Today we’d like to introduce you to Vetoya Smith.
Hi Vetoya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Coming from a family who has always owned land and properties, I have wanted to be a part of real estate since I was 19 years old. I went to high school in Maryland and the day after graduation, I moved to Columbia, South Carolina. I didn’t think it was possible to get into real estate at the time because I was a new mother and didn’t have the finances to pay out of pocket for school. I decided to play it safe and get into the medical field. I went to school and became a Certified Medical Assistant.
Personal failure after personal failure led me to get tired of the life I was living and in 2019, I decided to move back to Maryland and start living the life I knew I was supposed to be living. I returned with three kids instead of one, and it was HARD. The cost of living was high, and the pay for Medical Assistants was low, but I was determined. I started an online real estate course for Virginia in 2020, got my license for Virginia in July of 2020, got my license for Maryland in October of 2020, and my DC license in March of 2021.
I have become a Notary Public for the state of Maryland, a Short Sale/Foreclosure Expert, Certified Real Estate Trainer for the state of Virginia. I also have a Property Management company called Comprehensive Property Solutions.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I failed my Virginia exam twice before I finally passed, Eviction notices, past due bills and not being able to keep up with my real estate dues. Loss of lifelong friendships. I had to move twice since I’ve been back to Maryland. Doubting myself and the decisions I made and wanting to go back to South Carolina.
People in real estate gatekeeping and trying to take advantage of my lack of knowledge of the field. Working both in healthcare and real estate at the same time as being a single mother was exhausting.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am in real estate, I specialize in bank-owned properties as well as short sales and foreclosures. I also have a property management business that I run.
What sets me apart from others is my level of customer service. I treat my clients the same way I treat anyone close to me. I make sure they are taken care of to the best of my ability and let them know the pros and cons of every decision they make throughout the process.
Although I do enjoy making money with this, I do it because I care and the money is just a bonus.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Dedication (hard work and patience). The moments of self-doubt, discouraging situations, and people telling you that you won’t be successful, all of those things, and more can make you want to quit.
But if you know that if you were to stop doing whatever your dream is that you would be miserable or wondering “What if?”, you have to keep going.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/vees_keys
Image Credits
Jackie Armstrong and Alexis Clanton
