Realtor mommies, does flexi time mean more time with kids?

sngcongo1 · October 2011

Hi,

I am looking for a job within PR in Toronto but am considering training to be a Realtor if that will mean I spend more time with my baby. I am thinking I would take my child to open houses and to client appointments. Does this sound crazy? What are the working hours for Realtors out there? Are Realtors never home in the evenings or weekends?

Career advice needed here.

Thanks

Cooper81 · October 2011

If you were paying a realtor to either sell your house or help you find one, how would you feel if they brought their kid along with them? It wouldn't look very professional to me and I would question how focused that person was on my needs and wants as a client with a child around as a distraction.

QueSrah · October 2011

I wouldn't hire a realtor who brought a baby to a meeting. How could you give 100% to my needs as a client when you might have to change a diaper or quiet a crying baby? Having a baby with you means you're at least using some of your focus to make sure the baby doesn't need your active attention, and I don't want to work with someone who's distracted.

tosababy · October 2011

Yes, it is crazy to think that you can take your child to open houses and client appointments.

ASmallWonder · October 2011

Let me tell you - as a BUYER I had to bring my son with me to viewings and meetings with our realtor and I couldn't focus. Of course, it was my perogative to do that and only impacted DH and I really but if our realtor had done the same I would have had to let him go. It's way too much work and distraction and completely unprofessional.

KathrynMD · October 2011

When we bought our last house, our realtor was a working mom.

She basically worked about 60% during the week, but could schedule things as needed and had her mom and PT nanny helping her. She worked some nights and at least one day every weekend. Her husband watched her LOs at night and weekends. I think it was OK for her b/c it was flexible, but everythign was a juggle.

RoxyLynn · October 2011

Seriously? Bring a baby to open houses and showings and appointments?? Your attention is supposed to be on your CLIENT.

sngcongo1 · October 2011

Ok ok ladies, lets all take a deep breath. One...Two....Three..... Sure that feels better. I was just asking.

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Well I have worked with plenty of working from home mom's who I have hired because I knew they are excellent at their specialities even though I saw their kids at some meetings.

If you think you can only focus on one person at a time then why do you have more than one child? Or even worse for your poor husbands.

I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting. But then again, I do not have kids as yet...

ASmallWonder · October 2011

sngcongo1:
Ok ok ladies, lets all take a deep breath. One...Two....Three..... Sure that feels better. I was just asking.

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Well I have worked with plenty of working from home mom's who I have hired because I knew they are excellent at their specialities even though I saw their kids at some meetings.

If you think you can only focus on one person at a time then why do you have more than one child? Or even worse for your poor husbands.

I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting. But then again, I do not have kids as yet...

I'm sorry but you are taking this to a way crazy place. When a working mother needs to pick her kid up at school or take them to the doctor they have stopped working in order to do so. Most mothers who work from home are required to have childcare during their working hours. Are there some cases where someone MUST be in the office for a meeting so they come in for an hour with the child because their boss is ok with it? Sure. But to assume it could be the norm would be an extremely unprofessional assumption.

For you to say that, basically you're sorry for the second children and husbands of these mothers is absurd. The reason your proposal is ridiculous is because one of the parties in question here is paying you for a SERVICE. Imagine going to see your doctor and she's tending to her baby. Or your accountant is doing your taxes with a baby in her arms, screaming. It can't work and you need to relax. People were just giving you the god's honest truth.

EastCoastBride · October 2011

sngcongo1:

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Leaving work to go take care of your child is one thing. Having your child AT WORK is entirely different.

You're stretching really hard to find justification for thinking you can be a realtor and have your child with you.

Yes - having your child AT work is distracting. I'm surprised you're actually surprised by this concept!! No, you're not a mom yet, but it's not rocket science. Children are demanding of your time and they aren't patient and don't always sit there nice and quietly while you do whatever it is you want to do at your own pace.

QueSrah · October 2011

sngcongo1:

Ok ok ladies, lets all take a deep breath. One...Two....Three..... Sure that feels better. I was just asking.

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Well I have worked with plenty of working from home mom's who I have hired because I knew they are excellent at their specialities even though I saw their kids at some meetings.

If you think you can only focus on one person at a time then why do you have more than one child? Or even worse for your poor husbands.

I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting. But then again, I do not have kids as yet...

