2012 – My Year in Review

As I have written before, real estate is a funny business. In this case, I mean that there is a constant need to prove success (thus competence, to clients and prospects), and a concurrent resentment among the public for Realtors who show the trappings of success. How often do we read or hear about ‘cheesy’ agents with their fancy cars and annoying, loud phone calls? I have always taken a modest approach to my business – without pulling any punches, mind you – but this time I’m going to talk about my recent successes more that I usually would. Bear with me!

As I wrote at this time last year, I spent a bit of time on a real estate team. The idea (so I thought) was that shared success would mean greater success all around. That turned out to not be the case, so I struck back out on my own. After a brief time away, I returned to RE/MAX Hallmark and resumed my career as a solo agent. As relieved and excited as I was about that, I was prepared for a bit of a struggle as I regained my independent footing. Somewhat to my surprise, though, the year was an absolutely roaring success.

The first (and, I’ll admit, arguably the best) part was a dramatic decrease in unproductive emails and phone calls, and that meant a lot less running around. As planned, this allowed me to focus more on my own clients. It also meant less unnecessary stress, and more time for my family. Talk about a win-win! The result was a more focused approach to my business, and a steady stream of sales throughout the year – and that translated into the most financially rewarding year of my career.

Some of my success last year has to do with being at a large, dynamic Brokerage that conducts a fantastic amount of business. I am directly connected, professionally and socially, to the largest real estate network in Toronto, which allows me to learn, share and do business with like-minded producers. While that sounds great for me, what I really mean is that it’s great for my clients who are, after all, the primary beneficiaries of all that.

However, just as much has to do with being able to deal directly with my clients, and to give them my own best advice without having to worry about any complicating dynamics. The client comes first, period. How awesome is that?! I found my return to that format very liberating, and very satisfying. At the end of a fantastic year in business, I saw that it was also best for my buyers and sellers – and that’s the most rewarding element of the whole year.

Every entrepreneur wants to grow his or her business each year. That’s one of the best things about being self-employed – the freedom and the power to greatly expand one’s horizons each year. Naturally, I expect big things for my business in 2013. With more than ten years experience in the Toronto real estate market, I feel well-positioned to help my buyers and sellers hit their own goals for this year. So, if you are planning a move this year, call me and let’s get to work on that. Together, we’ll make 2013 an even better year!