I guess this is the easiest question I could answer. The stuff is fun, but this is the main reason I chose to get into real estate as a new career direction. I was in retail previously, and enjoyed my work. I was a General Manager for a photo store. I had a portrait operation, lab, and retail operation. We did a couple million dollars per year. Despite having a great staff, and continually hitting targets, the company didn't feel that 50 hours a week was enough. When I found out I was going to be a Dad, I knew that I had to alter my course. I knew that I would not be able to enjoy my life or my work with a little boy at home that didn't have every opportunity to know me.
Being able to get stuff and go places is great, but the little guy in the picture above is my motivator. It's even better now, because he wants to help me work on this...
As a Dad, that makes me happy. As a Car Guy, that makes everything else worthwhile.
Why did YOU pic real estate?
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I think many people change careers for family reasons. For me, over 20 years in restaurant management and working on average 70 hours a week finally caught up to me. I was never home for my family. In real estate I am working just as many hours, the difference is that some of that I do from home. When I have down time, I can be home. In restaurants, even if it was dead, you had to be there.
Congrats on your choice and good luck.
I have always found that working for others was never as gratifying as working for yourself. If I was going to put in the endless hours why would I even bother to work for companies that did not value the time and commitment that I put in. The ability to work with people that I wanted to work and want to work with me is also a huge motivator!
I got into residential real estate, because I had "burnt out" in the mad world of NYC Advertising. I was a broadcast producer working in NY for one of the 3 largest ad agencies in the World. I left because i was disenchanted with the politics, egos, and general idiocy. When I had enough time to decompress, I realized that the most important things in life are family, friends and home. Since I couldn't sell my friends and family. I thought, hmmmmm, "maybe, I should use my business, design, and people skills to market the most important asset people have in their lives".
I never imagined that the impact we have as Realtors effects people in a very profound positive way when we do our jobs right, and treat our clients and their money correctly. What a way to turn around my life!