An IG DM, a Long Drive, and the Start of Something New
Why I Started This Blog
Because sometimes a single message can spark a whole new idea.
It started with an Instagram DM from a friend.
"Basically what I was wondering is when you go look at a house and you meet with the selling agent, is it rude to say we are going to contact a buying agent to represent us? I had heard that you always want an agent to represent you. That’s not representing the seller because the agent representing the seller is gonna work in their best interest and not yours, so I just didn’t know how that conversation goes when you go and look at houses if you didn’t have an agent yet."
I replied:
"Right, that’s correct. The listing agent’s job is to protect the seller’s interests, so it’s always best to have your own buyer’s agent to represent you. If you don’t have one yet and you’re touring a home, you can just let the listing agent know you’re not represented yet but plan to work with your own agent. That way, they know where you stand and you still keep your options open."
He wrote back, “See that is really good advice, Molly. You need to do something like ‘Molly’s Buying and Selling Tips’ and post it. Get you a little more advertisement out there.”
The San Diego Moment
Where laundry, lattes, and lightbulb ideas meet.
That moment happened while I was in San Diego, staying at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa. My room overlooked a little pond with a fountain, the marine layer still hanging over the beach. I was toggling between emails, researching my next content idea, and building an open house flyer for Saturday.
The laundry was going — the kind you pay for through an app — and I laughed, realizing the last time I used a coin laundry was right around the time blogging first exploded online. My pool bag was packed, and my audiobook was queued up (Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell, June 2025 release, recommended by Spotify based on my past murder-mystery reads). Work mode, vacation backdrop — exactly the kind of space where ideas start to click.
Who Even Blogs Anymore?
Spoiler: apparently, me.
Back in the 1990s, blogging was basically an online diary. In 1994, Justin Hall made the first one. By 1997, Jorn Barger had coined “weblog.” By 1999, we’d shortened it to “blog,” and platforms like Blogger and LiveJournal were making it possible for anyone to publish without knowing a lick of code.
In the early 2000s, blogs blew up — food, travel, politics, tech, you name it. Then social media came along and stole some of the spotlight. But blogs never disappeared. They evolved into something more intentional — part personal story, part brand, part connection point.
The Long Drive Epiphany
Everything’s clearer somewhere around iced coffee number three.
I had an 8.5-hour drive ahead of me — the kind of road trip where you think through everything you’ve been putting on the mental back burner. Maybe I do need to just end that relationship that isn’t bad at all — lovely human — but isn’t great either. The next deal. The glutes session with the girls I missed that morning. My bidet. Somewhere between mile marker who-knows-what and my third iced coffee, it landed: Why the heck not?
My First Year in Real Estate
A rookie year that didn’t stay rookie for long.
Since joining the real estate industry in January 2024, getting licensed in April, and flying solo by May, my inbox and DMs have been full. I’ve received real estate humor memes, thoughtful questions (a lot about rentals — which, by the way, I don’t do), and so much encouragement from people saying, “Keep going!”
If you’re into numbers, here’s the snapshot so far:
• Hosted 25+ open houses
• Worked 9 deals — 6 as the selling agent and 3 as the buying agent
• Shown homes to 5 different buyers who decided it wasn’t the right time or I wasn’t the right fit (it happens)
Not every deal was one where I was the listing/buying agent — some were transactions I was part of while learning the ropes alongside my friend James, a licensed agent who helped me navigate those early days. Each one taught me something new about working through the unexpected, keeping clients calm during chaos, and keeping myself calm when things didn’t go as planned.
Real estate isn’t just the keys and the Just Sold posts — it’s also the unanswered texts, the weekends that turn into workdays, the buyers who ghost, and the deals that stall. But every single one of those experiences has added to my toolkit.
Why Writing Matters to Me
From “Dear Diary” to dear readers.
When I got sober nearly five years ago, I discovered writing in a whole new way. Who would’ve thought my “Dear Diary” entries as a kid were training me to empty my soul — on paper or on a laptop — as a 42-year-old woman? Writing became therapy. A way to process. A way to connect. A way to remember.
What This Blog Is
It’s homes, adventures, and everything in between.
This blog isn’t just about real estate — though you’ll definitely find buying and selling tips, behind-the-scenes stories, and maybe even a few “you can’t make this up” moments from the field. You’ll also see travel notes, food finds, coffee shop recommendations, playlists, and little slices of life that happen between the big events. Some posts might be practical. Some might be reflective. Some might just make you laugh. And that’s exactly the point.
Your Turn
Now it’s your move.
If you’ve got a question about buying or selling, an idea for a post, or just want to share a story of your own — send it my way. Head to the Contact Me page and drop me a note. I might just feature your question in a future post (don’t worry, I’ll keep you anonymous if you want).
So welcome. Grab a coffee, settle in, and let’s see where this goes.
