Why I do what I do- By Oliver Rooney

It’s a funny old business, the life of an estate agent. You work in an environment of highly charged emotions, where you can see the best of people and the worst of people at a time when they are very vulnerable. At a time where something so important in their life is trying to happen. Something that will determine how the next chapter of their lives will play out. It determines if they can start that family, extend that family, get their children into the right school. If they can be closer to friends or place of work. If they can take that job they have always wanted or leave that job like they have always wanted to. Whatever the reason behind moving home, whether it is buying your first home or downsizing to your last home, the fact is, that it is and always will be one of the most stressful things you will ever do. Pinning all your hopes, dreams and ambitions on the day you can collect those keys is a lot of pressure on anyone, even those of us in the industry. 

I recently moved into a new house with a process that took twice as long as it should have and there were times that I got stressed at the people we were buying from for taking too long to do this or a solicitor not doing that. I like to think of myself as a calm character but there were moments throughout the sale that I lost my cool. I have been doing this job for 11 years and I know what to expect from buyers, seller, banks, solicitors and so on; but when your dream home is on the line it can be a lot to deal with. This was my third move and it’s because of this I can empathise with our clients. I’ve been there, done it. I’ve sat on their side of the table and relate to all the tensions they are going through. I think this has made me a better estate agent over the last few years. The ability to understand and feel what your clients are going through. It has also made me enjoy the job more as I have aged. I get it. I’m going through it. It’s more than just bricks and mortar. It’s the life and opportunities and the security that comes with it that actual make the home you’re working and stressing for so worth it. I love that once all the viewings and negotiations are done, once all the surveys and emails to solicitors are over and you finally get to give the client the keys to their new life, you know that you have made a small footprint on the rest of their lives. It is a great feeling knowing you have helped someone move onto the next chapter in their life. That is why I love this job.