I have an announcement!!!

Today, St. Patrick's Day, has been an auspicious day. Last September, I made a big choice. It's something I had been thinking on for quite some time.

After I won my third international award in photography, I felt like I had finally reached a goal. So, now what?

I decided that I would look closely at the other things in my life. Things that I love and, maybe, see how I could combine them.

Top on my list of favorite things is my home. I love home. I love being home. I love it so much that my friends have a hard time getting me to leave it.

I loved building our home in Palmetto Bluff. I loved remodeling our home in Rose Hill. I love my new home in Richmond Hill. What I did not love was the selling of our homes and two-year search to find our current home. We toured from Charleston to Jacksonville. There was a lot I didn't like about the house hunting. I learned a lot but there was more that made me furious. Especially the photos in listings. Crap photography or worse, catfish! Photos that make a room look bigger than it is with zero Styling.

Building our house in Palmetto Bluff.

Our Remodel in Rose Hill. South Carolina

Our current home and remodel in Richmond Hill, GA

So in September, I called Thomas Kersey, a Coldwell Banker Access Agent, and asked him what he thought of a grown woman, my age, getting into real estate as a new agent. I mean, there's a real estate agent under every rock, leaf, and azalea bush. And you know me, I surely wouldn't be interested in being just another one out of a crowd. I'm interested in becoming one in a million. So, the question was, will I be able to do that, because I just don't have time to dilly dally. Thankfully, Thomas was very encouraging.

So since then, I've been taking an online real estate course. 75 hours. (With Uncle Bob's patient help as in the photo.) I took it slow because I had previous commitments to complete. Today, however, with God's gentle hand on my shoulder, I passed my real estate exam. 1st attempt. I'm quite pleased and relieved.

There will be a couple of other things that I need to do before I actually become a licensed real estate agent but it will be soon.

As a new but mature agent, I can promise this. No bull hockey, no crap photography, and no catfish! My listings will look more like magazine layouts (whenever possible) rather than what you see currently. Because Home is more important than that.