Last week marked 21 years since I became a real estate agent.
That feels a little surreal to write.
A few days ago, I was out for a run at Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area , thinking about how, 21 years ago, the boys were attending summer camp out there while I was taking the real estate course.
Before real estate, I had been working in pharmaceutical sales, and I was just done with the industry. It was time for a change.
But change to what?
My husband, Paul, was a home inspector and had met a lot of Realtors through his work. He figured real estate would be a good career for me.
Turns out, he was right.
I still remember the very first contract I wrote. It was probably only four pages long. There was no FINTRAC, no buyer brokerage agreement and, most importantly: press hard — you’re signing four copies.
I had a sample contract beside me that I kept referring to, just in case I missed anything.
There was a lot more late-night driving back then. Unless your client had a fax machine, you drove to get a signature, then drove somewhere else to get the next one.
No DocuSign. No quick initials from your phone.
That first contract was the beginning of more than 1,000 transactions.
Real Estate Looked Very Different in 2005
When I started, we didn’t have smartphones, e-signing or social media.
Listings had 10 photos — and I actually hired a photographer to take those 10 photos.
Offers were faxed or hand-delivered. Paperwork was paper. Directions mattered. And your cell phone was mostly just…a phone.
Some parts of the business are definitely easier now.
Some parts are probably harder.
But even with all the technology, one thing really hasn’t changed: there is always a problem to solve.
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
After 21 years, I’ve learned that real estate is much less about houses than people think.
The house matters, of course.
But most of my job is really about problem solving.
Whatever the market, whatever the property and whatever the situation, almost every transaction has a moment where something needs to be figured out.
And that is probably one of the biggest reasons I still enjoy the work.
I like figuring things out.
Which brings me back to Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area.
Back in 2005, I was figuring out how to start a career in real estate.
Twenty-one years later, I’m still figuring things out.
Although these days, apparently one of those things is how to complete a 15 km trail run without backtracking.
And yes, the plan is always to finish at 15.1 km, not 15.0.
Because after 21 years in real estate and several years of running, I’ve learned there are some things you just don’t mess with.
Strava tax is one of them.
