A page from my diary…
This year has been a tough one—not just in real estate but in so many areas of life. It’s been full of highs and lows, and honestly, it hasn’t been easy for anyone. Between the chaos of an election year, economic changes, and rising costs, it feels like the gap between what we earn and what we need just keeps growing. The struggle has been real, whether it’s been in our work lives or personal lives. If you’ve been through it this year, I just want you to know—you’re not alone.
The hard times don’t define us, though. It’s how we push through them that really matters. While I’m looking forward to brighter days ahead, I think it’s worth reflecting on the tough ones. They make the good ones shine that much brighter.
This year has been a mix of incredible highs and some really tough lows. One of the hardest things I had to do was make the decision to downsize Love & Co. and go back to being a solo agent. Some of my team members were offered amazing opportunities in corporate America—opportunities I just couldn’t provide as a small business owner. As much as it hurt to let them go, I loved them enough to support their decisions.
It stung for a while (honestly, longer than I’d like to admit), but it also gave me the chance to refocus on what I love most: working directly with my clients and friends, one-on-one. For years, I’ve poured so much into growing Love & Co., and while I’m proud of what I built, it came at a cost. I missed out on time with my family, friends, and clients—the people who matter most to me.
One of my favorite things about this job is the relationships I’ve built. I’m not just your real estate agent—I’ve become friends with so many of you. I’ve celebrated your kids’ birthdays, attended your promotions, and shared life’s highs and lows. And when people introduce me, it’s rarely as “Rachel, my real estate agent.” It’s usually, “Rachel, my friend who also helped me find my house.” That means the world to me.
But I’ll be real—somewhere along the way, I felt like I lost a little bit of that connection. And it hurt. After weeks of crying and reflecting, I realized I had two options: start rebuilding the team from scratch or take a step back and reconnect with what matters most. I chose to pause and reconnect—with myself, my clients, and even some of Love & Co.’s OG team members.
Which brings me to some good news: Anna is back! If you’ve been with Love & Co. for a while, you probably remember Anna from the early days. She left to pursue nursing school, but life threw her a curveball. Now she’s embracing mom life and is back with us as a contractor, handling our social media. (Let’s be real—I can’t do it all, no matter how much I try!)
I’ve also taken on transaction coordinating, and I’m loving it—unpopular opinion, I know! But it’s been so nice to bring some of that personal touch back into the home-buying and selling process.
For a quick backstory: my family immigrated from Cuba in 1996 when I was just 10 months old. Recently, my dad said something that hit me right in the feels: “1997 was one of the hardest years of my life, but it was also one of the most beautiful and encouraging.”
Hearing that from my now 60-year-old dad brought me to tears. And while our experiences are very different, I get it. 2024 has been one of the hardest years personally and professionally that I’ve ever endured, but dare I say, it’s been one of the most satisfying, raw and beautiful ones?
Real estate has taken a lot from me. I’ve been licensed and actually selling since I was 19. When you jump into the workforce at such a young age, you sacrifice opportunities that you would have had otherwise. Real estate took away some of my early 20s, my chance to be a little reckless, and some of the freedom that comes with youth. But it’s also given me so much. It’s brought me lifelong friends, a community I love here in North Carolina, an incredible team, a wealth of knowledge (how many 19 year olds these day can balance a checkbook but also walk you through the process of buying a house?) and the ability to support not just my family but others as well. It’s taught me resilience, grit, and so much more.
I started 2024 with some resentment toward my career & what I felt like I had lost, but I’m ending it with a renewed love for what I do.
As we head into 2025, my hope is that I’ll still be introduced as your friend, your neighbor, and then your real estate agent. I hope that I’m still invited to the birthday parties, girls nights or you simply send me a meme. I want to be there for you—not just for the big financial decisions but also for the days when life gets hard and you need someone to cry with. I am so excited to navigate this New Year with you all by my side.
Thank you for being part of the Love & Co. family. Let’s keep growing together.
