First, allow me to say that I have no children, never have, never will. I'm far too selfish with my time, so I'm in awe of all of y'all who so unselfishly devote your lives to your kiddos, and of course, I'm terribly 
grateful to my wonderful mother who did that for me.
Okay... enough sappiness for today.
I had a request from a SWS'er to hold a workshop for REALTOR moms who are struggling to keep it all together. Not being one of those (a mom) myself, I have pretty much nothing intelligent to contribute to such a conversation, but I know some of you do! In fact, as I've often bragged, my readers are some of the smartest, most creative and insightful people on the planet. I mean that with all my heart.
(Oops, more sappiness).
So, how about, in honor of Mother's Day, we have a little online pow-wow dedicated to keeping one's sanity while selling houses AND caring for the chillens? Moms & Dads welcome, along with any soon-to-be or thinking-about-becoming-parents, too. Is this something you'd listen in on?
I have a few REALTOR moms lined up to help lead the discussion, but could use one or two more. If you'd like to participate, let me know and I'll get you the details. Your fellow Moms would be greatly appreciative!
On a related note, we have two more teleconferences coming up in March. The first is the Selling & Closing Short Sales workshop on March 7th, with Janie Coffey & Broker Bryant Tutas.
You can register for the Short Sale workshop here.
We're also working on scheduling the follow-up conference to the Persuasive CMA panel discussion we had on February 7th. Stay tuned for details.
Oh, and remember the Real Estate Cyber Convention starts Monday! Here's a free pass.
I am a mother of four, and a full time agent...and I am not sure how I do it....I just do... Real Estate, more than any other career, has allowed me to work my work around my family...not the other way around...for that I am grateful...... I don't know if there is any hard and fast answer....other than as a Mother..you just go where the need is....if the kids need me and a client needs me....(sorry) my kids come first....and I always try to accommodate my clients... never at the expense of my kids though.....so maybe that is a hard and fast answer.. :)
How do I do it? Not very well I'm afraid :-(
I am VERY interested in hearing how some of the other Realtor Moms are getting it done.
I could use all the advice I can get!
I am a working single Mother Realtor. Some days are challenging. The meltdown last night as an agent called to talk about a listing of mine his clients had interest in comes to mind! I took his number and called him back. Most do understand.
My partner Susan Maxwell is a mother of an Autistic Son. She manages her time by making me do tons of work. But when her sons in school she kicks a**.
I am the mother of 5 and have progressed from Realtor, to successful Realtor to Realtor/Broker/Office Manager. Being a Mom is probably the hardest job I've ever done. Selling Real Estate is like having more children without the labor!! However, to juggle both is a real feet in successful juggling and time management. One of the things I talk to my agents about now is having a balanced life wheel and devoting enough time to all aspects of their lives to be balanced. Being a REaltor is very hard on your personal life and keeping a balance and not allowing real estate to fully engulf you is almost impossible without hard work and time management. Very challenging!!
I do it on the fly. If it wasn't for my husband I couldn't do it at all. We have 4 active children. Thanks god the oldest drives now. Its quite the challenge and has cost me several clients due to scheduling conflicts.
Okay Moms... here's a tough question... what day of the week and time of day is best for a REALTOR Mom (or dad) conference? I usually do my seminars on Saturday morning, but I suspect that's probably not ideal, eh?
I would say weekday morning. Earlier the better.
My husband and I are both Realtors and we have a daughter. We make real estate a "family affair" and involve our daughter where appropriate. Sometimes it's great for her and sometimes she gets sick of real estate. It can be a tough balancing act.
The Saturday morning time you had for the last call was great for us.
I didn't start in Real Estate until my son was old enough to stay home alone. Still it is very stressful and I applaud all the Mom's who have young children. Granted this is a flexible job to a point but I always made sure that I went to all my son's games and important events. I just put it in my daytimer as an appt and stuck to it. I also always make sure that dinner is on the table and we all really try to eat together. I schedule my clients around it.
Licensed from 1989, I started being a Realtor and carving out success. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I did get a divorced and raised my boys, who were 9 and 11. It was hard, but I did have a little support with my parents nearby for watching kids.I can remember having to haul them out of bed, take them to a seller's couch to sleep while I negotiated offers. Today with email, faxes and blackberry it would seem to be easier.
