“I Did NOT Want to Get Into Real Estate”: A Story of Reluctant Beginnings, Brutal Lessons & a Fun Career
Let’s get one thing straight:
I did NOT want to get into real estate.
In fact, I wanted nothing to do with it.
It was 1996. I had just left my medical supply job in Tulsa and moved back to Oklahoma City at the age of 26… straight into my parents' house. Yep—full-blown failure to launch. I was living in my childhood bedroom surrounded by my VHS collection and outdated KISS & BMX posters, wondering what went wrong.
While I was on the hunt for another pharmaceutical gig, my dad—David Poindexter, a top-producing Realtor and local real estate legend—asked me to temporarily help him with signs, flyers, door hangers, and other real estate chores. The kind of work that makes you question every decision you’ve ever made.
I reluctantly agreed and made it very clear:
“Dad, I’ll help you out—but I am NOT doing real estate for a living.”
Spoiler alert: Famous last words.
$600 and a Dose of Humility
Somewhere between door knocking and watching my dad close deals like a real estate ninja, something clicked. I got licensed, still dragging my heels a bit, and made a whopping $600 my first year. That’s right—six hundred bucks. Not six figures. Not even close.
Thank God I had savings from my previous job because real estate is BRUTAL in the beginning. There’s no clock-in, no steady paycheck, no boss making sure you’re working. You have to be your own engine. If you’re not a self-starter? You won’t last 90 days.
My dad always said, “Things won’t change until you decide to change them. Create opportunity—don’t wait for it.” I took that to heart. Eventually, I decided to treat real estate like a real job. Not a “whenever it’s convenient” hustle.
I made 100 cold calls a day for three years.
Walked neighborhoods every Saturday.
Hung door knockers for open houses every Sunday—and then hosted those open houses the next day.
Every. Single. Weekend. For years.
Was it glamorous? No.
Did I want to cry into a brochure some days? Absolutely.
But it worked.
The Grind Before the Glory
Here’s the part people don’t talk about.
Yes, real estate can be fun and rewarding.
Yes, it can lead to incredible relationships, exciting listings, and a great life.
But the road to that life? It’s paved with rejection, long hours, flaky buyers, impossible appraisals, missed holidays, and more coffee than any doctor would recommend.
Most of the homes I sold that first year were priced between $35,000 and $80,000.
You think I started with luxury listings? I couldn’t even spell “luxury” back then.
People see Realtors on Instagram closing million-dollar deals with big smiles and champagne in hand. What they don’t see is the 12-hour day, the clients who ghosted, the contract that fell apart at 11 p.m., or the 87th showing where someone said, “We’re just browsing.”
Real estate isn’t part-time.
It’s 24/7, and even then it’s not enough.
It’s Not About the Commission Check (Even Though Those Are Nice Too)
One of the biggest misconceptions about real estate?
That it’s all about the commission check. Trust me, if that’s your motivation—you won’t last long. You have to put your clients' needs first. Always. The commission is simply the reward at the very end of a long journey, if everything goes right… and spoiler: it often doesn’t.
I’ve worked my tail off on hundreds of deals—months of late-night calls, back-and-forth negotiations, showings in 107-degree heat, inspections that uncovered everything but a buried treasure chest—and then poof, the deal blows up two days before closing.
Financing falls through.
Buyers get cold feet.
Someone’s “uncle who flips houses” suddenly becomes the world’s top expert and talks them out of it.
One time, a buyer backed out because of a neighbor’s wind chimes. Wind. Chimes.
That’s real estate.
It will punch you in the gut when you least expect it. And then ask if you brought the appraisal addendum.
But here’s the truth: if you do it for the right reasons—to serve people, protect their investment, and help them make one of the biggest decisions of their lives—then those deals that don’t close won’t break you. They’ll just build you.
Yes, commission checks are great. But integrity lasts longer than a payday. And when you do enough of the right things for the right reasons, the rewards come—sometimes in ways that have nothing to do with money.
The Agency: The Best Decision I Ever Made
Fast forward a couple decades—and hundreds of transactions—and I can honestly say that joining The Agency as a Managing Partner has been the single best decision I’ve made in my entire real estate career.
Why?
Because The Agency isn’t just a brokerage. It’s a global brand built on quality over quantity. We’re selective for a reason. Our focus isn’t on how many agents we can cram into an office—it’s about building a culture of professionalism, collaboration, and integrity.
From LA to London to Oklahoma, The Agency offers:
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Global reach with local expertise
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World-class marketing and PR
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Top-tier agent support and branding
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A network of professionals who truly support one another
If I had joined The Agency sooner, I can only imagine where I'd be. But I’m here now—and I’m proud of it.
A Thank You That’s Long Overdue
To my dad, David Poindexter—thank you.
You taught me everything I know about real estate, work ethic, and character.
You didn’t just show me how to sell homes—you showed me how to build a life.
I miss you every single day, but your wisdom still guides every decision I make. I’m forever grateful for the parents I had and the example you set. If I’m doing it right today, it’s because of you.
Final Thoughts: Real Estate Is Not For the Faint of Heart—But It's Worth It
So to anyone thinking about getting into real estate:
Don’t.
(Just kidding… sort of.)
Just know this: it will take more out of you than you think—but if you give it everything you’ve got, it will give back more than you imagined.
You have to show up before the clients do.
You have to hustle before the paychecks come.
And you have to believe in yourself long before anyone else does.
It’s not easy. But it’s absolutely worth it.
Wyatt Poindexter
Managing Partner | The Agency Oklahoma
405-417-5466 | www.OKLuxuryHomes.com
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