Careers in Real Life

In the last few months I have begun searching for my first home. I feel very fortunate to be house-hunting in an economy like this but looking at almost 50 homes without finding “the one” gets frustrating. I have learned a lot though.

1. Your type becomes evident.
I am an INFJ . I walk into a perfectly lovely home that has most of what I’m looking for – a logical buy – but it’ll be a no-go if it doesn’t feel right. I rely on the gut feeling provided by my Intuition preference.  The thought of making an Excel sheet or point system to evaluate different properties  kind of makes me shudder. But my Judgment preference means I also  keep lists of houses on the wish list, the maybe list and the no list because I’m an organizational dork.

2. You should not try to HG-TV your home.
You are not a professional. The home improvements you make will not look as nice as it does on “Designed to Sell“. Borrow some ideas, sure. Take on a DIY project that requires major structural changes? Please don’t, unless you are incredibly handy or work in construction (in which case, please let me know if you are selling your well-maintained and recently updated home).

An important part of being successful is knowing when you can handle a project and when to get help. This still applies to your house.

3. Realtors have no work/life balance.
My realtor is available all the time. It’s really convenient – I get questions answered super fast and showings set up in less than 24 hours. She says the irregular hours work well for her because she can spend time with her daughter when she wants and work when she feels her best. I would not be able to handle that. It is important to know what you’re getting yourself into when you decide to pursue a certain industry. I would not be a good realtor, because I will not return your work-related email at 2am. Sorry, friend. Personal fit with a specific industry is important to consider before pursuing a career.