For Better, For Worse

By Alex May

Married for four years, Simon Pilcher, 44, and Terri Pilcher, 37, work together as real estate agents. Simon regularly works 12 hour days from Monday to Saturday. They are expecting their first child in September.

SIMON

“I met Terri at the pub in 1998. I couldn’t take my eyes off her and bought her one of those tacky roses from a flower seller. I think I slept one night in my new house before we went on our first date. I never slept at that house again. We just moved in together.
“It’s corny, but I love working with Terri. I went back to real estate in 2002 and nine months later she joined me as my assistant. I am a big-picture person who does too many things at once while Terri is great at process and management. I am one of the top five agents now.
“I always knew I could work with Terri. Our old house had a tiny kitchen and both of us are very good cooks. We managed to prepare big banquets and dinner parties together in that small space, and I think if you can cook together, you can work together.
“When the baby comes, we will do a lot more escaping. Heading bush is a big thing for us. I will have to block out time in my diary for the family. I am fairly relaxed and Terri will be a committed mother. I’d like her to keep working - we are a great team.”

TERRI

“I told Simon that I had to come and work with him if I was ever going to see him. We are spouses who sell houses - what a great way to control your husband?
“I have always found work all-consuming and am a complete stress head. Real estate can be a really tough business, but we act as a buffer for each other. If I get teary or something goes wrong, then I have someone to go to for a hug.
“The baby will change us, but I don’t really know to what extent. Right now I am trying my hardest to be a Stepford Wife and have his dinner cooked for him, but I get so tired. By the time Simon comes home at 9.30pm, I am dribbling on the couch in my jammies.
“Simon doesn’t cook as often now. And he likes everything to look like it’s from Gourmet Traveller magazine. I am more your Women’s Weekly cook book type of girl. I cook for taste, but he cooks for presentation.
“I am hoping Simon will start to take Mondays off so that we can have a proper weekend together. I’m not sure what I’ll do with work once the baby comes along. It’s Simon’s dream for me to be at all the open inspections on a Saturday with the baby, handing out brochures from the pram.”