Line of Fire

Being a real-estate agent isn’t all fancy houses and big commissions. The full disclosure, according to four local professionals.

BRIAN GARRETT, 36
VANGUARD PROPERTIES IN THE BUSINESS FOR TWO YEARS

Most heart-racing moment of your career? Listing and marketing a client’s Mission District property, obtaining an offer and then learning that my client’s CEO informed him that he would not be relocated after all.
How dirty a job is it? I literally have been on my hands and knees helping a client improve her garden prior to listing her home, and on a ladder cleaning and organizing a client’s messy closets.
Perks of the job: You tour so many homes that you have the opportunity to see countless examples of good design. People are incredibly creative in utilizing small spaces to make them livable and inviting.

LAMISSE DROUBI, 32
DROUBI TEAM–COLDWELL BANKER IN THE BUSINESS FOR 10 YEARS

Most heart-racing moment of your career? I represented a buyer who was in contract on a $3 million Dolores Heights property, and a neighbor came over to the house during inspections to tell the buyers about a second-story addition he was planning that would block the entire view of the home. None of this was in the disclosures. Understandably, the buyers pulled out of the transaction and bought a house across the street. Also, that neighbor has yet to pull a permit to build that second story. That was two years ago.
Real-estate agents—our unsung heroes: It can take up to a year, and in some cases even two years, to find a client the right home. This job takes patience and perseverance.
Does the profession favor men or women? When my mother [veteran broker B. J. Droubi] started in real estate 35 years ago, there were very few women in the industry. It is now dominated by women. Perhaps women do well in this field because they have the patience to guide their clients through the emotional ups and downs of a transaction.

JAMES SHERMAN, 39
ALAIN PINEL REALTORS IN THE BUSINESS FOR FIVE YEARS

How dirty a job is it? I have done everything from pulling weeds and washing windows to hosting a garage sale.
Perks of the job: Most listing agents serve lunch during Tuesday [brokers’] tours—you can really eat well on a good Tuesday tour in the city.
Does the profession favor men or women? There are quite a few more women agents than men, so men are often a bit more of a novelty, which can help. Men tend to be a little less in tune with buyers and sellers emotionally, but for those men who can master this skill, the sky’s the limit!

KENDRA WALL, 32
CLIMB REAL ESTATE GROUP IN THE BUSINESS FOR FIVE YEARS

Most common myth about the job: I think most people think it is easy money. We don’t just throw a property on MLS [the Multiple Listing Service] and sit back and wait to collect money. That is laughable. Marketing the property, doing showings, holding open houses and following up with every person who sees the home is very time-consuming, and only part of the transaction.
Perks of the job: The social network. Realtors are a lot of fun and great at connecting with people. Some of my closest friends are other Realtors. I have asked other agents to help price a property, for instance. We all have to work together, especially in the current environment, to maximize the number of sales.
Advice for future agents: Work as an assistant if you can. It will help you understand the nature of the work, and allows you a salary while learning the ropes.

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