Building on experience
Worker expands opportunities with real estate license
Sometimes all you need is the push from a childhood friend to help you realize your full potential. Such was the case for Thea Foley, who decided to take her expertise in communications — thanks to her many years working in public relations — and pursue a career in real estate.
Foley, who has a bachelor’s degree in communications media with a concentration in photography and a master’s degree in applied communications, decided to try this new venture when her friend and now broker Matthew Straight, of Straight Real Estate Solutions, suggested she work for him.
“He told me that I had good business sense and knew I could work well with people,” Foley said. “Plus, he knows I am a good communicator.”
Foley hesitated.
“I didn’t think I would make a good salesperson,” she recalled.
What she discovered is that real estate is not just about making a sale. For Foley, the process of selling a home is about “helping people with their life and helping people find their nest.”
Her goal as an agent is the same as the goal of the company she works for — to stay client-focused.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of real estate agents is expected to grow about 6 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment generally follows the overall health of the economy and the real estate market.
The best part of this new venture in her life, Foley said, is that she is still able to make time for her other work as a photo stylist for Anchor Artists. This experience even helps her in her work at the real estate company, as she will often stage homes for her clients and other agents in her firm.
For those looking to add a real estate license to their business repertoire, Foley said it’s relatively quick and easy — as long as you commit to the time and study the material.
“I took a 40-hour class, which met for two weekends in a row,” she said. After the class ended, she studied with friends and then took the test and passed.
On-the-job training was also part of the learning process, and Foley spent several months training with Straight. Since May 2017, she’s processed eight transactions and said she has fallen in love with her new job.
“You’ve got to be a people-person and love what you are doing,” she added.
Foley said she plans to grow her real estate business, but still maintain her photography styling career.