Why I Chose Real Estate! El Maktoob
El Maktoob means "destiny" or "fate" in the Arabic language and I believe that everything in our lives is predetermined. A poet has described El Maktoob as: "On the palm of fate we walk and do not know what is written." Since I believe in El Maktoob, I also believe that I became a REALTOR because I was meant to become one...and even though I worked in other industries (food & beverage, tourism, hospitality, retail, automotive and technology) from the time I was 16, I finally realized my destiny and became a REALTOR at the ripe old age of 28! :)
My very first aspiration in life was to become a hula dancer...then later, I wanted to be a ballerina. When I was old enough to seriously think about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never had an answer that stuck until I was 24 years old and applied with United Airlines to become a flight attendant. However, after flying to Chicago for a final interview and receiving an offer of employment from United, my new boyfriend Bob decided the time to propose was now or never. So you can guess what happened next, right? I married Bob...and ditched United Airlines.
My very first real estate transaction was buying a waterfront lot when I was 26 years old. Bob and I were looking to buy a house the following year (to live in while we built a home on the lot) and I got so involved obsessed during the entire homebuying process, that I decided I really wanted to pursue a career as a real estate agent! Once I made this decision, it took me less than 3.5 months to get my real estate license and I started out doing real estate part-time on weekends. After my first 2 real estate transactions, I decided to quit my full-time job and dedicate my days, nights and weekends being a full-time REALTOR!
I've been a REALTOR for 12 years now and I'm still happy doing what I do...it was my destiny, remember? El Maktoob! Even though the real estate market has changed drastically since 1999, we have also evolved in the way we do business. Once upon a time, I was helping everyone buy and sell their homes (usually more than one) and now, the properties we obtain for our investor clients are mostly foreclosures. Although we sometimes have to deal with theft, vandalism, squatters and evictions, I wouldn't trade what I do for anything and it's rewarding to know that what we do makes a difference in the world our community. I LOVE transforming once-abandoned houses into beautiful homes again...to be lived in and loved by their new occupants, whether they are owners or renters. Here's an example of one of our latest home transformations in Loomis, CA:
BEFORE (Kitchen & Bathroom)
DURING (Removed wall between kitchen & living room, added a second sink in bathroom)
AFTER (No more oak kitchen! Bye-bye blue bathroom!)
BOB & LEILANI SOUZA
Real Estate Investment Specialists
Southwest Placer County, CA
Bob Souza - 925.513.3400 - bob@souzarealty.com
Leilani Souza - 916.408.5500 - leilani@souzarealty.com
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