The Behind-The-Scenes, Not-So-Glamorous, & Dangerous Side of Real Estate

STORY TIME // The Behind-The-Scenes, Not-So-Glamorous, & Dangerous Side of Real Estate

Not every phone call I get is met with a smile (as pictured here), which is to be expected in real estate. Sometimes you get tough news about an offer, or a client, and that’s part of the job.

What might not be expected by consumers (or even male colleagues), is that there is an added level of danger as a woman in the business.

Sometimes the calls (& general interactions) received are inappropriate and possibly dangerous.

I just received another one of those calls this morning, while with my son. A breathy male on one end pretending to care about the housing market, and then hanging up after sexually harassing me.

The first time this occurred a few years ago, I happened to be in the car with my son & husband on speaker phone. It feels gross. It feels violating. And it makes me ANGRY.

This is yet another example of why I am careful about what and who I post on my social media.

I don’t post my child’s face and rarely mention his name. I don’t really post my husband (mostly because he prefers to be excluded from all social media), and I don’t post my location unless I am confident in my own safety and surroundings.

Being a woman that exists in this world is rife with inherit danger and feelings of violation. Being a realtor adds another layer to this.

I don’t normally answer calls that say “No Caller ID” because they’re usually nobody I want to speak with—but in real estate, you never know if you might be missing out on potential business.

It’s also an example of why I strive to work by referrals from clients, friends, and community members: people who know and trust me, and people who *I* can trust.

It can be very precarious to meet with people who you don’t really know if they found you online. I’ve been blessed to have met some of the best clients-turned-friends this way, but there’s always the “what if” when the next online lead pops up.

Real estate is an incredibly multi-faceted and challenging business to be in. I am a strong believer in homeownership, with a passion for helping folks build generational wealth and making it a great experience. If I wasn’t able to make an impact in others’ lives, I simply would not choose to be in this business.

So, I will continue to practice online safety, personal safety, and educate the public on how to keep themselves, and their realtor out of harms’ way.

🙏🏼

Steph