I began my professional real estate career in 1992, but I've been involved in real estate my entire adult life--mostly on the other side of the table as a buyer or seller, tenant or landlord, nosy neighbor and lookie loo. I staged my first home when it was time to sell it way back in 1975. I've remodeled more kitchens and bathrooms than I care to recall and built two new homes from the ground up. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times I've moved.
Agent was simply one more real estate hat I added to my resume.
My college degree is in education, but I had a common sense and experience degree in real estate long before I received my real estate license. A typical 1992 day at the office was a bit different that a typical day in 2010. The transformation from real estate rookie to real estate maven was a journey filled with big changes from then to now:
1992: I wore high heels, big hair and carried a big MLS book. I went on a seek and destroy mission or I would post a pic of my "'perm" days. Definitely not something I want to leave for posterity.
2010: I love my flats, natural hair and carry the MLS in the palm of my hand. My phone is smarter and so am I!
1992: I mass mailed, bought glossy pages in every real estate magazine on the racks and gave away more cheap pens, self-promoting magnets and key chains than I care to admit. What was I thinking?
2010: My marketing focus is now on the consumer I wish to attract and it is based on providing valuable real estate content via the Internet, specifically targeted direct mail and superior service. With over 1000 real estate related articles posted on my various blogs and a top rated website it's a whole lot more effective than one-shot media ads and magnets. It also carries greater value at a much lower cost.
The way we are now is so much better than the way we were then.
Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800
PalosVerdesLifestyle - Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.
South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma
Palos Verdes Homes Blog - Rancho Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Blog
Boitano Palms Lots for Sale - Homes with Views in Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Palos Verdes Homes
Palos Verdes Photography - Palos Verdes Videos
Sell Smart, Buy Wise and Live Well
Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333
PalosVerdesLifestyle- Norma's award winning site as the best Palos Verdes homes and real estate blog since 2007. Selected by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Chosen by MovingCost.com as one of the best Los Angeles realty blogs. Awarded 5 out of 5 stars by Lender411 blog review. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.
South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Based on information from the Association of REALTORS®/Multiple Listing as of the initial date of this article/blog publication and /or other sources. Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS. The Broker/Agent providing the information contained herein may or may not have been the Listing and/or Selling Agent.
Find Norma on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Email Norma
Palos Verdes Homes Blog - Palos Verdes Houses
Palos Verdes Horse Property - Palos Verdes Realtor Agent
Palos Verdes Coastal Homes - Los Angeles Home Search
Photos of Palos Verdes - Palos Verdes Videos
Palos Verdes Luxury Homes - Beach Cities Homes
LOL...thanks for the laugh!
Nicole - The way we do business has changed and so has my real estate style.
Norma, the fun part is the journey sometimes. Looking at where we are now and how we do things now is just amazing compared to just a few years ago.
Bob - Amazing is a good word to describe the transformation during the past 15 to 20 years.
What a great story!! I just laugh and laugh because I was the same way. Thanks for bring me down memory lane.
Lizette - Better to laugh than cry---some of the things we called marketing were pretty outrageous.
Norma....Thanks for the journey down memory lane. Regardless how much has changed, I believe the thing that has remained constant is the need to deliver superior service.