Three years ago, my dear husband (lets call him Mr. X to protect his identity), decided he was tired of corporate life. Constant meetings and endless travel were exhausting and he was ready for freedom - so Mr. X got his real estate license.
I’ve always had a major interest in real estate – the industry, the process of buying and selling and the profession - so I know a lot about the space. I actually even have my real estate license! With my background, I thought I was prepared to support Mr. X as he acclimated to his new career – but there were a few things no one ever told me about living with a Realtor…
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Priorities will shift – and you won’t be at the top of the list anymore:
Two distinct examples of this come to mind right off the bat. The first is when Mr. X had an urgent call come through that he had to take right as we were sitting down to dinner on Valentine’s Day… how romantic. The second happened when we were at the movie theater. The movie was about to start and we were heading in to grab seats when Mr. X’s phone rang. He had to take the call… and he made it in to the theater about 15 minutes into the show. Much to the dismay of the people sitting around me, I was waving my arms around, trying to get his attention. It worked… eventually.
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There is no such thing as Monday through Friday:
If you like structure and routine, don’t live with a Realtor. There is no such thing as a “typical” workweek - and you can kiss your weeknights and weekends goodbye. In Mr. X’s eyes, the week is made up of 6 Wednesdays and a Saturday (which is Monday in a Realtor’s world). Confused yet? You should be - it’s chaotic. The plus side? More “you” time.
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You will develop a severe case of house lust:
I am almost constantly dreaming of my could-be life in a multi-million dollar beachfront property that I will never be able to afford. Seeing broker preview videos showcasing $25 million dollar properties doesn’t help either. It often makes me visualize what my life would be like if I ever won the lottery… which reminds me, I better get a ticket!
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Your car will permanently contain an “Open House Kit”:
Folding chair – check. Sign rider – check. Street signs – check. Most agents will only find themselves sitting on the counter or floor once …maybe twice, before they opt to keep an open house kit on them at all times – and Mr. X is no exception. The trunk of our car is permanently occupied.
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Being forced to tolerate intolerable clients will drive you nuts:
There are wonderful buyers and sellers – and there are not so wonderful buyers and sellers. Sometimes, Mr. X will end up working with a needy, aggressive, phone addicted buyer who calls every 30 seconds - and I have to practice patience and understanding. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary - for my sanity and for his.
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Budgeting and saving become intensely difficult:
Get ready to say bye-bye to easy financial planning. When you have a consistent paycheck, it’s easy to set money aside to save up for a trip or big purchase. When half of your household is working on commission and you never know exactly when the next big check is going to come through – that becomes much more difficult.
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Real estate will make you extremely emotional:
You may see a struggling family with young kids trying to get by being kicked out of a foreclosed home and a millionaire closing on his new vacation home in Malibu on the same day – and it really makes you think.
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The d@*m phone will NEVER STOP RINGING (or buzzing or dinging):
Seriously. There are just nonstop calls, texts and emails. From buyers. From sellers. From leads. From lenders. From appraisers. The list goes on (and on, and on…). My advice? Make sure you pick a ringtone you like!
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You will be jealous of your dog:
This one might be a little more specific to me, but most of Mr. X’s downtime ends up being during the day when I’m working my office job. He’s made it a habit to frequently send me photos of his daytime outings with our dog. Sometimes they go on a nice walk at the beach, other days it’s fetch at the park.
Regardless of the activity, I have frequently found myself feeling jealous of my dog, and that is just a strange experience.
The Silver Lining:
Despite the crazy hours, frequent phone calls, house lust and roller coaster of emotions – there has been a silver lining. As a real estate agent, Mr. X has been forced to develop extreme patience, and that has been beneficial to me and to our relationship. It’s also nice to always know what’s going on with the housing market, and having insight into other’s life experiences provides a great perspective check that really makes us appreciate what we have.
At the end of the day, even though living with a Realtor drives me nuts sometimes – I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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