A funny, honest look at Kim Donahue’s busy Realtor life filled with coffee, fur babies, market data, clients, videos, and purpose.
A Day in My Life as a Realtor: Organized Chaos, Fur Babies, Market Data, and a Whole Lot of Coffee
By Kim Donahue | Real Estate Expert Advisor, Your Realtor with a Heart to Serve
Someone asked me the other day, “Kim, what does a normal day in your life actually look like?”
And I laughed.
Because the word “normal” and real estate do not exactly belong in the same sentence.
A day in my life is part strategy session, part comedy show, part emotional support hotline, part market analyst, part chauffeur, part videographer, part negotiator, part dog mom, part caretaker, part trainer, part problem solver, and part “Wait… did I eat lunch today?”
But honestly? I love it.
Most days start around 5:00 AM.
Not because I am naturally thrilled when the alarm goes off, but because I know my day goes a whole lot better when I get ahead of it instead of letting it tackle me before I’ve even had coffee.
The first order of business is usually coffee, prayer, gratitude, and getting my mind right. I need that quiet time before the world starts asking questions, sending contracts, requesting showings, or casually texting things like, “Can we close tomorrow?”
Then come my fur babies.
Because before I can study the market, return calls, negotiate repairs, or guide anyone through a major life transition, Bella and Shadow need their morning routine. They need love, food, attention, and apparently a full committee meeting about whether or not they want to go outside.
And then there is Neil.
Checking in on Neil is part of my heart. It keeps me grounded. It reminds me that life is bigger than business, bigger than closings, bigger than contracts, and bigger than the next appointment. Real estate may be what I do, but people are why I do it.
Once the house is moving and everyone is cared for, I shift into market mode.
This is where my brain gets very, very focused.
Some people casually “check the market.”
I study it.
I look at what sold, what did not sell, what reduced, what expired, what came back on the market, what buyers are responding to, what sellers are missing, what neighborhoods are heating up, and where opportunities are hiding.
I want to know what is happening before my clients even ask.
Because when someone says, “How’s the market?” I do not want to give them a cute little generic answer.
I want to give them the truth.
The real truth.
The kind of truth that helps a seller price correctly, helps a buyer negotiate wisely, and helps families make confident decisions instead of emotional ones.
Then comes the hyperfocus.
And when I say hyperfocus, I mean if you have ever seen a squirrel with a spreadsheet, a phone, a CRM, a coffee, and a mission from God, that is basically me.
I am checking leads.
Following up.
Reviewing listings.
Planning videos.
Writing scripts.
Looking at buyer matches.
Checking showing feedback.
Studying price reductions.
Sending messages.
Reviewing contracts.
Trying to remember if I switched the laundry.
Usually realizing I did not.
Then I check in on my top five people.
This is something I believe deeply in. Life is not just about building a business. It is about building relationships. So I try to be intentional about checking on the people closest to me, the people I love, the people who matter, and the people I want to pour into.
Because success means nothing if you are too busy to love your people well.
After that, the real estate day officially explodes.
Some days I am showing properties.
Some days I am walking through homes with buyers who are excited, overwhelmed, nervous, hopeful, and trying to decide if the kitchen is “the one” or if they are just emotionally attached to the backsplash.
Some days I am meeting with sellers and helping them understand the difference between being listed and being positioned to sell.
That is a big difference.
Anyone can put a home on the MLS.
But not every agent knows how to price it strategically, market it creatively, negotiate strongly, solve problems quickly, and help the seller choose the right path based on their timing, equity, stress level, and goals.
That is where I come in.
Some days I am shooting videos.
And let me tell you, creating videos as a Realtor is its own adventure.
There is always a moment when I think, “This is going to be quick.”
Then the lighting is wrong.
The wind starts blowing.
A car alarm goes off.
My hair decides to become a separate character.
Or I say the same sentence nine times and somehow make it worse every time.
But I still do it because video matters.
People want to know who they are working with. They want real. They want connection. They want someone they can trust. So I show up, sometimes polished, sometimes funny, sometimes with a blooper-worthy moment, but always with the heart to serve.
Then there is training.
I am constantly learning, practicing, role-playing, listening, improving, and sharpening my skills.
Real estate is not a career where you can just “wing it” and hope for the best.
Markets change.
Contracts change.
Buyer behavior changes.
Seller expectations change.
Marketing changes.
Technology changes.
And if you are not growing, you are falling behind.
So I train. I practice. I study. I role-play. I learn scripts. I refine conversations. I study objections. I work on my mindset. I work on my systems. I work on becoming the kind of advisor my clients need in today’s market.
And somewhere in the middle of all of this, I am also answering texts, returning calls, solving problems, checking on vendors, coordinating inspections, calming nerves, reviewing numbers, creating content, planning marketing, checking my calendar, making sure my clients are protected, and probably talking to myself out loud.
Because sometimes that is the only way to keep up.
A day in my life is not always glamorous.
It is not always perfectly scheduled.
It is not always Instagram pretty.
Sometimes it is messy.
Sometimes it is funny.
Sometimes it is emotional.
Sometimes it is exhausting.
Sometimes I look at the clock and wonder how it is already 4:00 PM when I swear it was just 8:15.
But it is also meaningful.
Every showing matters.
Every conversation matters.
Every follow-up matters.
Every video matters.
Every market update matters.
Every seller who needs clarity matters.
Every buyer who needs guidance matters.
Every person who feels overwhelmed and needs someone calm in their corner matters.
That is what keeps me going.
Because at the end of the day, my business is not just about houses.
It is about people.
It is about helping someone move closer to the life they want.
It is about helping a seller move forward with confidence.
It is about helping a buyer stop guessing and start making smart decisions.
It is about helping people feel seen, heard, protected, and supported.
And yes, it is also about creating a schedule that can actually hold all of that.
Because if you want to succeed in real estate, business, or life, you cannot just hope your day works out.
You need structure.
You need focus.
You need priorities.
You need follow-up.
You need market knowledge.
You need relationship time.
You need personal time.
You need systems.
And you need a schedule that is packed full of the right things, not just busy things.
So if you have ever wondered what a day in my life looks like, there you go.
It is coffee, fur babies, prayer, market data, hyperfocus, people I love, clients I serve, homes I show, videos I shoot, training I commit to, problems I solve, and a whole lot of heart.
And honestly?
I would not trade it.
If you would like a schedule that is packed full of everything you need to succeed — whether you are building a real estate business, trying to get more focused, or simply wanting to create more structure in your life — I am here to help.
Buying, selling, renting, need a friend, or trying to figure it all out — I’m here for it.
👉 Book your free strategy session at www.kimsellssarasota.com
Let’s get you moving in the right direction. 🤎
©️ 2026 Kim Donahue Realtor
