Widow Real Estate Specialist℠

I've been in real estate for a long time and like most Realtors® my lifestyle dictated who my clients were. Neighbors, friends, family and my husband's colleagues made up the majority of my business. When I became a widow myself, I realized that nobody was serving our community specifically.

After getting my real estate license in Texas, I interviewed firms to see who would support my vision of working 100% with widows. This isn't an easy demographic because we don't connect in the same way that neighbors, friends or family connects. But with the support of my company, @properties | Christie's International Real Estate I moved forward in creating a program that addresses the unique needs of widows.

There are legal and tax nuances that just don't exist with the typical residential sale. It is important to me that any Realtor® working with a widow is knowledgable about these things so that there aren't unnecessary surprises along the way. In addition to knowing the business of widowhood, I believe it is important that anyone working with a woman in our community, has an extraordinary level of empathy. Real estate can be a demanding and ruthless business sometimes and having someone who can negotiate the best deal possible is important.

Just as important is being able to read your emotional state and respond well. We all know it is uncomfortable being a widow or talking about loss. I dealt with a number of Realtors® who ignored any mention of my husband. By the time I finished selling my primary home I was exhausted from the emotional toll it took to get through the process with people who glossed over why I was selling to begin with. You may not want to talk about your spouse or have strangers acknowledge what you are going through. If that's the case, your Realtor® will need to understand your desire.

We can't necessarily teach empathy, but we can certainly make real estate professionals aware that how they interact with you at this time matters. We can make sure they understand that if they are uncomfortable with your loss, they should not represent you. We need them to be uncompromising in protecting your sale, as well as your state of mind.