Actually, I found that I was focusing alot on them, and their problems with the divorce, business to pay the bills and did whatever it took. I planned everything in my daytimer. I had their schedules and mine and tried to be at the most important events. Signed up for field trips, cub scout outings, soccor and dr visits. Of course, I slept like the dead at the end of the day.
School, who they were hanging with was a huge issue as they became older. Teen years were brutal, but we all survived, though it was questionable. I found that if I needed to be there I was. My clients were told, I had another appointment that could not be rescheduled.
Now my kids are 28 and 30. Some resent the career I chose, the choices I made. But I did the best I could at the time.
I am a mother of two boys and a full time agent. And yes, it can be a challenge. But there is no comparison to being able to tailor your schedule around field trips, doctor appointments, sick days, etc... I love what I do and I love the flexibility it gives me!
And yes, I would LOVE to listen in on a "pow-wow" of other working mothers!
Great idea. Earlier the better is what I think for conference. Once the kids are out of school...forget it!
Hi JA. Realtor Dad here.
We do what we can...
Thanks for writing,
Ken
Jennifer good luck on your teleconferance. People who are in this business and have rug rates are very creative with their time, it should be an interesting phone conferance.
I think you really need to put EVERYthing on your schedule as an appointment. I am always running for the kids, and mine are both teens. Have to cook, today have to pick my daughter up on the way home... you just tuck it all into your schedule and live the balancing act!
I would say everyone's SOI is different. Just being around adults who might buy/sell or know people who buy/sell is helpful. Work doesn't always look like work to Realtor Moms.
I would be so interested in this! I am single and contemplating adopting (through the foster system) and would love to hear from other RE parents -- especially single parents -- about how it works and what the pitfalls are!!
Checking back to see everyone's views here... and Sherry has a great point. Your kids can often become part of your SOI... Soccer Moms hang out and talk, PTA, ETC... all opportunities to build your business! it reminded me of when my kids were little, I would bring them with me around Christmas time for my Christmas visits... At that relaxed time of year it was nice to remind people that I was human too... and the kids help to build that relationship. to this day I have people say "I remember when your daughter was sitting in my lap.. (she will be 17 next month YIKES!)
I agree that my daughter constantly helps me build relationships. She is an active kindergartner and I too enjoy being able to take my lunch with her at school and being able to take her to school in the morning (something my mom was never able to do working a 9-5) My daughter doesnt seem to be bothered that sometimes mommy is gone on a pretty Saturday afternoon to an Open House or that she has to run out after dinner to a showing. I am very fortunate that my husband is supportive and incredibly helpful. My daugther claims (this is certainly apt to change) that she wants to be a builder when she grows up so mommy can sell her houses :)
Jennifer...
I was a Realtor Mom and one of the ways I kept it together was to involve our Teen Age Twin Boys in my business. The Boys, or Men I should say, are now 32 and know a heck of a lot about RE. We have one visiting now who wants to eventually take over our business and step into his Dad's shoes. Those are some pretty big shoes but Son feels he can do it. As a Mother I faith that he can. After All, he is a product of TLW and BB. How can the kid go wrong :)
TLW...ROAR!
Been there, done that! My youngest just moved out - but I remember the juggling act with 3 daughters.
Jennifer - I can't even imagine being in their shoes and trying to deal with all their work.
This ones for the Moms, featured at: LOVE AT ACTIVERAIN
I am a mother of twp sepcial needs children, a Realtor and a wife to a husband who has his own business. We also have rental properties and are currently in the process of flipping a property. Needless to say things always seem very overwhelming but just as they get back to a smooth spot we seem to start a new project.
I think the fact that my husband and I have a very strong relationship, and that his business pays our bills allows me to not "stress" about Real Estate. They all act as distractions from the other when needed but I am still trying to find a balance.
I would love to listen into the conference - mornings during the week would be best for me!
I'm the mom to 4 young kids ages 10, 8, 5, and 2... #5 is due on June 22nd. I have only known real estate with kids in tow, which is why I got into the business in the first place. The hours are flexible and I work from home. It's a little harder in the summer when I have all of the kids home with me, but I just find a way to make it work.