09/01/2026
Warning, long post. On September 1, 1999 I walked into Hickman Realty Group as an affiliate broker and never left. I started out in an office on Highland that I shared with Gary Williams. Our office location moved several times, but I stayed with the same company. I had my license, yes, but I knew very little about the actual market, the contracts, or listing & selling. Mary Fullingim sat me down and told me to prepare a database of everyone I knew, and to send a letter to everyone I knew letting them know I was in business. Tami Reid took me out on a listing presentation to Milan. Mr Pete Hickman would stop by my office & give me pep talks. My first showing was out driving some people around looking for a piece of land or a house on land in Madison County, and it was a hard thing to find. We never did find what they were looking for. My first listing was on Craig Drive in Milan. My first sale was to Paul and Carol Gardner, and it was a double wide in Yorkville. Carol left us in recent months, but I will always appreciate them for giving me a chance. I really didn't know what I was doing until I went through a few transactions. I still learn something new every day and every year. When I first looked at a contract, even after getting my license, I thought, I can't do this. Then, of all people and out of the blue, my child was watching Mr. Rogers. He said "Sometimes you think something is too hard for you, but then you get some help, and you realize you can do it after all." It resonated with me.I prayed a lot. Before I left my former job of 19 years, Jeff and I prayed a lot. Since he was building houses it seemed logical, but RE is not the easiest thing to break into. In my former job, I was on a salary. I had insurance & retirement. I had friends I had worked with since high school that I loved, and still do love to this day. In many ways my former job prepared me to know the territory, the zip codes, and the streets in Gibson Co. God was preparing me because he knows the future. One day 3 times the same scripture came to me from 3 different sources. It was the scripture about Joshua and Caleb where they went to spy out the promised land and told the others they should go down and possess it. They trusted God. Numbers 13:30. Jeff & I had to trust God to provide for us and our family. We were both independent contractors. God always sent me people and houses. Yes, sometimes I got my heart broken I've had a lot of disappointments. Sometimes friends and family hurt me. I wondered why they didn't call me. They weren't very encouraging. Even my dad said I'd never be able to sell anything, yet here I am. Not every house sells, and most sellers have no idea what is going on under their house or on their roof, or in the attic, until it goes under a home inspection. Realtors do get blamed for some things they can't control. One big problem is that people want to overprice their houses because in many cases it has been their family home or their parents home, and it means so much to them. It can be a very emotional experience for a seller. Also, client loyalty is important to us, and here, I'd like to say thank you to all of my past loyal customers. You are so very appreciated. Most of my business is from repeat customers. If one of my customers passes away its like losing a family member. I also have to mention our broker. He helps all of us and stays on top of market changes, the codes and contract changes. Even though I have an actual brokers license myself, I've used him as a sounding board for advice many times. He covers for me when I travel. Laws and codes do change which is why we have continuing education requirements. We have dues, fees, & marketing expenses. When I first started I had a huge flip phone. If we needed to present an offer we had to hand deliver it or fax it. Now we just scan it over. A lot of forms and offers are signed electronically. I also have to mention our amazing staff. They help us so much and work behind the scenes to help the rest of us succeed. We've had a lot of good staff members over the years. Many realtors in our office have come & gone. Only a few that I started out with still remain. Its about perseverance. RE is not for the faint of heart. Its strictly commission based. Its a lot of mental stress and miles and time that you may never get paid for doing. When you sell you have to make it stretch because you don't know when or where the next sale will come from. You never know who is going to be at the end of the phone line or on the e mail or text. We also have to be aware of our surroundings and who we meet, and stay safe. Sometimes it means sacrificing family time for the sake of someone else's family. If a realtor is married, a supportive spouse is crucial. I also had to drag my child around with me a lot to showings and to the office. Everyone in a transaction is important including the lender, appraiser, home inspector, and closing attorney. Working with other realtors is important, even if they're in a different company. Again, thank you to everyone. I'm not retiring, even though I could. My husband says I'd be bored. RE does get in your blood. Once you have a trained eye, you can't help noticing things about a house, and my husband, as a contractor picks up on more things than I notice. I tell him all the time he should've been a home inspector. He says no, because I'd kill every deal. Its been a good 27 years, but life does seem like a v***r. I can hardly believe so much time has passed, because I don't feel old. I don't feel like a senior citizen, yet here I am. 27th work anniversary. I have to change my ad information.
