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Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Once I realized that I'd been the "victim" of atrocious brokerage services and that no one was listening to me... I knew if I just listened I could run rings around 90% of the agents out there... and I did in very short order.

Mar 05, 2018 05:27 AM
Rainer
427,267
J.R. Schloemer
Kentucky Select Properties - Louisville, KY

I was helping my mother build and in the meantime I had to help her silent partner, the agent, do marketing aspects for the homes they were building. I noticed he didn't know anything about the homes in regards to the building aspect. 

Mar 05, 2018 05:24 AM
Rainmaker
2,220,654
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

It was always there, I just had to plan and execute.

Mar 06, 2018 06:12 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

When I realised it wouldn't require getting on airplanes two or three times a week.

Mar 05, 2018 05:42 AM
Ambassador
6,393,609
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

I believe that my first entrance into residential real estate was as an infant.  Selling it is not that tough either.

Mar 05, 2018 05:39 AM
Rainmaker
5,217,343
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Someone bet me that I would not do it. Best bet ever. Got my license and never looked back!

Mar 06, 2018 04:45 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I still have it:)

Mar 05, 2018 11:19 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 - nothing specific for me. Just wanted the change in career!

Mar 05, 2018 09:41 PM
Ambassador
5,230,136
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Flipping corporate homes - I realized I needed to get my license to make the purchases and sales. Our broker was nipping our profits quite a bit! 

Haven't flipped a house since! Got a referral from my sphere and have been working referrals ever since - I've been too busy to flip!

Mar 05, 2018 08:17 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

My husband encouraged me to get my license because I did not like working every Friday evening at the bank where I was a CSR.

Mar 05, 2018 06:11 PM
Rainmaker
1,045,440
Dave Martin (703) 585-4687
Fairfax Realty - Fairfax, VA
Making Realty Dreams a Reality #WeWillGetYouHome

I actually don't know that I ever had a moment where I thought about that.. still learning always will be things change continually so we must as well.

Thanks for the question Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 

Mar 05, 2018 12:56 PM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I just love playing the Matrix. 

Mar 05, 2018 11:38 AM
Ambassador
2,684,109
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

    Buying no qualifying assumable rental properties (there were still plenty of no qualifying FHA and VA loans at the time), wanting to get my hands on those MLS books!

Mar 05, 2018 10:40 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

I didn't know if I could or couldn't do it.... I just wanted to learn how to do it....and I never received any training.... "On MY Own".... so I just enrolled in every Century 21 course given including management courses...and writing a 5 year plan.... 

I made out just fine!!! 

Mar 05, 2018 09:29 AM
Rainmaker
577,750
Gloria Valvasori, Accredited Senior Agent
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS REAL ESTATE SIGNATURE SERVICE - Mississauga, ON
REAL Experience | REAL Commitment | REAL Results!

I was a single mother raising two children and a friend of mine told me he thought I would be great in sales.  He told me "don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone... what's the worst thing that can happen?" All my friends thougth I was crazy to leave a steady paycheque for commisson sales... but I have been achieving success since 1987.

Mar 05, 2018 08:44 AM
Rainmaker
716,049
Richard Bazinet /MBA, CRS, ABR
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Phoenix Scottsdale. Sellers, Buyers & Relocations

Yes. One day, I saw the code. Remember the movie The Matrix?

Mar 05, 2018 08:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,503,008
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Wasn't an option for me.  Got my license right out of high school to be able to fill out contracts for my folks while they were touring the country speaking at Mike Ferry events.  There was no docusign back then and contracts were still in triplicates.

Mar 05, 2018 08:19 AM
Rainmaker
7,836,431
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I made the decision to go into real estate while still in law school. I could not pass the physical exam to join a military service.

Mar 05, 2018 07:48 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Annette,

I preferred Commercial.  It was more suited to our nature.  A

Mar 05, 2018 07:42 AM
Rainer
69,794
Shawn and Angela Miller
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Amabassador Real Estate - Lincoln, NE
Lincoln and Omaha, NE REALTORS®

My wife said, if they can do it, I can too!  So I said, sign me up too!

Mar 05, 2018 07:24 AM
Rainmaker
1,292,758
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

I am going to get into trouble for this one...when I looked at my wife and knew if she could do it I could as well.

Mar 05, 2018 07:20 AM
Ambassador
2,178,703
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

It was never a matter of deciding "I can do that" but if that was what I wanted to do.  I wanted to get out of the corporate world where they told me what I was worth (and when to be there) and where I could determine my destiny.  There were many options.  Real estate was my choice for a variety of reasons.

Mar 05, 2018 07:03 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,301
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

When I was with an 'experienced' agent that did not show me one house that I wanted to see. I wanted only a ranch & he showed me 2-stories. That's when I decided that this might be a good fit. It took years to exit my other job (CAD Cam) & get my license. I was also tired of my other job but the pay was out of this world for the time.

Mar 05, 2018 06:58 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,273
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I majored in property management so licensing was the next logical step and residential product was within reach...

Mar 05, 2018 06:35 AM
Rainmaker
1,311,397
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

A broker friend suggested that I think about becoming a Realtor when my bank – I was Vice President and Manager of a local branch -  was undergoing a hostile takeover by another bank. “Me. Lose my job? Unlikely!”

Well…..

So, I sat down with him weeks later and asked him explain what a Realtor did to be successful. When I realized what great training I had already from retail banking that was transferrable to a career in real estate it was a no-brainer.

Mar 05, 2018 06:01 AM
Ambassador
2,436,470
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Many years ago, I purchased a co-op, and the agent who "assisted" me was horrible. So was the person at the property management office. So was the real estate attorney I used. At every turn I thought, "What is the matter with these people? I could do this better." That's the first time I thought "I can do that." 

However, those were very fleeting thoughts and I wasn't at all in a place where I even considered a life in real estate.

About 15 years later when I decided to leave my corporate job and started thinking about potential new careers, that's when I started considering real estate and for the second time thought, "Hmm, I can do that".

Mar 05, 2018 05:55 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

I have always believed in myself.

Mar 05, 2018 05:48 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I grew up in real estate and the year between graduating high school and entering college, visiting several building sites, I fell in love with new homes.  As my business elective I took real estate in college. My major though was computer information systems. During the first month of college there was Little computer work, it was all flow charts and then the professor said computer technology is moving so quick, you may need to relearn this all over next year. I signed up for the real estate test, when i turned 18, i took it and passed becoming the youngest person in NH to pass. I started weekends working open houses at new construction and soon started selling house after house and the rest is history

Mar 05, 2018 05:44 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I was at an area swimming pool next to the Executive Officer of the local Realtor Association. She was talking about her job and how many Realtors there were in the area. At that time there were about 150. I thought, I can do that and it can't be that hard.

Mar 05, 2018 06:23 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I never thought about it...I just did it

Mar 05, 2018 05:18 PM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 My Wife was a real estate agent. One day I decided I can do it too.

Mar 05, 2018 06:37 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,565
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I wanted a change from Corporate to my own company.

Mar 07, 2018 07:07 AM