My eyes popped open and the room was still dark. I decided to finally give up on trying to sleep.  Last night was a bit of a struggle – couldn’t stop thinking about the day ahead, so I ended up tossing and turning.

It was 5:04 am.

Eeeeekkkkkk! Just five hours left, and I was so scared. Fear tried to creep in, but I remembered my conversation with Ashley. 

Today was my first listing appointment, and nervousness doesn’t begin to capture the intensity of my feelings. Deb, a delightful older lady, entered my life when I impulsively ordered a “For Sale” sign. At the time, I questioned whether it was an act of faith or sheer stupidity. Now, I attribute it to a prompting from the Holy Spirit. Despite having no listing leads and putting an additional $135 on my already maxed-out credit card, an inner voice urged me to be ready.

Picture my astonishment when, picking up the sign, the elderly lady at the store shared her number, expressing an interest in selling her house.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t say all the right stuff, but she was so sweet that she gave me a shot anyway. My excitement bubbled over; I even hugged her and enthusiastically thanked her for the opportunity as we confirmed the appointment.

However, the initial thrill gave way to panic as the reality set in—I had a mere 48 hours to prepare for this appointment, and I was in full-on freak-out mode.

I grappled with uncertainty about what to say, how to run comparables (comps), and forgot crucial details like her outstanding mortgage or potential co-decision-makers on the deed. To make matters worse, I didn’t have  a listing presentation.

From initial excitement at Deb’s willingness to give me a chance, I spiraled into a full-blown panic attack at the thought of being unprepared.

Just as I was contemplating calling Deb to cancel, a lifeline appeared. Ashley, my newfound friend and fellow realtor from our brokerage orientation, rang to check on me. We had become fast friends, meeting regularly for different  training sessions or to explore new construction homes. She had even been there yesterday when I met Deb.

“Are you ready for your big day tomorrow?” she asked.

“Ready.” The word alone threatened to bring me to tears.

I poured out all my emotions and fears to Ashley, berating myself for impulsively buying the sign and setting a listing appointment when I knew I wasn’t ready. After I had bared my soul and questioned my life choices, she calmly asked, “Are you done?”

Sheepishly, I responded, “Yes.”

“Okay, good. Meet me at Starbucks so we can get ready for this appointment.”

Ashley and I never actually made it to Starbucks that day, and it turned out we didn’t need to. Just her response and faith that I could get it done was the spark that ignited my determination to secure that listing. She and I talked and she assured me that I would do fine, helped me source a presentation that I could tweak but most importantly, she spoke life into me. 

“You got this, sis. You will be great!” She had more faith in the outcome than I did and her faith gave me strength. 

It’s a bit like the story in the Bible when the paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by his friends. What resonates with me is when Jesus sins forgiven and healing because of their faith of his friends.

You know what this showed me? How crucial it is to have awesome friends by your side, and that’s exactly why we’re super passionate about the Real Estate Bestie community. When things get a bit uncertain, having someone who genuinely believes in you can be a game-changer. Whether it’s dealing with real estate hurdles or just the ups and downs of life, having a supportive community around can give you that boost of encouragement and confidence to turn challenges into opportunities. Having friends that stand in the gap for you makes all the difference!

Who is a gap stander for you? Drop a comment and tell me.

And if you don’t have one yet, pray and ask God to connect you with someone and ask him to show who you need to  stand in the gap for as well. 

Your Real Estate Bestie,