Lydia Keohane has a Realtor with Team Village Realty in St. Augustine for two years. She has been in real estate for three years.
BEFORE THERE?
She worked for Davidson Realty for a year.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She was in the mortgage industry as an office manager for six years in Massachusetts and has been in sales for 25 years. In her life, Keohane has had 36 jobs. She worked for a florist for 12 years. In addition to that she had done landscaping, interior design, professional painting, staging, re-finished cabinets and laid floors. “I’ve done everything to do with a home, but sell it, which is why I am now selling them.”
WHAT MADE HER GO INTO REAL ESTATE?
“I love houses and I love people. My husband also encouraged me to get into real estate.”
HOW DOES YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP YOU NOW?
“It’s all tied together. It’s all about service. We are all serving in this world no matter what you are doing.”
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE ST. AUGUSTINE MARKET?
“I saw the difference between when it was booming and now. I am experiencing the two extremes right now so I’m looking forward to the middle.”
WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENT IN THIS BUYER’S MARKET TO GET BUSINESS?
“I’ve concentrated more on marketing myself while business is slower.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I like the freedom of real estate. It gives me a sense of freedom to be able to control my work life even though I have no life other than real estate. I’m always doing something. I have been just as busy because it’s been slow, but you don’t know that so you just keep working. It’s just now, that I’ve finally settled to the fact that it’s quiet so ‘Why don’t you do other things, Lydia?’”
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED FROM A CO-WORKER?
You can’t sell property from a desk.
ADVICE FOR A NEW AGENT?
“If you don’t love the business for what you should love it for, you shouldn’t be selling real estate.”
PET PEEVES?
“There is a big lack of loyalty and the media doesn’t help that at all.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“Time is of the essence.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
St. Augustine Women’s Council of Realtors and the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis