This is kind of off-the-cuff, but it seems to be a reality of any place of business that involves offices.  The office you land in is status symbol.  Don't believe me?  How many bosses are there who are out in the cubicles.  How many don't have a window when their employees do?  Zero.  Actually I heard of one company several years ago that only had cubicles, but I don't remember where it was or what they did.

In real estate, it's the same thing.  Since I've been at my company, four offices – four offices in five years.  I started out in a cube, then shared an office with another agent that was located across from a bathroom.  FLUSH.  All day.  I finally was offered an office downstairs and believe me … when you move downstairs you're hot stuff. I suffered in that downstairs office – a 9×9'ish square for about a year.  It had no window and the lights in the hallway were usually burnt out.  I felt like I'd lived in the dead winter of Alaska for five straight years with the light deprivation.

As a result of that lonely year, I made the move back upstairs a little over a year ago.  I turned my back on the status symbol of having a downstairs office in favor of human contact, more space, and – yes – a window.  Now I'm moving again.  Fifth office in five years.  This time my broker said I earned the big downstairs window office, so I spent yesterday painting.  It's the same green (called rejuvenation) as the one upstairs, but it does have a happy window.  And it's big so I'll have plenty of room for my filing cabinets, bookcase, guest chairs, etc.  I started to turn it down, but my husband told me to consider my clients. 

"Yes, let's go talk in my office, " I say to the man who had bypass surgery, "It's upstairs."

I'm a little nervous about the move, but I think this time it's the right thing to do.  We'll only have about six people left upstairs, so I have a feeling if the market doesn't improve soon there will be room for everyone to come down.

Wish me luck.