Sunday, October 9, 2011

A New Adventure.


A new chapter.  A new season.  A new adventure.

I’m beginning this blog almost simultaneously with this new thing in my life: Real Estate.  

It’s not that I own a lot of real estate.  I don’t.  We own our current home, for 14 years now.  Well, you know…the bank is “helping” us own our home!  No, this is a different take on real estate.

Back in the springtime, I began itching to get back into the workforce.  But, I was moving slowly about it.  You see, I haven’t had a permanent, real money-making job for the better part of 14 years, ever since our first son was born.  I was an elementary school teacher.  I went into motherhood truly believing that I would go back to my classroom after a 6 month leave with the new baby.  When 6 months was up, I called up my principal and said I just wasn’t ready to come back yet.  And, the district granted me another 6 months. 

Baby was nearly a year old when I got the call to come in and reinstate my contract.  There was an uncomfortable silence on my part.  My principal asked, “You’re not coming back, are you?”  He already suspected this 6 months earlier.  As I looked down at my bouncing, copper-headed, baby boy, I thought How could I?

In between life, I substituted here and there, created and ran my own business for approximately 4 years, and did all the “mommy duties,” one could imagine.  And, every year from that 1st year’s leave, the idea of returning to the classroom grew dimmer and dimmer.

After discussing the possibilities of career paths with the husband, a bright light was lit in him one day last spring.  It was a typical school day, filled with the hustle and bustle of kid pick-ups, sports, piano lessons and the like.  I rushed in and tossed my purse on the counter and began telling him about the cutest little old house downtown.  Running in and out of local open houses…this is what I do!  Yes, I’m that person…the lookey-loo!

I went on to tell him all about it…the built-in wood cabinets, corner fireplace, sloping floor in the kitchen (yes, I think that’s charming!) But, what disappointed me was the fact that the agent showing the home hadn’t a clue about the pull-down attic ladder.  In fact, he didn’t even know it was there until I mentioned it.

“I’ve got it!” the husband said.  “Real estate.  You can sell houses.  You love old houses.  Sometimes you know more about the house than the agent.  You’d be perfect!”

And, that’s when the season changed.  Right there.  Like that.

I really had no idea how to take action on becoming a Realtor, an agent.  I began walking into real estate offices here in town, sitting down with brokers and asking questions.  I got some really great feedback and advice.  I felt I was on to something!

During the summer, I took my online coursework, passed the tests and applied for my licensing exam.
That is the step I’m on today.  I am furiously studying.  On Tuesday, I will take the exam.  It’s crunch time!  And, here I am writing a post for a new blog!  (Hey, I needed a little study break!)

So, I guess, this will be kind of like a career journal.  It will be for me alone…or…maybe someone will find it and follow along.  Who knows?!

I think it promises to be a grand adventure!