PHOTO: Jaymee Le. Director / Auctioneer / Estate Agent at Area Specialist Real Estate
As a working mother of four, Jaymee Le has mastered the art of hard work and the elusive quest for work-life balance. Breaking into the industry as a single mother was no easy feat for Ms. Le. She tirelessly knocked on doors, even offering to work for free just to get her foot in the door.
“I said to one of the offices, ‘Would you take me on if I worked for free for a few weeks? That way you can see if I’ve got it or not,’” she recalls.
The agency accepted her offer, quickly recognizing her potential. They initially hired her as a director’s personal assistant before she eventually transitioned into sales.
Ms. Le began her career at a franchise but soon realized it wasn’t the right fit for her or her clients. Seeking a better environment, she moved to Area Specialist six years ago.
“At other companies, it was all about turnover,” she said. “I came across Michael Choi, and we’ve just done really well in the last five or six years.”
Since joining Area Specialist, Ms. Le has thrived both professionally and personally. She now works in Noble Park, Victoria, primarily serving first-time buyers in the $600,000 to $800,000 price range, and successfully selling 60-70 homes annually.
Ms. Le attributes much of her success to her diverse skills and life experiences. As a mother to children ranging from 5 to 23 years old, she relates to a broad spectrum of clients. Her Vietnamese heritage also gives her an edge in the local market.
“Speaking a second language does help,” she explained. “Noble Park, Springvale, Keysborough are predominantly Vietnamese; I grew up with parents that didn’t speak English, so the culture’s still there. I also understand the culture of the older generation.”
Throughout her career, Ms. Le has earned numerous accolades, including Novice Auctioneer of the Year when she first started and multiple Salesperson of the Year awards at Area Specialist. One of her proudest moments came when she was pregnant with her daughter.
“I got salesperson of the year when I was pregnant for three-quarters of the year,” she shared. “I closed my last deal about four days before I went into the hospital. I did my last auction at eight and a half months, and I was back on the phone closing deals about five days after giving birth. Women are powerful when they want to be.”
The flexibility provided by Area Specialist has been instrumental in helping Ms. Le balance her successful career with her family life.
“You can have as many kids as you want and be able to do real estate because real estate is very flexible,” she said. “I think it’s the only job in the world where if you need to go on an excursion with your child, you don’t have to ask anyone. You just reschedule your appointments to work around it.”
This flexibility extends to her colleagues as well. Many of the working women in her office manage to work from home while juggling two or three children, all while writing over $500,000 in commissions annually.
Financially, the move to Area Specialist has also been transformative for Ms. Le.
“Definitely, you’re taking home more money,” she noted. “Flexibility is there, and you can have a family and have a really successful career as well.”
Looking ahead, Ms. Le is content with her current situation both personally and professionally. She’s even begun involving her older children in the business, with one working in the office and another showing interest in sales.
“Obviously, you know, in the future when they’re a little bit more established, they might want to do their own thing,” she said. “I want to retire in about 10 years, so start traveling and do all the things that I want to do. Hopefully, they can take over the business one day.”
SOURCE: ELITE AGENT