Single Women Taking Real Estate by Storm!

More single women are buying homes than ever before! The National Association of Realtor's says that 20% of recent home buyers are women while only 10% are men! 

What is happening? Women are becoming more confident and realize that the step-by-step process that was once thought of as the perfect wife/perfect life (school, career, man, house, family) is vanishing. 

Our days of pining away worrying we will be spinsters is over. Women realize that they have power and are not afraid to do life the way they want. If another person joins them on the path, great; but it's no longer required. 

About 1/4 of the nation's nearly 8 million single mothers spend more than half of their incomes on housing, compared with 1/10 of households headed by single fathers. 

So how do we make homes more accessible to the life givers of this planet? Many moms with kids don't think they can get a loan. Education is the first step. So start by contacting someone today or send me a message and I will connect you with someone who can give you the facts. They will tell you what you can afford or what steps you can take to afford it. 

It comes down to "when" you can buy a home, not "if". 

Too High

No, not that kind of high but thanks for clicking on it anyway!

I once worked for someone who gives the "Devil Wear's Prada" boss a run for her money. That person would give me my annual review and every year the only thing he could say about me was that my, "highs were too high and my lows were too low". Moi?

Of course I tried to be calm about this but what can a girl with a review like that do? Blow up and then cry about it with her buddies, Ben & Jerry. I really, really, really didn't like that boss yet that statement has stuck with me and has helped me on my path. I am constantly checking in with my emotions to keep them between the lines.

This isn't easy in my line of work. As a Realtor I get very passionate and personal with my clients. If they are excited, I'm excited. If they are upset, I am upset. By keeping myself in check I am able to help guide them forward.

Start thinking about your highs and lows. Be grateful for them, embrace them, and enjoy them. I've got you.

Who am I? About Me I am not just a Realtor; I am a woman on a journey to improve my life and the lives of people I meet along the way. Part of that journey is using my knowledge and energy to empower women through real estate. Having a clear mission gives me a huge advantage in the highly competitive real estate arena. I don’t just have a job, I have a purpose with a dream of one day creating an organization that allows more women to own land around the world. Success is simple but it is not easy. By creating a clear mission I have a fire inside me to succeed that others do not. Luckily for you, I’m for hire and you matter to me! Jenny Bergeron PO Box 577 Colchester, VT  05446 jennrus@gmail.com bergeronrealestate.com 802-922-7828 talk/text

How to Buy a Home

The basic steps in the process.

Inspiration is everywhere!

There is something amazing that happens when you start to look at things differently. 

First you become aware of that statement. You begin to realize that you are looking at things during the day. You then start to be aware of your reactions to what you are observing and realize that you have intentionally changed the situation. Even if you decide not to look at it differently, you have become mindful of something that would have otherwise been the same as it always has been.

This is not an easy task by any means. It is a task that can reap huge rewards however and you don't have to do it alone. Start to surround yourself with people who bring you up, not down.Gravitate to things that bring you pleasure. Stop having reasons for returning to negative situations. Find a Facebook group that makes you laugh and subscribe to it so you get a giggle every morning and unfriend the complainers and ranters. Start filtering your soul and stop it from being bullied. You have more power than you realize.

A while ago I had a mobile home for sale that ended up having multiple offers. One of the buyers did not get the home but enjoyed working with me so wanted to have my help to find another place.

We looked at one that would do but there was another one that had just come on that day and it was right around the corner. I could tell she was discouraged and would settle for this to provide for her and her son but she was such a nice person she was willing to go along for me.

As soon as we pulled up our mouth's dropped and we looked at each other. It was beyond what she was looking for at the same price with lovely gardens and privacy and a little fenced area for her little dog. It was really beautifully maintained. The home became hers and I got to help. Her negative became a positive. I later learned she was moving in early so she could volunteer on a medical mission to Africa. Not how you saw that story ending is it?

When you think you have round pegs and square holes, stop playing with antiquated games.

Go someplace you have never been. Take a different road home tonight. Look for new paths and allow the changing of the seasons to let you shed your own "dead leaves". Start looking at things differently and you will find something different.

If I pack anymore sticky, sweet, sappy, stuff in here I will become the laughing stock of my friends and of course we all worry about what our friends think so will end here.

The bottom line is start being nice to yourself. Let yourself have better thoughts. You can do it!

Start moving your feet.

For years I felt like a statue at rest. I was frustrated that people weren't coming to admire me. I was sculpted into art and yet only a few folks would happen upon me. After decades of standing still I realized I was not actually a statue. This sounds crazy right? Of course I'm not a piece of art yet something had actually frozen me. 

One day I got scared that I would die if I didn't start to move. Slowly I began to wiggle and light began to shine through the cracks. A friend told me to move my feet. I didn't know what she meant. Which direction? How? I didn't know so I just started to move them.

Those feet of mine took me in circles mostly. Then they took me on drunken cow paths and through some crazy wetlands and deserts.

Today my feet took me to a closing table where a single mom of a college age kid became a homeowner for the first time. She had been moving her feet too! Thank you feet!

If you feel stuck, start moving your feet. It doesn't matter what direction you move them in, you'll figure it out. 

Just start.

There is something about getting an idea that can freeze you in your tracks. Once you have an "aha" what next? How do you know what you should do next? The old saying, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." comes to mind.

Fear of being ridiculed for my goals has held me back and I'm ready to break those chains. I'm starting right here where I am because if I wait for the correct place to start I never will. I've never been one to hesitate. I do not require all of the details to begin, I just begin and figure it out. This can be a blessing and a curse.

I began working on a personal brochure to tell people who I am. Something that I can give to people that shows who I am and what sets me apart from my competition. It was hard. Talking about myself and my passions; what an exposing thing to put out to the world. It's asking to be judged.

I didn't know what to say so I put it off for months. Then this weekend I just sat down and started typing. I knew it wasn't what I wanted but I kept writing until the space was full. I then sent it to the one other woman I trust more than anyone in my lifetime, my mom. She read it and gave me the feedback I needed and told me I sounded like a lesbian looking to work only with women. Well, I love lesbians but that wasn't the voice I wanted to use so I scrapped it and rewrote it. Twice. Then sent it to her again and she gave me more feedback. It's now where I feel comfortable sharing it with others and even though it's not perfect, that's the idea. Neither am I. No one is. Either people want to do business with me or they don't either way it's a way to begin the discussion. If I wait for the brochure to be perfect it will never go out.

This is what I have learned form today...just start. The rest will work itself out. How does this translate into real estate? Even if you can't afford it today, if you know you want it "someday" then get the information you need today so you know what you need to make that a reality tomorrow. Knowledge really is power. Call me or call someone else but take a bite of that elephant.