Serving Real Estate Customers Is A Noble Calling

Serving real estate customers is a noble calling. A calling to bring honest and trustworthy dealings to others. People with relationships built with trust. Trust that is earned over time with expectations met or exceeded.

I had a difficult time believing that any business was noble. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s the culture had a built in skepticism for corporations. Corporations are given a “personal” status in our system of government, but they have no “soul”. As a freshman in college I really pondered if I could reconcile my desire to be in business and also be a “real” Christian. I wrestled that to be “all in” meant I needed to be in clergy. I was not called to preach. I loved and still love finding future “opportunities”.

I realize now that I was not “called” to be “in real estate”. I was called to serve. My heart is that of service. My wiring is that of quickly solving a problem and researching solutions. Real Estate happens to be an excellent venue to pour out my calling to serve.

My first job after school besides the Army was working in the manufacturing systems consulting world. I enjoyed solving problems and serving in that arena. I did not enjoy time away from my young family. Moving to Chattanooga and being a part of a family business solved the travel problem.

When I did jump into commission sales, I had a heart struggle with my perception of the what other’s thought of Realtors. Realtors in movies are often portrayed as greedy shallow people driving “nice” cars. One developer told me early and often, “real estate is a slimy business”.

I did not realize that part of my struggle is a cultural shift that has been demonizing most all business as “evil” and profit is bad. Coming from a manufacturing perspective, I could not understand the relative value of “service”. I was not building a car, rocket or even a cabinet.

I think Realtors struggle with some of these concepts because our culture does. Rabbi Daniel Lapin makes a good case for this in his book, “Thou Shall Prosper”.

My response? My first response is to focus on my Maker and seek His guidance on how I should serve. God is changing my heart in preparation to serve in a noble way. Writing this blog on a daily basis is forming a seed of dignity of giving and serving others. Corporations are built, maintained and run by souls. This soul owns a corporation LLC that is dedicating itself to the dignity of serving others in the high calling of real estate “sales”/”service”. Serving real estate customers is a noble calling.