Realtor Wife Interview

We are still learning about Contributor Jen Kay of Bristol, CT, Athol Kay's Right Hand Man (or, uhh Lady). She is a really funny writer- you will be reading complete articles from her soon, so watch out!!!

1. What time is involved in Athol's blog and how does this effect you personally?
There is a lot of time involved in blogging, but it's very well-spent time. He probably spends more time reading other people's real estate blogs and commenting than he does on writing his own posts. Writing comes very easily and quickly to Athol most of the time. Blogging is usually the evening activity for at least an hour, usually several. Computer games used to be the evening activity so I'm not really complaining. All in all blogging is as much fun but more productive than game playing! :) He also does keep up with reading new posts through Google Reader during the day when he has a chance. Athol has recently introduced me to Google Reader, which has made keeping up with all of the blogs that I read much easier. (Okay, so he badgered me into trying it and I ended up liking it. Story of my life.) Blogging and reading does take up at least a few hours a day, but it is time well spent.& nbsp; I usually need some time to wind down with a book in the evening, so while he's writing I'm reading and everyone is happy!

2. What connections has your husband made through blogging? Has blogging created any business leads for Athol? How has it effected his business?
Athol has made a bunch of connections through blogging...most of them out-of-state connections. He has developed a lot of friendships through blogging and met a lot of intelligent people with a lot of interesting ideas. Blogging has thus far not created a lot of business for Athol but has been a forum for him to show his clients what he is all about and get them more involved in the whole buying/selling process. Blogging has also helped him to become more involved in "The World of Real Estate" in a way that is very immediate and intellectually stimulating...lots of back and forth with people who have lots of good ideas, and being able to contribute to other people's lives. Athol has also learned a lot through blogging and has become convinced that in order to give his clients the best effort he can, he has to use all of the online tools that are available to him (thus putting his listing presentation on the blog, among other things). He has pointed out to many people in his office that if they are not utilizing the internet to its fullest potential, clients are going to start passing them by.

3. Do your daughters know about blogging?
Do the girls know about blogging...heck yeah. Our nine year old is definitely the reader and writer of the two girls, so she picked up on it pretty quickly. She does have her own blog, which she writes on sporadically. It's pretty insane how quickly she picked up how to work Blogger and how to do things like post a picture or a video clip. Too smart for her own good.

Let Jen know your thoughts- do you relate? Any anecdotes of your own regarding your husband's blogging habits? As always, Realtor Wives will blog for comments!

Partner Profile #1, Jen Kay

Jen Kay is the FIRST in our Partner Profiles! She and I dialogued over email and I learned quite a bit! Look out for Jen in the future- you just might see her articles on Realtor Wives soon!

JEN KAY is married to Athol Kay who blogs and practices Real Estate in Bristol, CT. When asked how Athol got involved in Real Estate, Jen said, “Athol was a nurse for ten years and enjoyed the "helping people" aspect of it but was frustrated with the company he worked for. During the ‘I need to change careers...but what do I want to do?!’ phase, we were outgrowing our current house and decided to move. Not only did we find a wonderful real estate agent but Athol also did his homework so we could be an active part of the buying and selling process. We had a fabulous and very new real estate agent (give the new guy, or in this case woman, a chance!) who was also excited about the whole process.

The further we got into exploring what our needs and wants were, the more we saw how much a new home would affect our life and how we live it, and the more Athol saw that this was a career path that excited him. A way to help people, to better their lives, to make your own schedule, and make a living at it...hmmm... So he took the plunge and enrolled in the real estate course, and the ball started rolling! It was admittedly a bit nerve wracking to start a new career (okay a lot...see my gray hair?), but thanks to our own good real estate investment, we were able to put aside the "until the new agent starts bringing in the dough" nest egg and off we went!”

Jen noted that Athol is “a popular guy at the office because he's the one who will say ‘yes, I'll help you out with that open house! Floor time...sure!’ With clients, his perspective is not ‘How much money will this client make me?’ but ‘How can I help this person achieve his or her goals?’”

What makes Jen’s husband different is that “he doesn't just work as a real estate agent, he reads a gazillion real estate blogs, writes one himself, talks to other realtors, refines and redevelops his own materials...real estate oozes from his pores. He is also much more in tune with the industry as a whole than the "average" realtor might be.”

As any Realtor Wife knows, every good man needs a strong woman beside him! “The most important thing that I did [for Athol] at first was to give him permission...permission to take a chance on a new career...permission to explore something that he had a passion for. This was going to be something that would rock our family's world, but I trusted that he could make it happen! Just saying, ‘Yes! Go for it!’ meant a lot, and now ongoing support and positive reinforcement still means a lot. Also, being an avid, interested reader of his blog is important, and being someone to bounce ideas off of.”