When I leave work early to pick up my sick kid, I take leave from work and stay home with her (telecommuting isn't even an option for me). If I'm late to work because of my DD, I either take personal leave or make up the time when I am able to work. I don't forget about my DD entirely when I'm at work, but I'm also not watching her to make sure she's fed, clean and entertained while trying to take a business call or do my desk job. There's just no way I could work and take care of a child full time at the same time.

Not to mention, when you're sleep-deprived with a young baby, focusing at work can be even harder even when your child is in daycare and you're not actively caring for the baby while trying to work.

Seeing kids at "some meetings" is very different than seeing kids at every client meeting and open house. A lot of people would be understanding in the occasional emergency, but not every day.

tosababy · October 2011

sngcongo1:
Ok ok ladies, lets all take a deep breath. One...Two....Three..... Sure that feels better. I was just asking.

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Well I have worked with plenty of working from home mom's who I have hired because I knew they are excellent at their specialities even though I saw their kids at some meetings.

If you think you can only focus on one person at a time then why do you have more than one child? Or even worse for your poor husbands.

I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting. But then again, I do not have kids as yet...

What in the world are you talking about?

Maybride2 · October 2011

sngcongo1:
Ok ok ladies, lets all take a deep breath. One...Two....Three..... Sure that feels better. I was just asking.

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid? Or when you are late to work or have to leave early because of a situation with your children and sometimes you are with your client? Or do you just forget about your kids when you working? Or is this put clients first but not neccesarily your employer?

Well I have worked with plenty of working from home mom's who I have hired because I knew they are excellent at their specialities even though I saw their kids at some meetings.

If you think you can only focus on one person at a time then why do you have more than one child? Or even worse for your poor husbands.

I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting. But then again, I do not have kids as yet...

Are you for real? I can barely follow this, but you sound like a total idiot.

JLS0320 · November 2011

I attempted real estate a few yrs ago and it required working around your client's schedule, so after 5 pm and weekends were the primary hours. Sure you can schedule any way you want, but if you are not available when the client wants you then they will find someone else. No way should a child be brought to open houses or client meetings, that is ridiculous.

kattyleigh · November 2011

I am so confused. Do you already have a child or are you planning ahead? Have you ever spent time with an infant or a toddler? They don't just sit in a corner and color. And you can't keep them in your car.

KathrynMD · November 2011

Also - remember realtors are a dime a dozen in most places right now and most them aren't making much money. I think having a child with you at all your meetings, open houses, etc. would make people less likely to hire you.

zoeyandsummersmom · November 2011

I am not a realtor, but both my parents are brokers and have been since i was about 2/3 years old. Real Estate means you are at the beck and call of your clients, especially when you are starting out. Usually that means nights and weekends including Sundays when you would be holding open houses. Since both my parents were in the business, that limited the activities my sisters and I could participate in - i.e. no weekend sports.

On the brightside, my mom was usually home in the afternoons for me, but there were times one or both my parents would be out until 10 or 11pm at night working with clients on a weeknight. That being said, I spent several sundays sitting at someone's kitchen table at an open house coloring while my mom ran the open house. She would never bring me out to show houses, but would bring me along to preview them before she would show them to clients.

Looking back, having both parents in the same business exposed me to many economic principles early on. I can pretty much tell you the highs and lows of the 1980's economy/housing market solely based on where we vacationed that year. I grew up thinking that FSBO was a bad four letter word and knew what a contingent contract and notary were early on in grade school.

Again, real estate is not a flexible 9-5 type of business. You need to have the support of your SO or reliable childcare to help when you need to run out. Your weekends are likely not yours because when other people are not working, is usually when you will be. Good luck. If you do go into real estate rough markets like this one make for a great opportunity to really learn and grow.

Julia_JJ · November 2011

sngcongo1:
I am rambling but I am really suprised that mothers think bringing your child to work is soooo awful and distracting.

It's totally not distracting or inappropriate - that's why you see kids all over the place in professional offices and client meetings.

Wait, that doesn't actually happen?? Well then.

alli2672 · November 2011

sngcongo1:

You know how when a working mom has a sick kid at school that needs to be picked up. Well is she not 'focusing' on her work when she chooses to go pick up her sick kid?

uhmm...no. You are not focusing on your work when you leave early to pick up a sick kid. You are (and should be) focusing on your kid.

Want a personalized experience?

Realtor mommies, does flexi time mean more time with kids?

Re: Realtor mommies, does flexi time mean more time with kids?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards