children. I wholeheartedly admit that I never empathized with the young families preparing their home before each showing until after having to list my own property 7 months pregnant and with a 2.5 year old running around! It took 4 weeks to sell our 1st home in Silver Springs, NW Calgary. I worked tirelessly and “very pregnant” marketing our own home because we had offered on an acreage where we only had a 1 month condition window to sell our current home in order to purchase. We were very anxious to make this work & finally move out of the city –  it was a dream that collided so very “conveniently” during the last trimester of my pregnancy – but nothing great ever comes easy – so we had to do what we had to do!

It’s the adrenaline rush you get when another Realtor® calls you at 9 o’clock pm saying they will be sending over an offer shortly on your listing & you negotiate until 12am. Or how honoured you feel when your long lost cousin calls and asks for your assistance on buying their next home! Or after weeks of “thinking about it” your buyers end up in a multiple offer situation and you are to have your very best offer in by 7pm that day only to wait on edge for hours to finally find out that they worked with another offer….but….”it fell through!” & your clients have now won the bid! It’s consoling & directing feelings of anger, frustration, sadness & excitement….understanding & navigating personalities and partner disputes over opinions. It’s those words you preach on almost every deal “If it was meant to happen, it will” – sometimes the pain of losing a home your clients had their heart set on is replaced with the “ah hah! – thank goodness we didn’t get that one..” moment when they move into the home they were actually meant to be in – the true joy you feel for making their dream a reality. The excitement you feel when acreage clients that you’ve been working with for the past 12 months think they’ve found the perfect acreage – so you hop in your car to show them the “not so perfect after all” acreage an hour away only to continue your search viewing absolutely beautiful homes for yet another 6 months. You walk into your brand new listing to host its first Open House… and it’s filthy – you’ve got half an hour to dust, vacuum, wipe up cupboards & appliances before you unlock the doors to proudly present the property to its first viewers. The gratitude you feel when all your hard work is rewarded with word of mouth referrals from people who truly trust you.

To “Get The Job Done” means different things to different people in my opinion. I have come across professionals who go through their day to day doing the minimum to get through their work day & get paid – their job is done. Then there are professionals who go over and beyond for the people around them and more often – their clients, to do more than what is expected – and for some, that simply equates to a smile, a bounce in their step, time & attention! But a “strategic professional” will get the job done in more ways than just providing great customer service!