1.10.08
Real Estate...Now and Then
In celebration of my 30^th year selling real estate, I thought I would share some of my memories of the changes in selling real estate throughout the last thirty years.

I obtained my license in 1977.I quit my real job, started selling real estate and discovered I was pregnant. My daughter will be 29 years old soon. Most of you have seen her tagging along with me through the years.I was one of about 1200 real estate agents in Peoria at that time.By the mid 1980's the number of agents would drop to under 400.

Bernie Pilon, the broker at Commercial National Realty, sponsored me for my test for my license.They were probably the top company in town at that time.In 1978 when I decided to quit my job and sell homes full time, Bernie changed his mind and decided he did not want to hire me, he did not think I would make it.I was 26 years old and looked younger.Ron Hodges took the risk, hired me, trained me, and held my hand through my first transactions and subsequent mistakes.In a strange twist of fate, Ron Hodges eventually purchased Commercial National Realty.I ended up being the top sales agent during the first year he owned the company.I was up against some great competition at that time, the women pioneers of real estate in Peoria.In the 1970's most of the new Realtors were OLD.At least that was my opinion at the time.As I look back, the old agents were probably younger than I am today.Most of the young agents were in their mid 30's.

Being the new kid on the block, I had to run to the Multiple Listing Office in the morning to pick up the mimeographed new listings.Then we put them in an office binder.Copy machines were not the norm, cell phones were non-existent, there were no fax machines, and the MLS did not have its first computer.When we did get it, it filled an entire room.

I have always loved technology, so of course I had to have one of the first cell phones.It was basically a ship to shore duplex phone.I would call the mobile operator and she would dial the number.When my party was on the line, only one of us could talk at a time.You would push a button to talk, and release to listen.It was also huge.

I also was one of the first agents to buy a computer.I really did not know what to do with it, but I had to have one!I purchased it before email was available to the public.It was a Tandy.You had to insert a large floppy disk to start MS-DOS.Once it loaded, you basically had to write your own program.I had the device, but there was no software available and no Internet for email.I could compute spreadsheets and make up data bases.Since I did not have that many clients, it probably did not take long.

Trying to stay ahead of my competition, I went to trade shows and learned about a telefax machine.I found one in Peoria on North Adams at the trophy shop.They charged me at least $2 per sheet to use it and the quality was terrible.I thought it was a miracle and went back to my sales manager trying to convince her we needed it right away.In actuality, it was not really urgent, because there were not many places to send a fax since no one else had one.

I signed up with AOL as soon as I heard about it.Again, it was great, but not too many of my clients had the service and it was very slow.There were no photos or graphics.Just text.I was hooked.

I was one of Realtor.com's first customers.I still love Realtor.com; I think they do an outstanding job of keeping up with technology and helping me keep up.I embrace all new technology because I know how difficult it was to run a business without it. We had dial telephones and each office might have had one or two electric typewriters.Now, I have my laptop with me all of the time, along with my Palm Pilot, another device I could not have imagined in 1977.

During those years, private offices were unheard of and no sales agents had personal assistants yet.In fact, there was considerable controversy over the concept.Now most top agents have licensed assistants, their own copy machine, fax machine, scanner, multiple computers and printers in at least one private office.

Digital photography is my favorite technology that has developed since I started selling real estate.We used to hire the Journal Star photographer to go out and take photos of the outside of listings for advertising. Being a leader in my field, my first real estate camera was a Polaroid.It was great, I could take a photo, wait about 10 minutes, and give it to my out of town client to take home to remember the house - after I labeled it with a magic marker. Now we can take photos on the spot, download them at the site, and post the photos online immediately.Another modern miracle.

Times have changed so much over 30 years, but most of my clients have not.I am now selling homes to my original client's children.I have sold many of my past clients parent's homes.I have sold many families multiple homes.I truly enjoy hearing from all of you.I still have old photos of most of my listings. I plan to send them out one of these days.We also did not have photo scanners, so they are in a big pile in a filing drawer - they are also labeled with the magic marker.

Thank you for continuing to help me with my business.Now you can call me on my cell phone, fax me directly, email me at one of five email addresses, send a text message to me, or simply stop by an open house to say hi.

My best to you in the New Year,