A question I often find myself asking people is this: Did you interview your Realtor before hiring them? My mind naturally goes there because my education path before I decided to move into the Real Estate world. That background tends to shape how you look at professional relationships.

One principle from my education is very clear. The quality of your outcome is often determined by the quality of the person you hire. Which is why it’s always surprised me that when it comes to real estate, many people skip the interview entirely. 

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This perspective isn’t meant to criticize anyone’s experience or suggest that one path into real estate is better than another. 

The industry is made up of individuals who all bring different backgrounds, business practices, education, and life experience into the way they work. Those differences naturally shape how each person approaches strategy, communication, and decision making within a transaction.

What I often notice, though, is that when someone has a negative experience with one agent, the frustration sometimes gets directed toward the entire profession. All Realtors become grouped into the same category, even though the way each of us runs our business can be very different.

That’s exactly why the interview process matters.

Taking the time to ask questions and understand how someone thinks, how they approach their work, and what foundation shapes their decisions can dramatically change your experience.

Just like hiring for any important role, the goal is not simply to fill the position. It’s to find the professional whose approach aligns with what you need.

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There’s a common misconception about real estate that the job is simply about showing homes and helping people sign paperwork. In reality, real estate is a business that sits at the intersection of economics, marketing, negotiation, and human relationships. Every transaction involves financial strategy, decision making under pressure, and navigating the priorities of multiple people who all want a successful outcome.

While becoming licensed as a Realtor in British Columbia does not require post secondary education, my path before I moved into this industry included earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Human Resource Management. That education plays a much larger role in my real estate business than many people realize, and it ultimately benefits the clients I represent.

Building foundation in areas like economics, marketing, organizational behaviour, and business strategy. Those subjects are not just theoretical concepts. They influence the way I analyze the market, position properties for sale, and guide clients through important financial decisions - and here is why having a foundation of these topics matters: 

Economics --> a key driver of the housing market. Property values are influenced by supply and demand, interest rates, consumer confidence, and the broader economic activity of a region. Explaining market movements in a way that helps buyers and sellers make thoughtful decisions about pricing, timing, and strategy.

Marketing --> successfully selling a home requires more than listing it online and waiting for buyers to appear. Understanding consumer behaviour, identifying the right audience, and presenting a product in a way that creates interest and demand. 

Organizational Behaviour, Contract Negotations and Conflict Resolution --> At first glance, HR and real estate might seem unrelated, but in practice they share many of the same core skills. While HR focuses heavily on communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, and understanding how people interact within complex situations. Real estate transactions are fundamentally human transactions. Buyers, sellers, Realtors, lenders, inspectors, and lawyers all bring their own goals, expectations, and emotions into the process. Managing those dynamics requires patience, clarity, and the ability to navigate difficult conversations when they arise.

In both industries - negotiations can involve significant financial stakes and emotional investment. Being able to understand motivations, communicate effectively, and guide discussions toward productive solutions can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of a deal. It also helps maintain professionalism and cooperation between all parties involved. It can also place strong emphasis on contracts, policies, and compliance. This experience builds a habit of paying close attention to the details within agreements and understanding how terms and obligations impact the people signing them. 

At the end of the day, my degree is not about titles or credentials. What it truly provided for me was a foundation of knowledge and a structured way of thinking about business, people, and strategy. That foundation influences how I analyze the market, how I market properties, and how I guide negotiations on behalf of the clients who trust me to represent them.

Real estate is often one of the most significant financial decisions people will make in their lives. My goal is to ensure that when my clients enter that process, they are supported by someone who approaches the work with both practical experience and a strong business foundation. The combination of education and real world application allows me to advocate for my clients with insight, strategy, and care throughout every step of the transaction.