Christine Barrows Joins CENTURY 21 Signature Real Estate

My name is Christine Barrows originally from the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, also known as wine country, growing up it was all farms but the past 20 years the farms have been sold off and bought and made into wineries.  It’s a beautiful area.

Tell me about your family.
I have been married for 33 years and have four adult children and 4 grandchildren.  Two of my daughters live in NY as well as all of my grandchildren.  My other daughter lives in Knoxville TN and my son is in Nashville, TN.  My 2nd daughter and son-in law are entrepreneurs and have multiple businesses in the Finger Lakes area.  My son is a singer/songwriter in Nashville, just trying to get his career moving along with his girlfriend who is also a singer songwriter, They have formed a duo called The Southern Tiers.

Hobbies:
My hobbies include crafting and re-purposing or refinishing furniture or other items I find of interest.  I also attempt to garden mostly perennials because they don’t die easily.  It’s therapeutic! 🙂 One of my favorite things to do is go to estate sales because I love to see the houses.  I also love to go exploring and seeing new things or just enjoy seeing different areas and towns.  I enjoy trying out new restaurants and coffee shops.

What did you do before being a Realtor?
For 31 years I worked in the field of Early Childhood Education.  I tried my hand at being an administrative secretary for a Mental Health Services office since this past January.  I loved the people but couldn’t take the confinement of an office all day long.

Why did you choose to be a Century 21® agent?/ Tell me about the coaching and training you’ve received here at C21®.
I’ve always wanted to be a realtor but it wasn’t ever a good time to with raising an active family.  Chris Chiaramonte was our realtor when we moved to Urbandale last Fall.  Being unhappy with my job I asked him to meet with my husband and I to talk about getting into real estate.  He didn’t scare me off so he set up a time for me to meet with Dylan and Joe.  I knew Century 21® was where I was supposed to be.

What do you like about the culture here at C21®? / Tell me about the coaching and training you’ve received here at C21®.
I love the culture here. Everyone has been so helpful, encouraging and kind.  The coaching and training have been wonderful.  I’m grateful for all of the tools we use here to keep us up to date, organized and efficient.  I’m still pretty new at all of this so as far as the tools go, I haven’t been introduced to one that I can’t imagine not using.

What do you like about the team meetings/C21® Connect/round table?
I love the fact that Joe and Dylan see the importance of team building. I’m a team person so this fits me well.  I understand the concept and tried to incorporate some of that with my staff in my last job before moving here.  I like that we do have team meetings, Connect 21 and round table as it keeps people engaged in their jobs, in relationships with each other, and always growing professionally as well as personally.

What is your favorite neighborhood?
I don’t have a favorite neighborhood yet.  I’m still exploring the areas.

Advice for new agents:
To persevere in what it is you are aiming for and to push through the hard times.

Why are you passionate about being a REALTOR®?
I am passionate about being a realtor for the fact that I can help others find the home of their desires.  I love people of all ages and hope to be able to educate people about home buying and selling and hopefully make a change in people’s pre-conceived ideas of what a realtor does. I enjoy learning new things and sharing what I learn.  I know this will be an ever learning job. I have always loved houses too.  I love the freedom of working in different settings, freedom of movement, freedom of hours.  It all just fits me.