October 24, 2026
Twenty-five years ago today, I received my real estate license. One week later, I was laid off from my corporate job.
Sometimes I think about that timing and wonder whether it was simply a coincidence, or whether life was pointing me in a direction I was meant to go.
Either way, it changed my life.
A Career I Never Expected
My professional journey began in 1981, when I was a shy 21-year-old starting a secretarial position at PaineWebber Properties in Boston.
Over the next 18½ years, I grew professionally and personally, eventually becoming an Assistant Vice President, Human Resources Manager, Office Manager, and Corporate Assistant Secretary.
It was a wonderful place to work, filled with people who became like family. I was given opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges that pushed me far outside my comfort zone. I learned to take initiative, solve problems, work with different personalities, think independently, and become more confident in my abilities.
When the parent company decided to leave the real estate investment business, we began winding down operations. Eventually, my position was eliminated.
I later became a General Manager at HQ Global Workplaces, overseeing business centers in Harvard Square and downtown Boston. That experience introduced me to another side of business, including sales, leasing, and the competitive nature of attracting and retaining clients.
Although I enjoyed aspects of the work, I couldn't envision myself doing it long-term. I began considering real estate as a new career and decided to pursue my license.
On October 24, 2001, I became a licensed real estate professional.
One week later, I was laid off.
The decision about what to do next had suddenly been made for me!
Finding My Way
I began my real estate career at DeWolfe in Marshfield, working with buyers and sellers throughout the South Shore. I was fortunate to have a wonderful managing broker, Pegi Brock, who helped me find my footing in those early days. We still keep in touch today!
I was excited, but I was also entering unfamiliar territory. There was so much to learn, and I quickly discovered that I would need to find my own way.
Fortunately, my earlier experiences had taught me how to do exactly that.
In February 2002, I listed my first property, a charming Cape in Hanover, for $249,900. It sold for $268,500. I still remember that home and the excitement of that first success.
By the end of my first year, I had sold 10 homes.
I was on my way.
The People Behind the Properties
Over the next 25 years, I've experienced just about every kind of real estate market imaginable.
I've watched buyers fall in love with homes, celebrated when offers were accepted, and shared their disappointment when things didn't work out. I've helped people purchase their first homes, move into their dream homes, downsize after decades in the same house, and make difficult decisions brought about by circumstances beyond their control.
Some moves are exciting new beginnings. Others are bittersweet, emotional, or simply necessary.
And that's one of the most important things I've learned: real estate is about so much more than property.
It's about people, their lives, their memories, their families, and their futures.
I've always tried to approach every relationship with that understanding. My job is to provide knowledgeable guidance and strong representation, but it's also to listen, offer perspective, anticipate problems, and help people feel confident that someone is looking out for their best interests.
There have been countless moments when helping someone solve a problem or simply easing their concerns has been every bit as rewarding as closing a transaction.
And somewhere along the way, many clients became friends.
Those friendships mean more to me than I can adequately express.
Building a Business While Raising a Family
Real estate also gave me something I hadn't fully appreciated when I started: the opportunity to build a business while maintaining the flexibility my family needed.
For many years, my husband worked in Alaska, spending four weeks away and then two weeks at home.
During those years, I was raising our son, Joseph, managing our household, and building my real estate business.
It wasn't always easy. Real estate doesn't operate on a nine-to-five schedule, and balancing everything required organization, determination, and plenty of multitasking.
But I was able to be there for so many important moments in Joseph's childhood. Whether it was volunteering at his school, serving as the Fundraising Chairperson for his Boy Scout Troop, attending his sports events, or being there when he got off the school bus, I was grateful to be able to be there. By the time my husband retired in 2018, Joseph was 14 years old.
Looking back, that freedom to be present for my family was one of the greatest gifts this career gave me. And today, I continue to appreciate that flexibility, particularly as I enjoy precious time with my mother in her senior years.
Still Learning, Still Growing
One thing about real estate is that it never stands still.
When I entered real estate in 2001, the industry was undergoing an enormous transformation. Those big, printed MLS books were being phased out as online listings were beginning to take hold. Social media didn't exist as we know it today, and the technology we now take for granted was still years away.
I sometimes think about how fortunate I was to enter the business at that particular moment in time. I've had the opportunity to witness, firsthand, an extraordinary evolution in how we market homes, communicate with clients, and conduct business.
From printed listing books, paper checks, four printed copies of documents, all with original signatures, to online searches, digital photography, virtual tours, electronic signatures, direct deposits, social media, and now artificial intelligence, the changes have been remarkable.
And I've had to evolve right along with them!
Some changes have come naturally. Others, not so much! For someone who began her professional life as a shy young woman, putting myself in front of a camera to make real estate videos has been quite a stretch. It may not look that way, but it certainly doesn't come naturally to me.
Yet I've learned that growth often requires a willingness to be uncomfortable.
And after all these years, I still find myself learning something new.
What 25 Years Have Taught Me
Experience has taught me that every client, every home, and every situation is different.
It's taught me to listen before speaking, to be patient when emotions run high, to remain steady when circumstances become difficult, and to remember that behind every transaction is a person placing an enormous amount of trust in me.
It's also taught me that success isn't measured solely by sales volume, awards, or the number of transactions completed.
It's measured in relationships, in challenges overcome, in promises kept, and in knowing you've helped make someone's life a little easier during an important transition.
The lessons I learned early in my career — taking responsibility, treating people with respect, solving problems, and doing the right thing — remain just as important to me today.
A Heart Full of Gratitude
As I celebrate 25 years in real estate, I find myself thinking less about the houses and more about the people.
The clients who trusted me. The friendships that developed. The colleagues who encouraged me. The mentors who helped me grow. The families who allowed me to share in some of their most meaningful moments.
And, of course, my own family, whose love and support made this journey possible.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have found a career that has challenged me, rewarded me, allowed me to care for my family, and given me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.
But while this anniversary is an opportunity to look back, I'm every bit as excited about what lies ahead.
Real estate continues to evolve, and so do I. I'm embracing new technologies, exploring new ways to serve my clients, and continuing to grow my business. After 25 years, I have a wealth of experience and knowledge that I genuinely enjoy putting to work for others.
And perhaps that's what excites me most about this next chapter. I have the benefit of everything I've learned over the years, combined with the same enthusiasm and determination that brought me into this business in the first place.
I'm not looking at 25 years as a finish line. I'm looking at it as a foundation for everything that's still to come.
Whether I'm helping someone purchase their first home, sell a longtime family home, downsize, relocate, or navigate an unexpected life transition, I look forward to continuing to be a trusted resource and advocate for the people who place their confidence in me.
What began as an unexpected career change became something far more meaningful than I ever could have imagined.
Twenty-five years later, I still love what I do. And I'm looking forward to helping many more people write the next chapter of their own stories.
To everyone who has been part of my journey, thank you.
Here's to 25 years of experience, relationships, growth, and gratitude — and to all the opportunities still ahead. ❤️
