Houston Real Estate & Relocation Bring People Together

I have often said that the most rewarding aspect of working in Houston real estate and relocation is meeting new people and the relationships that you make along the way.   My career has certainly been the catalyst for some of the most important relationships and friendships in my life.  For starters, I met my husband nearly 25 years ago on my very first day in my very first real estate job.  As luck would have it, the same real estate office (or “scene of the crime,” as we now call it), was the venue where we first acknowledged to each other that we would be getting married.  Sorry to go all sappy on you, but I don’t know how else to begin a blog post dedicated to the relationships that result from this crazy business of ours.

The second level to this has to do with the many friendships that I have made within the real estate and relocation industry.  I can honestly say that I probably never would have met some of my closest friends had it not been for my career.   For instance, I have cultivated friendships with:

• Transferees who I have assisted in relocating to and from Houston
• Relocation Directors who I have met through our membership in Leading Real Estate Companies of the World
• Employees of relocation companies
• Human Resource professionals
• Household goods mover and move managers
• Corporate housing providers
• Destination services providers
• Management and agents within my company
• And many more…

The fact of the matter is, people like doing business with their friends, and luckily for me, many of my business associates have become my friends, and my friends enjoy doing business with me.

This year in particular seems to have really brought some wonderful new relationships into my life, while solidifying many of my existing relationships.  I have been fortunate enough to align myself with several like-minded relocation service professionals, and have developed some very valuable strategic partnerships.  The synergy from all of this continues to grow and grow.  One can never be quite sure from where the next important relationship will come.  As a perfect example, I would like to leave you with one more story of how this business brings people together. 

Back in August, I posted a blog entitled: “Remembering Betty James – A Houston Real Estate Legend,” in memory of my good friend and mentor Betty James.  Betty was a very special person in my life.  In fact, Betty was the reason that I first got into real estate.  Thus, it was her office where I began my career, and yes, it was her office where I met my husband. 

So, 4 months after my blog post, Betty brought another person into my life.  Her name is Tricia Pohl.  Apparently Tricia and her husband had also had a long history with Betty…first as their agent, and soon and forever as their friend.  Unfortunately, they had not learned of Betty’s passing until 2 days ago, when Tricia sent me the following email, which I am reprinting with her permission:

Dear Michelle,

You don’t know me, but I wanted you to know how touched my husband and I were to find the blog you wrote regarding Betty James’ passing in August.  Sadly, we moved to Washington state in late 2007 and did not know she had died.  Funny, though – typical Betty – she’d sent me her newest address in the Four Leaf Tower earlier that year asking me to be sure and keep our Christmas family newsletter coming to her!  And, that is exactly what we were doing last evening – updating our mailing list to send out this year’s cards.  Morbidly, my husband wondered aloud if Betty were still alive.  I looked in the Chronicle but could not pull up an actual obituary, and then I saw your missive among the other “Googlings.”  It was so lovely and sounded so like Betty – what an incredible break for you to begin your successful career path and find your husband all through Betty and Alan James.  They were like proverbial fairy godparents for you! 

I’m sure you’re wondering how we knew Betty and so I will tell.  Stephen and I were to be married at St. Michael’s on March 8th of 1986.  We each owned one-bedroom condominiums at the time (Ugh! – YES – we eventually sold them after years of renting them out!) and needed something larger.  Betty found us a wonderful 3-bedroom townhouse on Augusta at The Arbor.   

So, 8 years pass and we decided we needed something larger as we were still hoping to start a family.  Betty comes along and helps us find a lovely home on Marlowe in West University.  It was our dream home – and we moved on my March birthday in 1993 and shortly after July the 4th, we discovered we were finally pregnant with our precious daughter (who is now 15 1/2 and learning to drive – my, how time flies!)  Betty was so lovely, gifting us with a lovely silver-plate tray that I still use and think of her each time I pull it out.   My husband, Stephen, always said that Betty reminded him of a little bird – so full of energy and always on the go – hopping here and there. 

The last time we went out with Betty, who’d become a friend (I bet she did with all her clients!) was after Alan had passed away and we went to the opening of the (then) brand new Museum of Fine Arts building with her.  We will never forget how she’d complain about living beneath the Houston Symphony maestro, Christoph Eschenbach, and how noisy he was late into the night playing his piano.   She’d say that she’d tell him, “Dahling, it is simply too late for you to be tickling your ivories!”

Anyway, Betty was a true Southern lady, a doll, and just a wonderful person.  It saddened us to learn that she’d suffered with cancer for 9 years – I’m sure she never let on to anyone, either, as to her pain.  So, it was bittersweet to read your blog, but it was a nice (uncold) way to learn of her passing.  I’m sure she and Alan are up in Heaven now kicking up their heels, with him designing the best cloud buildings and she selling them to the other angels.

So, 23 years have passed since we first met and became enchanted by Betty James, and we thank you for the lovely send-off you gave her.  It helped us absorb the fact that she no longer walks among us this holiday season.  I’m sure you never dreamed that your blog would reach a family so far away and soften the blow of this news.  But, it did and we thank you and the Internet.

Sincerely,

Patricia S. Pohl  (a 4th generation Houstonian, UH – Journalism grad, and recent Inland Northwest transplant!)

I think that I was as equally touched by Trisha’s story and memories of Betty as she was with mine.  How great for Betty to bring people together both in life as well as in death.  I can think of no greater way to exemplify the wonderful way in which working in real estate and relocation can bring people together.  Tricia and I have exchanged several emails over the past couple of days, and I know that Betty would be pleased to know that she is still bringing people together.

Do you have special relationships and stories that you would like to share?  Please feel free to comment.

Tagged as: Houston Real Estate, Houston Relocation, Houston Relocation Blog