I had already had my childhood dream career, so I imagined anything else would lack satisfaction. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Even in challenging times, I feel fulfilled knowing that I am having a positive impact on people’s lives.

I couldn’t put myself through it again. It was too painful. I had been this boy's nanny since he was a baby, and now he was starting second grade. His parents had just told me that they felt they didn’t need me anymore.

I’d been through the heartbreak before, but that didn’t make things any easier. In school, I studied Early Childhood Development. I knew that I wanted to work with kids and had even considered opening and owning a home daycare company. This led to my becoming a full-time nanny. The cyclical nature of raising a child only to watch them grow up and have the parents tell you they don't need you wore me down.

Ironically, my own parents claimed that I had given them an inordinate amount of trouble growing up. I even caused them one final headache when I insisted taking my horse when we moved from South Carolina to Texas. Perhaps my strong-willed nature is what set me up for success as a nanny and for what was still to come.

Being a nanny gave me an unforeseen springboard into a career as a real estate agent. During my last nanny job, I made many friends one of whom was a real estate agent who assisted me in buying investment properties. Eventually, with his encouragement, I joined his brokerage. I eventually got my license in 2007. The brokerage focused on the somewhat niche market of foreclosed homes, which made for some crazy stories. Crawling through windows of boarded-up houses was part of the job. Sewage odors? Check! Rats jumping on heads? Check! Hoarder houses? Check!

My timing was interesting, to say the least. I had just started to flip houses, and the day I bought my second property, the market crashed. While my brokerage had an advantage with experience handling foreclosures, even our business was spreading thin as banks were working with more brokerages than ever before.

What was happening outside of work was equally difficult. My husband and I were going through a divorce, and I was especially concerned about what it would mean for our daughter, Mariyah. Though she’s not biologically mine, I had raised her since she was a newborn.

My relationship with my then-husband’s ex-wife was often tenuous. What would happen after the divorce? I was worried that I would be seen as “just a former stepparent,” and she’d step out of my life forever.

I’m so grateful that things turned out in an amicable way. After the divorce, I kept close contact with Mariyah‘s mother, and Mariyah split her time between us. She is still a source of joy for me. 

Work slowly but surely began to improve too. I met two great fellow realtors who specialized in short sales. We began working together and were able to save people from losing their homes during a turbulent financial time. When it came time to leave my first brokerage I found the Property Shop to be the perfect fit. The entire team was made up of mothers who were full-time agents. Their team was small enough that no one would be in each other’s way, but big enough that people could step in and help other agents when they needed it. The Property Shop fit me like a glove, and I’m happy for my time with them.

I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to have had two dream careers. If I hadn’t taken the step to become an agent, I would have missed out on so many wonderful relationships. I hope the next one is with you.

I am so grateful for my second career which has allowed me to work with so many great people, from sellers to investors to buyers to property managers but it’s the first-time buyers and sellers that brig me the most joy. I have found this immensely satisfying. Watching them get excited about a future move energizes me. Being the confident agent who alleviate their fears is one of the best feelings in the world. Their trust is important to me. This is a huge decision, and I never want my clients to have any doubt.

Being a real estate agent is complex. My years of experience provides a wealth of knowledge that benefits my clients with a fluid and efficient real estate transaction.

Every client is still saved in my phone as a friend. This isn’t just business; this is deeply personal. I look forward to that next friend being you!