Neighborhood Expert: Why I started selling real estate

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected]

Most real estate agents have a whole life before they start selling real estate — it’s often called a second career.

For me, I took an unconventional path to this career which basically started when I was born. My parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1980 from Belarus. They started their own business in 1986 and started investing in real estate shortly thereafter. My entire extended family — uncles, aunts, cousins, my brother, etc. all invest in real estate. I do too. Practice what you preach. So I have been involved in conversations about real estate my entire life.

After college, I worked for the government as a budget analyst for a bit, then as a government contractor while getting my masters in Economics from Johns Hopkins. I bought my first rental property when I was 24 in Upstate New York. When I was finishing my Masters, I bought my first Virginia condo in Clarendon that I would go on to sell in 2013. I’ve since sold the New York duplex, bought 3 rental properties in Virginia and bought and sold 3 primary residences — moving is a job hazard for realtors.

I decided to get into the sales side of things because I realized how much information out there is confusing, how many agents do this the wrong way with gimmicks and lies, and I just knew it could be done better. So far, I’ve been right. I don’t use any sales promises, no smoke and mirrors, just good old fashioned hand holding and solid advice.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a career in real estate — please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to answer questions about the job!

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