07/01/2024
After 18 years in healthcare, I made a major career shift into real estate. I can’t believe that’s been a couple of years ago! 🎉 In the beginning of July 2023, I became a full-time REALTOR®! I'm so excited to celebrate my 1-year full-time milestone! Keep reading for the story of my journey!⬇️
It didn’t come easy! I worked my corporate job during the day and sometimes into the night, then studied into the early hours of the next day or when I would start falling asleep😴. The thought of change was scary but staying stagnant was scarier. I had been wanting a change for years but going on interviews never felt right. I knew I wanted my own business where I was able to help people, animals or anything that I wanted to put my attention to. I wanted more time with my loved ones even if that didn’t happen right away. I was willing to sacrifice most things… but was I?? I LOVED talking about it and dreaming about it but it took YEARS to merge my dreams with taking action towards changing my career.
I thought about regrets I had and how I could have made better choices or had a better outcome. The sell of my home kept coming to mind. I had always felt pressured into selling, not particularly by anyone, but because I really didn’t want to do it at the time or at all. I knew I wanted investment properties, eventually, but I didn’t know how to make that shift and didn’t think I could financially afford the risk. In 2014, my limiting beliefs won. I hired a real estate agent and the rest was a blur. I didn’t feel confident in my choice and I didn’t feel educated in my journey. I had a great experience buying my home so why did selling it seem so difficult? In the end, I made an insignificant about of money on the sell and in the following years had multiple people say they would’ve been interested in renting in that area. I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s where the seed of becoming a REALTOR® was planted.
I had so many limiting beliefs! I didn’t go to college and had only worked in one field. Will I succeed? Can I adapt? Will I regret leaving my comfort zone? Do I have enough money saved to start over? Am I willing to sacrifice my plans to make a major detour in life? These questions kept me up at night, but they also fueled my determination to grow and evolve! I soon realized I needed to overcome these fears that held me back. The fear of starting over, the fear of failure, and the fear of the unknown were all very real for me, but taking that leap has shown me resilience I never knew I had. I completed my real estate classes, took the exam prep over a weekend and celebrated my win! Monday was back to work, where I was shocked by the news of a whole department lay off. It was the day before I took my exam but it only made me more determined to make this work. I continued to work for that company for 8 months while working real estate on nights and weekends, and trying to find another job. In the end, I'm grateful for the way things worked out and that I believed in myself enough to keep pushing forward.
Real estate is my passion meeting purpose💕. It's incredibly rewarding to help my clients find their dream homes or make smart investments. The satisfaction of knowing I'm making a positive impact in their lives is everything to me. On top of that, I get to volunteer my time to other causes like wildlife rehab, animal welfare, senior citizen wellness, and other organizations I’m passionate about.
To anyone considering a career change or in the middle of one, remember that fear is natural and growth happens outside of your comfort zone. It's a sign that you're pushing boundaries and refusing to settle. Embrace the journey, trust your instincts, and keep pushing forward. You never know what amazing things await you on the other side! ✨
If you’d like to continue this conversation, I’m always here for you! Send me a DM or give me a call!
Jennifer Torres, REALTOR ®, GRI
eXp Realty, 512-962-4659
[email protected]
