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11 Reasons Real Estate Agents Make Great Parents
While real estate agents are busy helping buyers and sellers navigate the often-rocky terrain of the real estate world, we put dozens of important skills to the test. Possessing an uncanny ability to anticipate the needs of others, we’re also pros at the art of negotiation, often diffusing potential problems before they begin. And let’s not forget our tireless support, which keeps clients feeling secure every step of the way and helps them achieve their life goals.
These strengths prove invaluable when it comes to another vocation: parenting. Caring for young children is one of the toughest jobs in the world — not unlike being a real estate agent.
While both often feel like relatively thankless gigs, it’s good to know the skillset is virtually interchangeable — and, oh so important! Check out these 11 reasons real estate agents make great parents.
1. We can handle anything.
When a seemingly straightforward home inspection turns up something horrific like asbestos or pipes held together by duct tape, agents are ready to guide buyers and sellers through to the other side. This is great practice for those future calls from the school nurse who says your kindergartner has head lice or just broke an arm at recess. Agents, and parents, have to be on their toes at all times for whatever comes their way!
2. We can function on very little sleep.
Preparing contracts and readying for a weekend full of open houses and showings is a recipe for exhaustion. While it’s not easy, the ability to keep many balls in the air simultaneously is key when you’re a mom or dad — especially because you’ll be doing it all on very few hours of sleep.
3. We’re accustomed to endless driving.
Shuttling clients from one home to the next is great preparation for all those school drop-offs and pick-ups. You’ll quickly become skilled at answering questions, mediating potential squabbles, and answering the age-old, “Are we there yet?” all while keeping your eyes on the road.
4. We’re adept at explaining complicated information.
From the in-and-outs of attorney review and the meaning of the mysterious-sounding term “escrow,” agents take complicated information and put it in language anyone can understand. This talent comes in handy when kids inevitably ask the old, “Where do babies come from?”
5. We know that enough coffee can get us through anything.
Staying up late to ensure everything’s in order ahead of buyers’ and sellers’ closing is almost like a dress rehearsal for those sleepless nights with a teething toddler or preschooler who’s had a bad dream. But, because we still have to get up and go the next day, agents and parents quickly learn that morning and afternoon coffee isn’t just a “nice-to-have” — it’s a necessity.
And wine at the end of the day doesn’t hurt either…
6. We’re always imparting wisdom.
Without seeming overbearing, agents have a way offering helpful suggestions like, “Let me recommend a great home stager!” Or, “I know a way we can tackle that dog odor together!” that puts clients on the right path without straining the relationship. If you can manage to do this as a parent, you’re ready to raise teens.
7. We do the worrying for you.
Because this isn’t our first rodeo, agents can anticipate problems before they arise. Things the average person wouldn’t even think to worry about are already on our radar — and we’re ready to fix them. Being just the right mix of anxious and a little bit psychic helps parents predict — and hopefully avoid — difficult situations, like when that beloved stuffed toy goes MIA at bedtime.
8. We’ve got your back.
First-time homebuyers in particular can benefit from a little TLC and a lot of support along the way. Real estate agents never hesitate to let our clients know we’re in their corner, working on their behalf every step of the way. Children thrive when they know they’ve got the unconditional love of Mom and Dad backing them.
9. We know a great playroom when we see one.
When agents are showing homes to families, we feel a childlike joy when we discover a great playroom, which may just get the deal done. Cool and colorful features attract buyers with kids because a finished rec room is one less thing they’ll need to take care of once they move in. Having seen which amenities get the little ones super-excited, agents know exactly what children want. We’ve also picked up tips on taming clutter along the way, which helps immensely when we have a brood of our own.
10. We can negotiate with anyone.
When we agents know our clients have their hearts set on making a deal happen, we put our negotiating super powers to the test. Parents, too, need to be experts in the business of compromising. (Offering some special and well-timed incentives, a.k.a bribes, never hurts either.)
11. We know the best school districts.
Finding a home in a well-performing school district is the dream of every buyer with children. Because we real estate agents have done our homework and are well-versed in which schools get high marks, we know exactly where to settle down when we become parents ourselves.