We all know that a particular difficulty in the industry is balancing work, family, etc. “The evenings are an exercise in scheduling. For my job, I have to work about two evenings a week, so we are often comparing schedules to see who needs to escape to an appointment. We are both home for the girls' bedtime 99% of the time or there is much indignation. The first time Athol missed bedtime because he was writing up an offer with a client; our daughters were rather ticked at him. I carefully explained to them that daddy was out making money at his new job and they were appeased. Our younger daughter may only be eight, but she understands about money...she was especially sympathetic.”

Like most Realtor Wives, Jen is more than just a pretty face in a stylish suit- she’s a woman on the go like her husband! “I work for a non-profit foster care and adoption agency. I recruit people to be foster parents for special needs kids (medically fragile kids, kids with PTSD, abused and neglected, autistic, behavioral and emotional issues etc.; kids who are hard to place because of their special needs). I then guide the potential foster families through the licensing process of paperwork and training, and do home visits with each family to make sure their homes are safe and see how the family members interact with each other. I have been working for the same company since I graduated college in 1994 and loving what I do.”

From down here in Texas, Bristol, CT seems like a world away, but Jen and Athol’s story of landing in Bristol is relatable. “It’s a great town with one of everything you could possibly need, close to major highways, but small enough for the small town feel. Athol takes full credit for choosing Bristol as a place to put down roots in 1995 when we were looking for our first apartment together. He took out a map, perused it for a minute, and said, we're going to live in Bristol. Close to highways, half way between both of our offices, good population, and far enough away from family to not be living in each other's laps.’ I was newly married and willing to do anything my God of a husband said...but secretly somewhat skeptical. (He's reading over my shoulder at the moment and says, "Can I quote you on the God part?!") Turns out he was absolutely correct. We've been in Bristol ever since.”

Who lives in Bristol with the Kay Family? “Our two daughters, ages eight and nine-and-a-half (the half is very important at that age) and they are keeping us hopping now more than ever, but really couldn't ask for better kids. I'm a Connecticut native, and he's a New Zealander (a "Kiwi" to the initiated). Yes, the two most geographically distant points if you pull out your globe. Funny how those things work out. We have two cats...no dogs...ever. That was practically in our marriage vows- the no dogs part. The girls know about the no dogs thing, but that doesn't stop them from periodically mentioning how much fun it would be to have a dog. The little one would rather have a horse, truth be told, but she knows we're not zoned for that around here.”

When reading Realtor Wives, it is great to meet other women (or Realtor Husbands) and learn their stories! Jen is amazingly supportive to Athol as he quickly impresses the Real Estate world from allllll the way up in Bristol, CT. With their quick wit and combined intelligence, I anticipate that you will get a chance to know both of them better through Realtor Wives and RE Agent in CT. Look out for Jen- if I can convince her, she’ll be writing for Realtor Wives soon!

I Would Be Dumb Not To...

I started this blog to opine and learn about Real Estate, but as a wife, I would be a fool to not talk about my husband. I am about to launch “Partner Profiles,” a series of profiles about America ’s Realtor Wives (and husbands if I can find them). Most of the questions revolve around what makes each person’s husband/wife different and better than other Realtors around them. Some will have a clear answer and others may sound canned, but here’s MY response…

My husband remains unnamed because I am avoiding shameless plugs (although I’ll send you to his website any chance it is appropriate)! But why NOT showcase him? I think he’s so great that I married him, right? That’s the ultimate voucher right there! My husband is not only an incredible person, he behaved the same way even before he was licensed- kindness and selflessness is so natural for him. What attracted me to him was this very quality- always opening doors for strangers, helping old ladies cross the street, etc.

This conveyed perfectly into a career in residential Real Estate because he sincerely cares about people around him (what an amazingly fresh concept in the world of Real Estate). I have seen him list homes pro bono so a homeowner that was upside down could get out of the nightmare they were in, not just because when they are back on their feet in a year or two they have pre-selected their fantastic Realtor, but because he sincerely wants to help people. My husband has counseled more than one client through divorce when they call at midnight freaked out by the overwhelming process of selling or buying because of separation. On top of doing the occasional good deed of pro bono short sale to avoid foreclosure AND being just short of a therapist, my husband spends time trying to selflessly promote the entire INDUSTRY as a caring, helpful industry rather than an industry of blood sucking hyenas (yeah, hyenas suck blood). Even more, on his own blog he doesn't plug himself, rather promotes the industry! He doesn't even ask for referrals, rather he just gives good common sense advice. In a world centered around commmissions, his goal is to simply talk about how to find the value in a realtor or market- raising the standard.

My husband spends extra time in the community volunteering his time, is dead serious about not missing mass, and devotes endless time to our children teaching them about the good in this world. I could start getting mushy here, but I’ll refrain. Simply put, if I’m going to ask other spouses to talk about how amazing their husbands are, it would be laughable if I avoided doing the same. So, if my husband was running for President, I would say “vote for him” here, but instead, I’ll ask that you visit his website or blog and find out why he is Austin’s leading Realtor- he’s an honest, likeable guy that makes anyone around him comfortable because he’s watching out for them NO MATTER WHAT!