Home buyer Kari Corry was all smiles as she and her sales agent, Linda Lifsey, stepped into the spacious living room of the brick and stucco rambler perched along a pristine golf club near Ogden, Utah. "I really like this. It’s much prettier than the last one," said Corry, who works as a medical assistant for a local physician.

Lifsey, an associate with Exit Realty Wasatch, couldn’t see her client’s bright-eyed expression as they toured the home together. But she felt her enthusiasm in a distinctly hands-on way. "People’s bodies usually tell me what they think about a place more quickly than their words," Lifsey said.

As the two proceeded toward a sun-dappled kitchen with vaulted ceilings, Lifsey maintained her gentle grip on the crook of Corry’s elbow. "At the other house, you felt real tense and rigid," said Lifsey, who lost her sight as a newborn in a hospital accident. "Now I can tell you’re relaxed and excited because of all the pointing and gesturing you’re doing."

While blindness might sound like a deal-breaker for pursuing a career in such a visual field as real estate, Lifsey has refused to let her disability prevent her from reaching her professional goals.

Lifsey was first captivated by real estate at age seven when she joined in her family’s Monopoly games. "I loved accumulating houses on the board," she said. "I always wanted to beat everyone."

But she tucked away those ambitions for the next few decades, becoming a medical transcriptionist after high school and pursuing a number of other vocations including TV voiceover work and massage therapy. "But I always liked sales," she said.

The increased availability of screen-reading computer software in the 1990s put the possibility of obtaining a real estate license within Lifsey’s reach. But it wasn’t until a hand was extended in 2004 that she felt confident enough to go after her dream. "I was in the process of buying a home. When I told my agent that I wished I could get into real estate, she convinced me I’d be able to do it," Lifsey said.

The next year Lifsey enrolled in real estate school, where administrators made accommodations so she could learn more easily, including transferring content from real estate books onto CDs as PDF files. Lifsey was able to download the files and listen to them on her computer.

She passed her state licensing test—which she took orally—on the first try.

Lifsey joined a bustling Keller Williams branch soon after, but within a year she realized she’d be better suited to a smaller office closer to home. She closed her first sale in early 2007 for a couple who were first-time buyers, having shown them at least 30 properties before they found the right place. In her first phone conversation with the buyers, she delivered the line that continues to be an effective icebreaker with clients: "Would you like me to drive or would you rather drive?" Before they can answer, she interjects: "I have to tell you, I’m totally blind."

Using humor to help others relax is a key to Lifsey’s success with clients, in addition to her knack for asking insightful questions and listening closely. The strategy helps buyers envision whether a home is right for them and helps Lifsey remember the main features of every room.

For example, Lifsey will ask buyers whether their sofa will look right in the family room or whether the ceilings are high enough for an oversized Christmas tree. She often repeats buyers’ comments into a handheld recorder. And she’s also apt to use every- day phrases that belie her disability, like "Let’s go see this place" or "Check this room out." She notes matter-of-factly, "I live in a sighted world and have to fit in as much as possible."

When buyer Corry first phoned Lifsey about a listing, the prospect had no idea she was contacting a blind agent. But the connection seemed serendipitous: Corry’s husband Brad had become disabled after failed back surgery and now required a wheelchair. Learning of Lifsey’s accomplishments, despite blindness, convinced Corry that Lifsey would be in tune with their needs.

"I don’t like real estate agents who push their opinions on you. I like to make up my own mind. And Linda’s great at taking care of all the things I know nothing about," said Corry.

Corey Hadley, the broker-owner at Exit, said he didn’t hesitate to bring Lifsey on board two years ago, though he admits he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. "I’ve been surprised about how much she can do," he said. "She completes paperwork better than most of the other agents. She never forgets a signature and hardly ever has a typo." Last year Lifsey closed half a dozen transactions worth nearly $1 million.

The tough economy has required Lifsey to keep up her massage therapy business, but she still devotes about 30 hours per week to real estate. She doesn’t let herself become downbeat about the slow Utah market, where the average time on market has tripled over the past year to about 90 days.

"You have to keep going no matter what the challenges are. You’ve got to work through them," she said.

As they finished touring the rambler, which sat close to the 10th hole green, Corry was hopeful she’d found the right home. The $239,000 asking price for the four-bedroom home seemed reasonable to all parties, and the sellers were willing to complete the partially finished basement for no extra cost. But Corry still had a few lingering questions for Lifsey: "Since there aren’t homeowner association fees, can you check on who pays for damage caused by golf balls?"

"I’m on it," said Lifsey cheerily. "I’ll do whatever you need from me."

The Takeaway

Learn from Lifsey’s success:

• Slow down when you show homes. Let buyers go at their own pace.

• Ask a lot of questions—and listen. Your targeted questions will help buyers figure out what features they really want in a house. Help them visualize how their furniture and accessories would fit with the home.

• Keep your opinions in check. Buyers don’t like to feel pushed. And you could inadvertently talk someone out of a home by expressing your own negative views.

• Note the important details. Pay attention to distinctive details of a home, like brass stair railings or vaulted ceilings. Write down or record the information to help you remember it for subsequent showings and to refresh the buyers’ memory.