Rarely have we weathered a year as chaotic, demanding, and totally unpredictable as we did in 2020; a year of pandemic, fear, and economic disaster that challenged, provoked, and in many ways changed the American way of life.
But Americans are nothing if not resilient, and Realtors who met challenge with courage and ingenuity thrived amid the chaos. Now, as we enter the New Year, it’s time to regroup and reflect: What are the lessons we take away? What do we expect going forward? What resolutions are we making now as we enter 2021?
“I will walk more slowly through my day,” said Georgia Realtor Leianne Messina, associate broker and Atlanta metro specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty. “If I’ve learned anything, it is that we are all just an email or a phone call away from exhaustion. I am setting boundaries for 2021 that will allow me to work, rest, and spend quality time with friends and family.”
It seems to be a universal theme.
“I’ve not been good at taking time off,” said California agent Sheila Marsh, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Newport Beach. “I see myself as a problem solver, and I work very hard to make every transaction the win-win my clients expect and value. But this year, I will focus inward and try to establish a better work/life balance.”
Marsh, a ‘confirmed lover of art supplies,’ is immersing herself in coaching sessions with Jacob Nordby, founder of the Creative Un-Bootcamp, designed to restore connection to the creative self, and with Sam Horn’s Intrigue Agency, whose mission is helping people create quality communications that add value to life.
She is not alone in the search for balance.
“I am taking a month-long break, only dealing with what I have to do,” said busy Kansas City agent Mina Steen, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. “I am using the time to take long walks and listen to refreshing podcasts, and for attending to things at home that have been neglected during these busy months.”
Steen resolves to get back to basics this year.
“At its core, real estate is about relationships,” she said. I plan to stay in touch, offering meaningful assistance where I can. But I want to be purposeful in what I do, in what I create online. I will use the best of the technology we developed in 2020 - but I also acknowledge the value of the support system that helps me to assist my clients - the painters, plumbers, electricians, and movers who help to streamline every move.”
Steen also plans to expand her community service.
“I love it,” she said, “and there is a real need, made very clear in this past year.”
There is a focus, too, on organization.
“This is the year we will make the time to get our CRM in place,” said Ballis team leader Elizabeth Ballis, Compass Real Estate, Chicago. “Many things will change in in what I call, ‘the new abnormal,’ but preparation will be vital, as will staying connected to your sphere. If COVID taught us anything, it is that.”
Columbus, Ohio agent Ben Calhoon agrees.
“I will be looking to overhaul processes and simplify as much as possible,” said Calhoon, broker/Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Calhoon Company Realtors. “The COVID months have given me time to look at what I do without a lot of the usual distractions. I want to focus now on what is working. I don’t have to advertise everywhere…just where it’s effective. I don’t have to have every shiny new tool…just one or two that work really well. I will focus on being paperless and mobile.”
The lessons have been many and diverse.
“2020 was a mixed bag,” noted Leonard Steinberg, corporate broker and chief evangelist, the Leonard Steinberg team, Compass Real Estate, New York City. “I call it the year of the ‘great unlocking’ - a time to realize we are all human, all fallible, all subject to despair and optimism - and the greatest lesson was to enjoy each day as though it might be our last.”
For Realtors, it's a time to go back to basics, Steinberg said.
“Real estate at its best is a combination of high tech and high touch,” he observed. “Everything old is new again. Technology has become our best friend, making processes virtual and seamless. But it’s useless without the warmth of the human element. Realtors touch lives in profound ways, and that must be our focus in the months ahead.”
What will be different going forward?
“As spring comes and vaccines become more prevalent, the pent-up need for socialization will create a frenzy of activity and demand,” said Steen in Kansas City. “I will choose carefully how I spend my time to be sure that what I do is meaningful and affirming. That is a COVID-19 lesson, and one we must not forget.”
