I was a DJ and got tired of hearing brides and grooms saying they were going to start looking for a home as soon as they got home from their honeymoon.

Lightbulb went off and I changed professions over the next 3 years. Still miss it though.

I was a mental health therapist (I was, I swear) turned hospital marketer turned clinical manager of outpatient facilities turned crazy and burnt-out -- so I decided to sell real estate, since I was already crazy.

I was an Accountant. I've also been a Paramedic and a Dental Assistant. Since my husband is a builder I thought I needed to get in on his action. We help each other. I sell some of his homes and then I give him my clients who need or want something done on their homes. That's a win-win in my house.

I'm like you Susan, the more numbers the better.

I have a background in sales but I have wanted to pursue real estate for years. I sure hope I made the right decision. My thinking is that I want to control my financial well being rather than for a corporation to do it.

Sorry about the logo instead of my photo but point 2 tells me they are having a problem.

I was and still am an insurance agent. The leads are nice!

I'm a retired Air Force LtCol.  We retired to a resort ski town where it's tough to get a reasonable paying job.  My military background was in the Information Technology sector (computers and software).  So, it was go to some large town or figure out how to stay in the mountains -- Real Estate seemed like a good choice.

I was a retired nuclear submariner turned systems engineer. After retiring as the Dirctor of Systems Engineering for a national firm, I realized that: one, even with two retirement incomes, retirement was not in sight, and; two, retirement was a myth unless you were in business for yourself. In spite of a reasonable salary my last few years at the company, I was making more money in real estate part-time, so.......

I worked for the State of Ohio as a Secretary, Administrative Assistant, Receptionist, and Fiscal Clerk for nearly 10 years.  When I quit the State job, I was a SAHM (Stay at home mom) for about 5 years and actually spend 3 years homeschooling my children and doing childcare.

I got into real estate because I thought it would be a good way to make money, I'm still waiting for that to happen but feel confident that we're on the brink!

Tracie

I have spent the last 17 years doing software development.

I have bene lucky enough to work for Kemper, IBM, Microsoft, Northwestern Health care, FGC, Inc. and finally CCI, Inc.

I got out becuase if I heard one more person say "Quick question" (which they never were) I would have started shooting.

Once I finished university, the first job I found was in property management ... had to get a salesperson for that ... got pretty burnt out by the job so once I got the license I left and have been in real estate sales since (about 5 years now). My parents had a construction business so growing up, I've been through a lot of homes and loved any construction or remodeling site. I can't even imagine doing anything else, I have an MBA with emphasis on "decision science" ... so I guess there are other options for me out there, but real estate is something I just love to do.

Hi Everyone,

This is a fun discussion...

I was a pediatric Occupational Therapist specializing in working with children with sensory integration disorders.  I injured my back, had back surgery and decided to pursue the career in real estate that I had always wanted.  Although I started in this career during a "slow" market, I absolutely love it!

I was an electrical engineer doing control systems for manufacturing.  I can walk down almost any isle in a grocery store and see some product that I did the production line for.  I was also an EMT (Rhonda we can swap gore stories.. LOL) - loved that, and I managed a custom wood shop.

Hummm...past lives. College, Art/English major. Marriage. Stay at home mom. Flipped a few houses with my husband. Bought & restored 1906 Queen Anne Victorian. Opened a B&B and wholesale bakery. Husband became ill. Sold out after 17 years, moved, retired. My ah-ha moment came when I remembered what my kid's godfather had told my in 1973 when we bought our first house - "Go into real estate - you're a natural" Somehow, it all fits.  

am I the only one here who didn't have any other careers before real estate? No wonder everyone in my old company used to tell me I had ahead start.

Hi guys I was reading your stories. I'm still trying to figure out how to use this web site. I have been a UPS employee for 14 years. I like helping people accomplish a life dream and being part of that dream of owning a home. I also like looking at houses it gives me ideas that I can use in my own home. If you ever have a question about San Antonio send me a email.

I started young as the chief fry guy. You know when you heard, want fries with that, I was the guy that made it all happen. The hours were long, the work was hot and greasy but I knew back then that I was helping make America great. It was also a chick magnet. I would leave that fryer and on the way home would pass a female and she would start to drool. I was never sure if it was me or the aroma of hot fries that permeated every cell of my body but I could imagine. I also knew I couldn’t continue this dangerous work all my life, you know grease burns, salt in your open wounds, it was a difficult and dangerous profession and one that was meant for someone younger, I was getting to old so I finished school, did nine years in the Navy, became a salesman, National Sales Manager, Investment Banker, CFO and ended up as a Real Estate Broker. But it was the fries that started it all. I knew when I wasn’t put on the grill or the counter or at the window that I could be somebody. Chief Fry cooker set the pace for the rest of my life. So the next time you’re at the drive up, take a glance at the Fry Cooker, he/she may be your associate shortly. The next major step will be the greeter position I have had my eye on when I decide to retire. It’s a challenge but I am up for it. I have already started writing my scripts. Welcome to…

I owned an export company first, then owned a children clothing store, then spent 8 years in banking and investment, got my MBA and then decided that I am better at working on my own than the corporate thing......... My years in banking has helped me with questioning people about their finances. I am a natural at that. It seems that a lot of agents who have never done sales or finance before have a problem asking questions about finances!

My years in banking and investment and the fact that I was chosen by Gov. Bush of Florida to be a member of one of his citizens' committees has brought me a lot of credibility.

Now I think that I probably should have earned my license ealier but everything happens for a reason, I am just happy I am in that field.

