Sorry for the recent silence. (Seems like I've made that apology too much lately.) It was unexpected even to me that I would disappear from this space for over a month, but I've been working on something lately that has taken every moment of my free time....
This afternoon, I passed the licensing exam to become a real estate agent! To be honest I'm still rather shocked about the whole thing, as I had never, ever thought this is something I would do. I'd never even once considered it! But as we were out seeing a house with our real estate agent here in Corvallis one rainy November morning, he suggested I become an agent myself. My first reaction was what are you talking about?, but after discussing it with him and thinking about the possibility, it started to feel inevitable.
So, for the last five weeks, I have spent *every single* free moment taking an online course (through OnlineEd, if you're interested) to prepare for the licensing exam. (Okay, I also managed to fit in the first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). This afternoon, James took the baby and I took the exam, and I was thrilled to pass with flying colors on the first try. After a few days/weeks of formalities and paperwork, I'll be a licensed broker in the state of Oregon.
I have to admit that it's been a stressful period, with way too little sleep and not nearly enough time and energy spent with my kids, but I felt a great urgency to get the whole thing completed as quickly as possible. And I'm not exactly sure what this will look like for our family—I'm not going to start working in an office full time, and I don't know how I'll get clients, and I imagine I'll be towing Zoë along with me to viewings for lack of other options—but we'll piece it together as we go and figure out how to make things work.
I'm thirty-eight now, and this is the first thing I've done that even smacks of a real career. I've done so many varied, fascinating, and drudgerous things in my adult life (AmeriCorps, acting, database management, this blog), but this is the first one with any real suggestion of a long-term job or career. It's taken me this long to make a decision—and I did it on a whim! I don't have an overwhelming passion for selling homes and I don't know that this is my life's calling; but it's something that I can do now, something I am interested in, and something that can earn a much-needed paycheck. I'm done waiting and looking for the "perfect" opportunity - it's time to move forward, to follow this curiosity, and to stop sitting on the sideline.
Wish me luck!
Darrell says
I had pretty much the same thoughts/feelings when I started in real estate 35 years ago. It became my second career (after retiring from being a full-time musician). I didn't care about showing houses - still don't - but the service aspect of it came to mean a lot to me. Helping people buy and sell houses for me was about the helping part, and a whole lot less about the houses. I've retired from it, but it was a long career which served me well, and taught me a lot about myself and the world.
Jodi says
Thanks for this, Darrell, it's really great to hear. The service aspect is *exactly* what's getting me into it! We were walking to see a house with our broker a few months ago and I said to James, "Doesn't Mike have the best job? He gets to help people find their homes!" It was that morning that he suggested I become a broker. I see it as being about helping people navigate this really tricky transition into finding a place where they can thrive as a family or as a person. It's not so much about the money or the competition or being the best (though I do look forward to getting paid again!)
Dava Antoniotti says
Congrats! It takes tremendous courage to dive into something like this, and I can absolutely see you finding huge success in real estate.
Jodi says
Thanks Dava! I really have no idea what to expect in terms of day-to-day schedule, paycheck, etc., so it'll all be new and exciting.
Shauna says
Congratulations! I look forward to hearing how it goes. I am in a similar situation career-wise.
Jodi says
Oh - I'd like to hear more! Your blog is beautiful, by the way, and your photography just keeps getting better. (For my readers who haven't seen it, it's http://www.lindenandlavender.com).