One day my friend Mike said: “Jo, have you ever thought of being a real estate agent?”

Now, this question wasn’t as left field as it sounds. I had just spent three hours telling him how he could make a property he was selling more attractive to buyers.

I said: “Mike, I just don’t see myself as that person.”

What I was really thinking was: “Mike … are you freaking kidding me. Real estate is sleazy. Real estate agents are sales sharks who drive around in fancy cars, bigging themselves up and it’s all about money, money, money. Of course I don’t want to be a real estate agent.”

No one likes real estate agents, right?

Except that’s not true.

Because Mike is a real estate agent. And he’s a good guy. I like Mike.

I thought about it more. I realised that I’d bought and sold and built houses. Not one of the real estate agents I’d dealt with had been like that either. In fact, some of them were kind people who I now saw as friends.

“Maybe,” I thought, “most real estate agents are decent, but the bad eggs give everyone a bad rep.”

Fast forward a few months and I can’t get Mike’s suggestion out of my head.

I’m wondering where my career is heading. And I’m looking for something that will use my skills. So, I do some research, and it turns out Mike was right.

Real estate is a really good fit for me.

In fact, I have an unusual skill set that works for both home buyers and home sellers.

Selling houses is actually my superpower (not even kidding)

If you’re selling, you really need to talk to me.

To understand why, we’re going to take a swift detour into my past.

Before I became a real estate agent, I ran a successful photography business for 15 years. Then I became an interior designer. It’s kinda awkward blowing my own trumpet, but my work was featured on Grand Designs, so I’m pretty good.

Why does this matter to you if you’re selling your house?

Because my job is to get you a price that exceeds your expectations. It all comes down to how your property is marketed. And I know how to market the snot out of your house:

• I’ll use my interior design skills to make your house look so good you will not want to sell it. One time we even planted a veggie garden. True story.

• I’ll use my photography experience to make sure you get the best possible pictures. Lighting. Composition. Styling. The best photographers. Check. Check. Check. Check.

• I’ll use my marketing skills to get the word out.

• I know exactly how to stage the best open house. And I know how (and when) to follow up.

All these things make a major difference to how much your property sells for. And my previous career makes me uniquely qualified to nail them and get you the best possible price.

Just see me as your home buying attack schnauzer (but more dogged)

If you’re buying, it’s my job to get you the best house for your budget.

I make buying your new home a smooth, safe process. I’m your single point of contact for the whole journey and I fight in your corner when it comes to finding out the truth under the fresh paint (you can’t be too careful in post-quake Christchurch).

The thing you need to know about me is that I am determined. I do not stop until the job is done. I will go all out to find you your dream house. Nothing beats that feeling when I see your eyes light up because you’ve just found your new home. That’s why I do what I do.

So that’s me. I’m the real estate agent who never thought she’d be a real estate agent, but who now loves her job like crazy because there is nothing more fun than getting people into their dream home. Life eh. It’s a funny old thing.

If you think we’d get along, get in touch and we’ll work out your property dreams together.