I worked for 13 years as the Deputy Chief of a regional EMS department before a broker friend suggested I give real estate a try.  I worked at it half-heartedly for a year...was unsucessful and gave up.  Now - after a 3 year break - I decided this is what I want to do...and I am going to do it right.

So here I am...trying to start a career in real estate...for the second time!

Great Stories !  Great topic for getting to know each other.

I was a marketing guy, niche market leader, ran a company that manufactured products for tanning salons.  After that, I was a small business coach/consultant, advertising man, and dotcom / SEO webmaster/developer.  

Bet you would never guess! <LOL>

LOL @ MIKE !

Mental Health Professional, but Already Crazy - so got into real estate?

I wonder if Realtors could support more Mental Health Professionals per capita than other professions...

Nah..... we would have to slow down long enough to realize we were not normal, and then we would have to make enough money to be able to worry about not being normal...  

Once a paratrooper always a paratrooper "Airborne" and when you get out and have no marketable skills you go into Sales.

The Canadian Army is the one of the finest sales training and business training program in the world just substitute the word kill for close and it is amazing all the books and training are practically the same.

The tactics and strategies are very similar in all respect from intelligence gathering to attacking the enemy.

Wars are fought by concentrating your fire power and using your resources to the maximum efficiencies. High technology is a force multiplier just like the Internet is to savvy RE agents.

The paratrooper must be fast and nimble and be able to out wit his opponents or he will die. The Smart RE agent must be the of the same ilk or he/she will go broke.

Cheers

Scott

I have been a cardiac nurse, jewlery dept manager, deli clerk, child care provider, photo specialist,mental health worker, office admin, manager of a "Denny's".

My best friend opened a brokerage and thats when I worked as an admin, I could not tolerate coddling (poor speller I know) the realtors so I became one!!

Environmental Engineer for the Dept. of Defense.  Grabbed an early retirement offer in 2004.  Never did like my cubicle!

Interesting to see the back grounds of us all.  We could start our own "Inner Circle" national real estate referral service for no matter WHAT came up. HA!

Hello everyone!

This IS a fun topic!

I' new to this site and loving it.  I went to shcool for computer programming, work for IBM then decided to try retail for the next 20yrs.(ended as a retail manager) but grew tired of investing so much time into someone else's business.  I love being a REALTOR!~ It is also making better use of my bilingual talents too!

I spent 17 years in Consumer Affairs and Customer Service Management for a health insurance company.  Worked 70 hours a week, burnt out.  Became a stay-at-home Mom until my youngest went to kindergarten.  Former VP of the local PTA, did a lot of volunteer work. Started part-time as an assistant to a local Broker, learned the nuts & bolts of the business, got my license and still work with the same Broker.  I don't think I could ever go back to a corporate environment.  Too restrictive and I like being in charge of my own destiny!

Scott same holds true for the US Army Infantry except you have to exchange the word close for neutralize in our training manuals, I've also worked for the US Postal service, and rapid prototyping and design.

What a nice way to learn about everyone so I'll chime in. I spent 25 years in the gift and home decor industry in sales and management. After living in many parts of the country and traveling to just about everywhere else, we moved to Charleston from Charlotte NC and I thought real estate would be a wonderful second career. It is.

Before I started as an Estate Agent I was a Farm Manager, then trainee Hunting Guide, then used Car Salesman, then manager for a Car Rental Co., then assistant manager of a Liqour Store. This changed in 1999, when I obtained my Estate Agents Licence, have been at it ever since, with a 2½ yr. break as a driver/chauffeur in London, and back in the property game since mid 2005.

Been in property since I was a kid really, due to my mother being an Estate Agent for nearly 35 years.

20 years in IT (Information Technology) before I became an "Internet Realtor".

... seems that I am still the only "real-estate-ever-since-I-can-remember" person here???

Well, most of my background is in real estate, hostess for an agent, closer for a national builder, assistant to a top producer (my brother n law), sales and marketing manager for custom builder, and now for 7 years FT REALTOR and builders rep! I come from a real estate family...sister and brother n law agents for over 20 years, sister agent for over 10 years and now nephew 2 years...I guess it's in the blood! I LOVE my job! I wake up everyday HAPPY!

Great idea!  This is so much fun!!

I have been a phlebotomist for 17 years.  I always wanted to get into real estate, I just never had the nerves.  I went back to school for Coding Specialist and I ordered my books online, when my books arrived they were all real estate course books, my neighbor who I convinced to take the real estate course the year before said God was sending me my sign.  Here I am two years later and loving it, learning something new everyday!

I love reading everyone's post, keep of the good work!

Very interesting, I noticed no one was a rocket scientist. Ok, I will take that one, yeah, rocket scientist.

Actually, wife and mother until my children were in high school. Totally dedicated to raising my own children. Then started my own gift shop and working for my husbands office doing the books. I bought a 2 bedroom house on a major highway and totally decorated it with antiques and gift items. I might have purchased some stuff from Howard.

See, rocket scientist was more impressive, but probably boring for my creative side....

Well, I have taught 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 12th grades. I have been a Library Media Specialist in a small elementary school and a huge senior high school. I worked in the technology department of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Then I retired.

I loved each and every one of my roles in education; however, thirty years was enough!

Ever since I bought my first home back when I was 22, I knew that someday I would become a realtor.  I absolutely love helping people find the right home or property, and it is a blast working with my husband!  

Best of all, I get to chat with nice people from all over the world!!!