Why did you decide to start a career in real estate? In my recruiting efforts over the years, I’ve found this to be a compelling question whether I’m asking a new licensee or a long-time seasoned veteran. As you can imagine, the answers I’ve heard have varied greatly. Everything from, “I enjoy helping people,” to “I watch a lot of HGTV, and I love houses.”
Occasionally, I’m asked the same question. Having many years behind me, I usually answer by saying, “Well, I got into this business for the wrong reasons, but I stayed in it for the right ones.” Let me elaborate.
As a kid in his early twenties, just out of college, I had just purchased my first condo, and the experience was frustrating because my agent left me to do most of the work. As a self-proclaimed control freak, I suppose part of me enjoyed the process but once the transaction closed, I remember thinking about how little effort the agent put into helping me, and how much money they made for that effort. I felt that I was certainly capable of learning the business and began to contemplate the huge amounts of money I could make. So, I confess that money was a big part of the equation in getting my real estate license. Is that wrong? Perhaps not, as that was my reality at the time, but for the sake of this conversation, let’s say I was a bit naïve. After all, as great as the money is, that’s not what kept me in the business. Over my first few years, I came to realize what I truly love about the job. Very quickly, I recognized my true calling, and it had nothing to do with money.
During my first year in the business, I found myself at a social function and was introduced to a young couple in their early 30s. He was a hard-working landscaper, and she was an equally hard-working house cleaner. When sharing the fact that I was a real estate agent, I can remember the heartbreaking expression on the young lady’s face as she looked at her husband, then glanced back at me saying, “Sadly, we’ll never be able to own a home.” After a little discussion and encouragement, they agreed to meet with me to discuss long-term goals and strategies to build a realistic timeline toward homeownership. When they showed up for the consultation, they had their two-year-old in tow, and the wife was excited to announce that she was pregnant. Our discussion was candid and detailed. The goal of our meeting was to determine how realistic their options were and to establish a timeline of goals that were mostly related to credit repair and debt reduction. We completed our meeting and although they knew they had their work cut out for them, they were encouraged about the possibilities that lay ahead.
Now, fast forward about a year. They purchased their first house and on the day of closing, we set a time to meet at the property so that I could give them the keys to their home. I was waiting inside the now-vacated property when the four of them walked through the front door. Mom, Dad, their 3-year-old son, and their newborn baby girl.
In a prideful moment, as they approached me, I handed the wife the keys to their new home and said, “Congratulations on achieving the American Dream. This is your home now. I hope you fill it with joy and create memories that will last a lifetime.” As she took the keys with one hand, and with her daughter in her other arm, she dropped to her knees and began to cry. She looked up at me and said, “Thank you for believing in us when we didn’t believe in ourselves. We are forever grateful.”
Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, that story is an example of many. Collectively, they are the reason I stayed in the business. To serve people in a way that is quite literally “life-changing” is a blessing that I can only hope all my colleagues enjoy. Fast forward another 15 years, and I found myself transitioning into a leadership role. As a servant leader, I enjoy the same benefits of helping my customers. The only change is that the face of my customer is no longer that of a buyer or seller. My customers now are all the wonderful people who make up this great organization. And I remain committed to serving.
2025 marks my 39th year in the real estate industry. I’ve certainly learned a lot over the years, and I continue to learn each day. I’ve witnessed incredibly challenging markets, housing crises, industry shutdowns, technology enhancements, and technology threats. Changes in our business happen often and they are everywhere you look. But one thing that has remained constant over my career is that people need your help. Fundamentally, that will never change. It’s our job to seek out those who need our help and then aid them in a way that will always keep them coming back. If you have experienced the feeling one gets when helping people, helping them achieve their goals and dreams, or helping them provide a better lifestyle for themselves and their families… then you get it. Heck, it’s the reason I come to work each day. It brings a smile to my face to know I’m here for the right reasons.
TERRY Talks 