BBW Member interview with: Caroline Staudt, Realtor

Caroline Staudt, Realtor

Less than a year.

I grew up in New York (just outside of the City) but knew that I wanted a smaller city. Boston is the perfect size for me and provides me with the arts, restaurants, and nearby outdoor activities that I crave. And the pace is perfect. Faster than some truly small cities. Slower than New York.

I am a realtor focusing on the north and west suburbs as well as Boston proper. I started my career as a corporate attorney but quickly realized that I was no fulfilled in large part because I was not actually working directly with people and impacting their lives directly (most of my clients were banks and large corporations). I transitioned to real estate in 2014 and have not looked back since. I love that I get the chance to be such a big part of a major life event for my clients. I strive to be an advisor through the transaction and beyond. And I happen to really love houses!

I've received two compliments that stand out above the rest. The first is that I do not give cliched advice. I really pride myself on getting to know my clients and on understanding that each person's real estate and personal goals are not the same. So my job should not be the same for each client. I work with my clients as individuals and provide full-service counsel to every one of them. The second is that while many realtors ``know their stuff,`` I make the process fun. Buying and selling a house can be really stressful. It can also be really fun. I try to take as much of the stress off of my client's shoulders as I can so that they can enjoy the process.

Take time for yourself.

Matilda. I loved it as a kid and just reread it with my kids. It's hysterical and a little bit horrifying.

Exercise. I have been a competitive runner since I was 16 and started doing CrossFit a year ago. My exercise time is my me time and I need it. It makes me a better person in every aspect of my life.

Explore your passions. Sometimes I do things because I feel like I should. Going to law school for instance. I was smart and didn't want to get a PhD or be a doctor so law school seemed like the obvious choice. I don't regret law school but I sometimes wonder where I would have ended up if I had taken a different route. Perhaps I would have found real estate sooner or perhaps I'd be bartending in Belize.

I get anxious every time I have to renew my passport and have it out of my possession for a couple of weeks. I have family living abroad and love to travel the world. Without my passport I feel like suddenly I'm cut off from the world. But once that new passport comes back, I get excited to fill the pages with new stamps!