Meet Mrs. Moxie || An Interview with Real Estate Agent Jennifer Ingool

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This is Jennifer, or Jen, on this site – Mrs. Moxie.

Jen is a Real Estate Professional (I mean – *ahem* a Real Estate Superstar)

You have seen Jen here:

My Life is a Home Project

And here:

How to Texture a Ceiling :: One Example

And here (also for Mother’s Day):

Happy Mother’s Day Jen, Let’s Refinish the Porch

You see, Jen is my wife:

And she is a mother:

I sometimes call her Jenny.

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So with Mother’s Day upon us and remembering back to those posts above, maybe it’s time I give her a little bit of the BMoxie spotlight. First – and let’s state this for the record: She does absolutely nothing for this site (other than provide inspiration). In most cases, and some of you have heard this (sorry, Jen), she doesn’t want anything to do with it.  A wife’s prerogative I guess.  And maybe it is not the fairest statement, because she has a bigger impact than I often lead on.

It is just how we are, our life . . . and it has pretty much been this way since we started dating:

The Moxies Do, well, House Stuff

This picture sits on the buffet in our dining room, 1999. (A pre-smart-phone selfie.)

Yep, and just like that, plastic shopping bags on our heads (re-purposed while painting a textured ceiling).  I mean — we live with, well . . . construction.  And I knew what I was getting into, I guess, and possibly it was the reason that we (while maybe some others didn’t) worked out.  You see – it’s in her blood.  This house thing.  That’s right – her mother Vera . . . a full-on DIY original . . . who ultimately built a nice little business for herself.  And while we (apart from what we do individually) might be following (very slowing) down Vera’s path, in the mean time – real estate seems a logical good fit for Jen.  After all, and it’s simple, Jen has a passion for it.

And before I delve into a short Q&A, gonna say first – I often step back and marvel at how well she juggles it all (and manages to put up with me).  And though I don’t say it enough, maybe, she’s a pretty kick-ass mom.  I hope our little princessitects would agree.  I mean — Moms make the “Home,” wouldn’t you a say? (Really, wouldn’t you say?) And it is really tough, I can tell you, to make a home when all you have done, for say 12 years, is work on the/a house.  But she does it.  And I want to thank Jenny for that.

Thank you Jenny.  (Am I off the hook for that necklacey thing, now? and anyway….)

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Now for a Brief Interview Segment with Mrs. Moxie

BMoxie:  You have been slamming with real estate lately; what’s the deal, Why?

Jen Ingool:  Business breeds business.  For example, I was volunteering at a recent school event and was talking randomly about how the market has improved.  I gave a little bit of advice to one of the woman who was also volunteering.  A few weeks later I had a new listing.  Spring, too, more people are looking to do something as the weather improves.  Plus I have been getting more calls off of my website.  (<< Editor’s aside:  Surely because of all the link love that this site has given her.  Surely.)

BMoxie:  What is the hardest part of being a real estate agent? What about real estate agents is often under-appreciated?

Jen Ingool:  Having to be available allllll the time. All the work we do that we often do not get paid for.  We only got paid if a property goes to the settlement table.  And we get a lot of stuff that just goes nowhere.

BMoxie:  What is the best part of being a real estate agent?

Jen Ingool:  Not having to go sit at a desk.  Yes, we get paid very well for time we put in, but again only if a house settles.  Plus I love houses, and I love seeing all the houses.

BMoxie:  Do you get inspiration for your own home from these houses?  I mean — Do you think being a real estate agent helps you with your own home improvements?

Jen Ingool:  Of course I get inspiration from the houses I see for our house . . . but truthfully it’s more – “Oh remind me not to do that.”  It’s more things not to do.  It helps us too with value appraisal, though you know, we don’t always follow my own advice.  But I learn and know what not to waste money on.

BMoxie: Do you think your experience with home improvement helps you as a real estate agent?

Jen Ingool: Duh!

BMoxie: What’s it like living with a total stud muffin? What is your favorite part of doing home improvement together?

Jen Ingool: Oh Gawd! Eye Roll.  (Really, she said “eye roll”) When the grand mom can take the girls over night.  And completing stuff.  Honestly, I don’t love the remodeling stuff as much as I used to.  I usually want to do stuff like make curtains, frame and hang artwork . . . stuff like that.  So I guess my answer is:  Paying other people to do it.  I much rather take the time to be with my family and do fun stuff with them.

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Thanks to Jen for taking the time to interview with us.  Hopefully you found something useful here and I officially want to wish all the mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day. What you do doesn’t go unnoticed.  Look for more reflections from other mothers later in the week, (fingers crossed) I hope.  Thanks for reading.  ~jb

To see more of Mrs. Moxie in action, check out recaps of her first two house flips posted here. Mrs. Moxie Flips Out & Mrs Moxie Flips Out Again.