The Early Days of the Glentzers

It’s no secret that John and I have been in real estate for an impressive, combined 20 years. We started in this industry together, we’ve worked together and we’ve grown together, but at one time we were both brand new to this gig. Lately we’ve been reminiscing over the past decade and looking back on the early days of the Glentzers.

A lot has changed - my hair style being one of these things as you’ll see in the photos. Though the one thing that hasn’t changed over the years, is our brokerage - Watson Realty ERA. Hair styles, real estate laws and the market as a whole has ebbed and flowed, but Watson has been our constant.

It All Started On The Brink Of Becoming Empty Nesters

Before we became real estate agents and found a home at Watson, I was a stay at home mom and John was in sales. So what caused two Bakersfieldians to completely change their career paths?

It all started on the brink of becoming empty nesters. Our daughter, Dustin, was soon to graduate high school and go on to college. I had been a stay at home mom with the occasional part time job that allowed me the freedom to raise our daughter, spend quality time with her and our family, while John worked full time.

As a family we prepared for Dustin to move on to the next chapter of her life. While she selected a college, I began to consider what life would look like with more free time on my hands. I knew I wanted a full time career and my hands were itching to be busy, but I didn’t want to lose the freedom of spending quality time with my family and community.

As I considered my options, I knew one thing for certain that whatever I did, it had to be relational. Bakersfield has been our home, our roots and where we raised our family. This community means a lot to me, and I wanted to find my place in it during this next season.

If you’ve met me, then you know I’m a people person. It was important to me that I pursued a career that would allow me to connect with people, help them with problem solving and be a part of a season of their life.

I began to explore real estate. It had really never crossed my mind to pursue this industry, but the more I thought about the flexible schedule, the sense of entrepreneurial spirit and the relational aspect of work, the more that real estate seemed like the perfect fit.

In 2007 I officially became a licensed REALTOR. This differs from a real estate agent because it requires further education and as a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, I subscribe to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. You could say I jumped in with both feet!

John’s industry began to change dramatically and he began to pursue real estate as well while I was going through the process. Just six months after I became an agent, John also became licensed as well and followed me in pursuing an industry change that would give us both flexible schedules. It was one of the best decisions we ever made.

Finding A Home At Watson Realty ERA

It wasn’t long before John and I began to interview brokers. It was incredibly important to both of us that we found an inviting, supportive and family feel. From the very first meeting, Watson Realty ERA was a perfect fit. We loved the welcoming, good energy we felt and the incredibly supportive staff and training that was offered.

As new agents, we pursued a lot of training and opportunities to learn more about the industry. Watson was really great about teaching us and making sure we felt comfortable stepping out into this new career adventure.

We’ve also always appreciated that Watson Realty ERA isn’t a huge, national brokerage. They’re local, they care about the community and that lined up with our values.

One of the things we especially appreciated, and immediately noticed, about Watson was the camaraderie between real estate agents. There was never any competition or hard feelings. Everyone knew that there was more than enough business to go around, and supporting one another would benefit everyone in a familial way. It still has those feelings.

I’ll never forget one particular seasoned real estate agent, Karen, who took me under her wing when I was just embarking in my career. Everything was so new and intimidating, as any big life change can be, and she really took the time to guide and mentor me. She was one of the real estate agents I looked up to and wanted to emulate. I loved her energy, can-do attitude and how she supported her clients. I learned a lot from her.

I remember walking the halls of Watson and seeing all of the awards and photos on the walls. I remember seeing Karen’s photo on the wall and thinking that I wanted to be up there one day, and now we are.

Over the years the roles have reversed and now we are the mentors on occasion. We’re grateful to have the opportunity to guide and support young agents as they start their own career.

A Love For Real Estate & Community

Both John and I fell in love with being real estate agents, though we think that’s a bit obvious seeing as we’ve been doing it for so many years!

More than anything, we love the people we meet daily. We enjoy learning about their kids, pets, hobbies and traditions. We value the opportunity to represent and help them, and the privilege to see a glimpse into their life and walk with them for a little while.

Friends that are also clients, Kym & Jeff Showers

Many people believe that the real estate industry is sales, but they would be wrong. The real estate industry is completely based on relationship. “Locate and negotiate,” is something we like to say, and it’s really the basis of what we do as agents. Our job is to know your needs, desires, hopes and hard line items so that we can locate the right home that fits your needs and then negotiate for you.

It’s rewarding to find the right home, see it close and hand the keys over to the buyer. It’s rewarding because we got to know someone, their family and be a part of a season of their life. It’s a process we never get tired of.

Real estate is often the largest purchase of one’s life, so it’s important to partner with an agent that respects your needs and doesn’t push you into something you don’t want. We’ve found that patience and kindness serve the best interest of our clients.

From a larger community standpoint, we’ve always had a heart for the homeless in Bakersfield, but since becoming real estate agents this area of our hearts has enlarged. Everyone deserves to have a home that is safe and constant - especially when raising a family.

In an effort to support housing for homeless individuals and families, over the years we’ve taken to supporting local shelters such as the Bakersfield Homeless Center, The Mission at Kern County and Kern Alliance.

Partnering with these local non profit organizations has allowed us to get to know Bakersfield in a deeper way, and in a small way, help even more families find safe housing.

Conclusion

It’s been a wild ride over the past decade, and we can honestly say we love what we do. John and I are so glad we took the leap and pursued a career that fulfills our individual, family and community passions.

Here’s some recent photos we took on a family vacation this past summer. Our daughter, Dustin, has since graduated from college and began her own career, while we have continued to grow in ours.