Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Taylor Smith.
Hi Teresa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up as a young child I have always had the desire to be my own business owner, whether I was babysitting kids in my neighborhood or delivering newspapers in the community, it was always a desire of mine to manage my own business. At the tender age of 23, I gave birth to an amazing son that I name Aaron. Of course, like most single mothers it was a struggle for me financially to manage my bills and provide for my son the lifestyle that I desired him to have. I had a full-time job working with a major company but for some reason, I just couldn’t manage to make ends meet. Yes, I was making above minimum wage, but it was still a struggle for me to provide for my child financially. So, at that moment I decided that I needed to find a way to supplement my income. I registered to attend a local technical college where I obtain my certification to become a licensed Cosmetologist. After working with other salon owners for several years, I decided that I would open my own salon. With the success of my salon, I found myself in a better position financially and decided that it was time for me to purchase my first home. It made more sense to me to purchase than to continue to rent. I couldn’t see myself paying for something that I would never own. So, I applied and was approved for a home loan.
Within a few weeks, I was officially under contract for the purchase of my first property. The property was still under construction when my offer was accepted, and I was beyond excited!! However, the closer we got to the closing date, the more questions I had about the process. For instance, I had several questions about the different first-time home buyer programs, different loan types as well as down payments. At that moment I knew that I needed to educate myself more in Real Estate because I had so many important unanswered questions. In addition, I knew this property wouldn’t be my last. I have always known that Real Estate was a great investment and that it is an appreciating asset that would allow me to generate additional income. So, after I closed on my property, I decided to attend Williams Real Estate Academy to receive my Real Estate license. I mainly decided to attend Real State Academy to gain more knowledge about the process of Real Estate because I still had several questions. At the time I attended school it was never my intention to make this a career but more of educational purposes. I knew I would need the knowledge for my future endeavors. Once I received my license, I realized that I had an opportunity to share my knowledge with other potential homeowners and continue to build a better life for my son. Currently, I work with buyers as well as sellers with any Real Estate transactions. I enjoy assisting others in achieving their goals of home ownership.
Real Estate is one of those career fields that you get out of it what you put in. I strive to be the best agent possible by providing valuable information to my clients from the moment we meet. Purchasing a home can be a stressful event and I operate my business in a way that allows me to alleviate all the fears of purchasing a home and welcome the excitement of the experience to my clients. I invest in myself to learn as much as possible so I can be an asset to my clients, I have the willingness to learn and grow. I believe in consistency and communication which is key in this career field. These two elements really of hand-in hand by keeping to deadlines and ensuring that my clients know what to expect from me throughout their experience. Both qualities build trust and rapport—and that’s the most important aspect of relationship building. My mission is to be a life changer, the person that will assist individuals in removing obstacles and help them to see that anything is possible, including home ownership. My goal is to always ensure that my clients walk away with an amazing experience. My goal was to always ensure that I personalize every client’s experience and before I knew it, my business began to flourish. I truly enjoy being allowed the opportunity to assist my clients with making their dreams of homeownership a reality. Yes, I stated “being allowed” as we all know there are several qualified Realtors in the area but when you are handpicked by your client, it encourages you to want to provide the best service possible. It’s an honor for me to assist all my clients with their home ownership journey.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There were several obstacles that I faced along my journey to becoming a realtor. As I mentioned before I was a single parent to a son, working a full-time job and working to build my business as either a salon owner or a Realtor. The challenge for me was trying to juggle all these responsibilities. Luckily, I had several siblings that did not mind stepping in from time to time to assist me with my son when needed. Honestly, I owe all my success to my siblings, I can’t remember not a single occasion where I reached out to one of them for assistance and they said “No”, I never worried about my son being taken care of while I was trying to build a business and provide a better life. Being a realtor is a career field where you will “hussle”. You must apply your best efforts and hope that you leave a lasting impression on your previous clients because most of your business will come from referrals.
The challenge of being a realtor is that they are so many qualified realtors in the area and most of them have the desire to work just as diligently as you! But what sets me apart is the compassion and desire to help people. Yes, the reward of being a realtor is great but it’s not as great as gaining a meaningful relationship after the transaction is complete. As I revisit the obstacles that I endured throughout my journey, I have grown to appreciate each one because without the struggles, I would not be the person that I am today. I’ve learned so many valuable lessons that are all so priceless, however what is important to me is knowing that if I put my mind to something, I can accomplish it, many of them may not be easy but it will be well worth the struggle. Success is inevitable even when times are hard but remember that situations are temporary, and most setbacks are a setup for something greater.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work to me is not considered “work”. I truly enjoy what I do, and I don’t view it as a job. My short-term goals are to continue to assist families in with their journeys to home ownership. My long-term goal is to be in a position or work with a team of investors and we purchase several acres of land and build affordable housing within my community. I have so many ideas that I would love to give life too I know that it’s just a matter of time and it will happen.
What makes you happy?
My happiness is very simple! My happiness comes from being able to witness the smiles and on many occasions, the tears of my clients when we are at the closing table. For some many people, the “thought” of homeownership is just that a THOUGHT, but when I can make that thought a reality, I’m overcome with so much joy and happiness. I love what I do! I am so thankful that I am a REALTOR…
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