Feature Article

REALTOR® DEDICATES SUCCESS TO WIFE

Written By: Dan Leahul
Published By: Calgary Real Estate News
Article Used with permission of the Calgary Real Estate Board. © Copyright Calgary Real Estate News, 2007
2008-06-19

Bill Hood has many people to thank for a long, rewarding career in real estate, but none more than his lovely wife Noriene, who was a constant beacon of support throughout his 35-year career.

“If it wasn’t for her help and support, I wouldn’t be sitting here today,” said Hood.

Hood is a REALTOR® with Century 21 The Professionals Ltd., and recently accepted a milestone long service award from the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®) last October, exactly 35 years after he got his start with Britannia Realty of Canada.

After attending a real estate seminar, in which the autumn of 1972 seemed like a “get rich quick scheme” to some, Hood was a mere accountant with a peculiar interest in real estate.

After the seminar, as he was preparing to leave, Hood was approached by a REALTOR® who asked if he would like to work for Britannia Realty.

Hood accepted immediately, and it was the beginning of a successful career as a REALTOR® in Calgary’s roller-coaster world of real estate.

Those first few months proved to be just that, a roller-coaster.

Hood admits he “didn’t know a thing,” before stepping into the industry and fondly recalls his first client helping find his first home sale by pulling out a map and placing it on the hood of the car.

“It was a completely different environment. The biggest adjustment I had to make was getting by on pay cheques that were no longer coming every two weeks,” he said.

Luckily, his wife was working full-time, and helped the Hood household get by until he had his feet wet.

“Those first six months were tough, but I had my wife by my side,” he said. “If it wasn’t for her I would still probably be an accountant.”

But in that new environment he soon began to thrive, no longer on the same level with those who punched in at nine and punched out at five, Hood credits a knack for time management as another reason for his success.

“Time management is very important,” he said. “There was always an old REALTOR® who would say ‘If you want to waste two hours, go to the office for five minutes,’ and it’s true. You can’t waste your time as a REALTOR®.”

It was a quick learning curve, he added, where you have to learn fast or find yourself leaving fast. But in that frantic pace, Hood quickly found his niche — helping first time buyers follow their dreams in putting the final touches on their first home.

“It is very rewarding, working with first time buyers,” he said. “They are so happy when you help them find a home; that happiness and that joy, it rubs off on you. It’s like winning the Stanley Cup — you feel good.”

Since 1972, Hood has had his hand in some of the most important chapters of Calgary real estate including the opening of the first RE/MAX Real Estate office in Alberta, which introduced the idea of 100% commission for REALTORS®.

But now 35 years later Hood finds himself again adjusting to different industry trends, namely the role technology has played and will play in the home buying process.

“Technology is becoming more and more important. A client can have their house picked out without having to talk to a REALTOR®, just by using the Internet,” he said. “But I personally believe a REALTOR® is always going to be indispensable. We bring the two parties together — there needs to be that middle ground.”

In his off time Hood can usually be found visiting and caring for his horses, who are boarding on a farm near Cochrane. He also looks after his two grandsons, aged 12 and 14, three days a week.

“My one grandson tells me he wants to follow my footsteps in real estate because he doesn’t think I ever have to go to work,” laughed Hood.

As for advice for any newcomers to the industry, Hood puts it simply: Don’t waste any time.

“You need to find a good broker, and a good lawyer. But in the end time management is the most important thing,” he said.

“With that said, you also need to be able to take time off. People work too much because they can, and those are the people who probably aren’t going to be around for the next 35 years.”

This article was written for Calgary Real Estate News, a division of the Calgary Real Estate Board, for the series “Legends of Real Estate” showcasing important members of the Calgary Real Estate Board. Please visit the Calgary Real Estate Board online.This article is part of the collection of the Calgary Real Estate News. Please visit them online.