Say Hello to Florida's Newest Real Estate Agent!

What. A. Whirlwind! Y’all, I am so excited to share that you are looking at Florida’s newest real estate agent!

The world of real estate has always been wildly intriguing to me. During travels throughout my 20s, I discovered a love of architecture and interior design. I knew that one day, when the timing was right, that I would pursue this avenue.

Well, that day has arrived! Back in February, I was chatting with my mom before her move to Florida. I started asking her what type of property she’d be interested in purchasing. How many bedrooms? Baths? Ranch style or two-story home? Location? As I gathered her details, I began searching online and had so much fun sending her listings. It was at the moment that she playfully expressed, “I wish you could be my real estate agent!”

A light bulb went off, and my eyes widened. It was only February, and they weren’t moving until April. Could I study in time and get my license?

I immediately began researching - I discovered that Florida real estate license holders must complete 63 hours of education, pass the course pre-test and pass the state test. I knew it would be a feat, but I love a good challenge!

I enrolled with Aceable Agent as my real estate school. I enjoyed their style of learning; it was very easy to digest. The first month of studying went smoothly. I would incorporate it into my weekly schedule, and I enjoyed learning the foundations of the real estate world. As April began to creep around, I ended up doubling down on the studying!

When my parents arrived, I was done with the course, however, I was waiting to hear from the the Department of Business and Professional Regulation regarding my application. Before you can take the state test, you must submit your fingerprints, undergo a background check, and present your application. All we were waiting for was the approval from the DBPR to take the test.

After a few weeks of anxiously waiting, we received word that I was approved! Woohoo! Now all I had to do was pass the test! I took the entire weekend from Friday to Monday morning and CRAMMED for ten hours a day with a tool called Prep Agent. (I highly recommend this program for anyone looking to ace their real estate exam - I felt the course on its own wasn’t enough practice.) Also, a major shout out to Karen Climer, who I found through YouTube. Her tips and sample problems for the math portion of the real estate exam were wildly helpful. She really simplifies the concepts and equations, leaving you confident for your test!

The morning of May 10th, I woke up excited, nervous and could feel the butterflies dancing in my stomach. Due to Covid, they were allowing us to take the 3.5-hour test online with a proctor, so I felt fortunate to be able to take this exam in the comfort of my own home.

Ten minutes before the test, I blasted my pump-up song and danced around to get my energy aligned. After that, I sat down, took pictures of my testing area, and then logged onto the system. After showing the proctor my testing space, she informed me I could not have a calculator or my chapstick on the table, only water! (No chapstick!? The horror!) I moved everything and learned that all note-taking, problem-solving, and calculating would be done on the monitored computer screen.

One tip I remembered reading was that it would be unbelievably quiet during the first few minutes of the exam and not allow the silence to affect you. I thought that I would be totally fine because I was taking the test in the very spot I had been studying for the past few months - WRONG, lol. The moment the exam started, I noticed the ticking of the clock right next to me (mind you, I have never heard this before)! However, once I started getting into the groove of testing and feeling confident, the ticking sound went away and hasn’t been heard to this day!

Within the first few minutes of taking the test, I immediately went to the whiteboard and wrote down all of my math formulas. Once I got to the math portion at the end, I pulled the whiteboard back up and referred to my previously written down formulas. I finished the test in just under two hours, so I spent the next hour double-checking my work. Once I submitted the test, a “Congratulations! You’ve passed the Florida Real Estate exam!” I was over the moon!!

Time was of the essence in this situation because my parent’s needed a house to live in asap, as their Airbnb lease was ending soon. I already had a brokerage lined up and was waiting on my license number to be assigned so I could be a live Florida realtor!

Although we were still waiting for the license number, I immediately searched for a place for my parents. Spring is always an incredibly busy time for the real estate market in general, but the Florida market is absolutely bananas right now! It is a seller’s market, and homes are going FAST. Bidding wars are taking place left and right.

At about four in the morning, I woke up, unable to sleep. I was anxious to find a property for my mom and dad. I pulled out my phone, greeted by a blue screen starring back at me. I began to search the MLS and couldn’t believe my eyes - a stunning home in the area they desired had been added very late the night before!

I forwarded the listing to my mom, and the following morning, she said YES, we need to go see that! I got us an appointment to view the property immediately. The only hurdle we were facing was the fact that my license number still had not been registered! Luckily, with the help of my coach, Charles, we were able to go see the property.

The house blew us away - a 6 bedroom, 6 bath nestled in Reunion, Florida with the most breathtaking backyard. We immediately could envision our whole family making memories at this sensational house. With offers already in on the property, my mom shared her story with the listing agent, and they made a fabulous connection. We knew that if it was meant to be, their offer would be accepted!

Right as we left the house, I received word that my license number was finally assigned! I was now officially a Florida real estate agent and able to draft up the offer!

My coach told me to meet him at the brokerage, and we could get started on the paperwork. However, Freddie and I noticed we were low on gas and stopped to fill up. It turns out, this was at the very time Florida was going through a GAS SHORTAGE! (Remember that?) We just barely made it back to my mom’s Airbnb, borrowed her car, and raced to Celebration. After meeting the team and drafting up the offer, we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best!

After learning that there were nine offers in on the house, we were all sitting on pins and needles. The mortgage lender we used on this deal explained that per 1,000 individuals looking for a home in Florida right now, there were four homes available. Unreal!

The following morning, we got word that THEIR OFFER WAS ACCEPTED! The home was theirs! They are now under contract with a closing date set for June 11th.

I am truly so grateful that my first deal in real estate was with my parents. I got the hands-on experience to learn everything I needed from my first transaction and more importantly, was able to assist in getting them into a home they adore. I am so excited for this venture and cannot wait to continue helping families find and sell properties that make them feel right at home!