by Beverly Hobbs Shea
High Road Properties
Rarely does a real estate practitioner start out with this as an initial career; it’s usually reserved as a default profession for a variety of reasons, none of which are necessary to list here. For those of us that are now “seasoned,” we know better. The skill set is second to none: organizational skills, self-discipline, knowledge, negotiation skills, communication skills, tenacity, perseverance, and commitment. There is simply no substitute for hard work and the ability to articulate and execute the necessary steps to success. Unlike textbook guidelines, there is nothing like exposure to situations you just can’t make up, and the insights gained from them. For the few that actually began their work careers in the business and who’ve remained in it through its ups, downs, twists, and turns, the stamina and knowledge base that comes as a result isn’t found in a “how-to’ book.
The good ones don’t have to brag. The emotional payoff comes in the form of self-satisfaction and referrals from a client base and caseload that never diminishes. Flying under the radar is much more fun than you’d think. Success and ability are not measured as advertising boasts might have us believe. Images can be deceiving. Integrity can’t be erased in the spin of deceit – a swirl of jealousies, untruths, and clandestine activities that nervously await exposure – when the façade is ripped away and the naked truth of character and the lack thereof are both uncovered.
The typical visual of a real estate practitioner isn’t very flattering. From Phil Dunphy (Modern Family) to the superficial real estate agent portrayed in American Beauty, the greedy agents and brokers in Glengarry Glen Ross, we are deemed to be just a notch above the proverbial used car salesman. If these unfortunate stereotypes connote that our substance and client interest are just skin-deep and we make no effort to dispel them and raise the bar, we will forever stagnate in the pool misconceptions. But if we are unnerved just enough to want to change perceptions, the opportunities are endless.
Beverly Hobbs Shea
(504) 669-8826
ABR, ACRE, CRB, CRP, CRS, GRI, SRES
Managing Broker
High Road Properties, Inc.
406 Ox Lot Square
Covington, LA 70433
Email: bev@beverlyhobbsshea.com
Licensed in Louisiana, USA
