Today is a little bittersweet after almost 30 years holding a real estate license; I am not renewing my Iowa Real Estate License.

I Loved being a real estate agent!

Back in 1996, after always working for someone else and never feeling like I was appreciated, I decided to become a “REAL ESTATE AGENT.” I took the real estate classes, passed the exam on the first try, and felt beyond excited on starting a new chapter of my life. Just a few months later, in January 1997, I officially earned my license and stepped into a whole new world as a real estate agent (and REALTOR(R)).

I loved being a Real Estate agent and a proud REALTOR(R).

Real estate was never just a “job”; it was my lifestyle. My daughters had graduated and were off building their own lives, so the business became my new “baby.” I was hungry to prove I could make a business I could be proud of, and my community and clients could trust. That mindset wasn’t always easy at home. When the phone rang, it meant potential income, and I felt I had to answer—because if I didn’t, plenty of other agents would. It wasn’t the most pleasant situation for my marriage.

Small Town, Sharp Elbows

As the new kid on the block (and a fresh target), I had to learn the ropes fast. In a small town, some established agents sharpened their claws on my naiveté. They’d call my sellers directly to set appointments. Banker-agents wouldn’t approve loans for my buyers unless those buyers wrote offers with them. Those same banker-agents would start foreclosures on farms, and I’d race to help my clients sell before their properties went back to the bank. It felt like the Wild West—but I refused to play by those rules. By staying transparent and client-first, I became the “go-to” agent in town.

Real Estate is Like the Game of Golf

The highs and lows of a real estate agent can feel manic. It’s like the game of golf: you can hack and slice down the fairway, swearing you’ll quit (throwing a club or two along the way), and then one perfect drive pulls you right back in again. Real estate is like that; you spend your days (and nights) putting out fires, worrying the sales aren’t coming fast enough, or you’re not going to get one closed, and you wonder what the hell you’re doing wrong (we’re always hardest on ourselves, aren’t we?). Then that one perfect client or seamless closing happens, and suddenly you remember why you love real estate – and you’re pulled back in.

I Shifted Five Years Ago

Since I closed my real estate brokerage in 2006, I have been helping real estate agents virtually, while staying active in real estate. About five years ago, I quietly stepped away from sales completely. I found delivering marketing support and strategy for real estate agents was a better fit for this chapter of my life. The work drew on everything I’d learned as a real estate agent: how to communicate, how to build trust, and how to stay consistent when the market whipsaws.

Real estate can be lonely. Even when you’re surrounded by officemates, you can’t always confide, because it’s competitive and cutthroat. I wanted to be the shoulder an agent could lean on; a safe, judgment-free place to think out loud, brainstorm, and build a plan without worrying that I’d steal their ideas or their clients.

From Real Estate Agent to Marketing Partner

I wouldn’t trade my years as an agent or as a managing broker for anything. But I truly love what I’m doing now: helping agents build sustainable businesses with thoughtful marketing, clean systems, and client touchpoints that happen without constant effort. Watching agents “sparkle,” seeing their confidence grow, and knowing their follow-up finally runs on autopilot? That’s the best kind of win.

This isn’t Good-bye

As the calendar flips to 2026, my 29-year chapter as a licensed agent officially closed. I haven’t practiced for nearly five of those years, so this isn’t a dramatic exit or a retirement party. It’s simply not renewing my license. I was extremely proud of, and yes, that makes me a little sad.

But I’m not leaving real estate. I’m still living it, just in a different way: championing the agents who keep this industry moving.