Open Spaces International School of Real Estate

Meet Trisha Roy — sustainability-focused real estate educator at Open Spaces International School of Real Estate in Florida. With strong academic credentials and cross-cultural expertise, Trisha trains agents to add sustainable practices to listings and client advising, helping Florida professionals stand out and meet continuing education goals. Learn how her practical approach can boost your market differentiation and client value. Visit https://wix.to/9fwXHzt to learn more. 🏡🌱

My cup of tea by candlelight.

And my reflections on the blessings of darkness.

As the wind and rain raised their dance and song to a familiar crescendo...I was grateful for the complete obsidian of the night. Because it helped me bank my eternal curiosity about storms and I stayed inside...for the night.

The dark teaches you quickly..to put things down in familiar places, and to put things back. I kept life-grip on the hand-cranked flashlight my boys gave me, many Christmases ago. The dark taught me this morning that it was a bad idea to put down the metal closet rods I bought yesterday, on the living room floor.

Sleep, I thought would be impossible...because of the storm, and the lack of power. But the wind and the rain put me right to sleep, though I woke often, to check the radar app I installed.

She came in as a Cat 4. Somewhere in my mind, the name Helene resonates with elegance..possibly because of its French association. And it means the sun..from the Greek word Helios. And I wonder about the perhaps foolish optimism behind naming a hurricane.." Helene".

Being named so...she could perhaps not be anything but powerful. In the dark, with the whole world silent around me, I can practically hear Mother Nature's crackle of laughter... as the Gulf warmed up, and allowed her to swing her arm just so...to bring us "Helene".

As mere humans, there was not much we could have controlled, once she was on the move.

As dawn pilfers through my blinds and my windows, in grey shadows that nonetheless allow the eyes the respite of light, I am grateful to see my trees standing tall. And that my boys fared okay through the storm...their first one, on their own.

I am deeply steeped in the peace and the complete silence thar has settled around me now. Today is another day.

We are looking to schedule this class soon!

Working with India - come on this journey with me, across the world!

Global Pathways in Real Estate - India Series V1 Introducing India - a destination for investors and buyers of Indian origin.

Home. My boys, driving me home. Mommy hugs that I had no idea I missed so much. The backseat I take, only with my boys, or in India.

And now - introspection, before MONDAY morning happens in my world. These hours before dawn are precious to me.

Out of the huge number of real estate professionals we have met in India - only 46 are International Realtor Members. Of the 46, about 4 or 5 are women. Kirti Bhosale - you are one of the 4 or 5 women India based International Realtor Members. We need more of you! In the USA, about 65% of our members are women. We need more women in India to shine in this profession, and we need strong men who can support their mothers, spouses, or daughters to rise and shine as International Realtor Members. My boys are beyond proud of their mama... you will be, too.

International Realtor Membership costs international members only a fraction of what it costs us as US based Realtors. The cost is reduced as a benefit to our bilateral partners, among many other benefits.

Every one of my trade mission participants will agree that the cost is not a barrier for India based real estate professionals to become NAR members - I think the barrier is lack of information. And because of this - so many professionals lose out on benefits, including the prestigious "International Realtor of the Year" award.

Once the sun is up in a little bit, my world of my agents, buyers, sellers and students will need my attention. However, I will host an information session about International Realtor Membership, soon.

In the meantime - here is the link from NAR, to join as IRM.
https://www.nar.realtor/global/international-realtor-membership

My dear friends in India - I hope you join, and I hope to see you at the NAR conference in Boston, and later - Orlando. There is a cricket match to be played and won or lost.

International REALTOR® Membership Members of NAR bilateral partner organizations throughout the world can join NAR and take advantage of the power of a million-plus member organization and gain exposure.

A day without a calendar or a clock. I spend the rest of my life adhering to schedules and regimented planning that makes my assistant's head swim. :D But yesterday was the most amazing step away from that.

I hadn't even planned a meal, but both my boys came in, but my kitchen can always accommodate my boys. I spiced the flavors and kneaded the dough to the sound of my boys' chatter. Since the day these two could talk, their chatter has been my best entertainment. I can listen to it all day long. Over the years, if I look back, this chatter has changed so much. But it has always been my best entertainment. Two boys with a bond of their own, and a sense of humor that is not always appropriate, but always hilarious. And now, we are friends as much as we are mother and boys.

I am grateful to their dad, who must have prodded these nocturnal gamers from their beds, to arrive on my doorstep.

And my loyal Dante, who was beside himself with joy that both his brothers were home.

We watched "Where the Crawdads Sing" - this movie has touched a poignant note in my soul. There are ways in which I identify with the protagonist. I have watched it many times...and I was glad my boys liked it as well.

As the afternoon wore on...before my boys left for their dad's for dinner - with my one child curled up against me, and the other, and Dante on the other couch, Dante making sounds of absolute joy because he was so happy, the world outside, a green, peaceful one where no sound penetrated our world except our own; I marveled at my blessings.

There is not much else I can ask for myself, from life. If I inhaled my last breath tomorrow, I will not take it with any sense of regret, for myself. My only goals are about everyone else - helping everyone else succeed and find theirs.

As I told my India based business associate, on Wednesday - I can only drive one car at a time, I can only sleep on one bed at a time, and I don't eat much, so what on earth will I do with more of anything else. Except shoes. I do like shoes and clothes. :D

They say there is an expression called "poker face"...well I don't have it! 😂😂

However, in all my challenges in my journey in karate, a big one has been the challenge of my expressive face which clearly mirrors everything I feel.

A "neutral" face...is what my Sensei wants me to aspire for, and a steady gaze that does not stray anywhere but in my opponents eye.

The theory is that by doing this, you do not give away your ability to respond if you are threatened. And by keeping a steady gaze your attacker never knows how you may strike back. In the event of a real attack...and we all know our profession does leave us vulnerable to such instances; I can clearly see the value of the neutral expression.

My Sensei also says...for someone like me - vertically challenged and not really any good at fighting... in reality, ONE strike...one single strike is all I can hope for, to gain the opportunity to run. Unlike in the movies, that single strike can make the critical difference between survival or...otherwise.

In reality...I have no idea if I would be able to strike with many of the fairly deadly strikes that we train to do. But I can see the benefit of the neutral expression. The lesson...if learned, could translate well into business and life, and many other situations.

And so I have become a student of my own expression. I took this picture as I was waiting for a meeting to begin. I am not sure if it reads "neutral". I have about 4 months to master this. 😶🙏👊

An afternoon with my "little one". I love spending time with my boys.

Though I call him little one and he will always be my baby, we are blessed to be more than mother and son..we are friends. And they always have my back in whatever adventure and home improvement projects I dive into.

My blessings, every day.

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Few more spots left to reach my desired class size! Please reserve your spots now!

Today I was honored to be sworn in as the Secretary of the real estate business institutes Florida chapter.

Florida is one of the three states that has a state chapter for the real estate business Institute. I am looking forward to serving in this capacity.