Summer 07

Someone mentioned to me the other day that it had been a long time since I had blogged.

They were right.

This summer has been a time in my life unlike any other. I have been so busy with Real Estate and the new church that there have been days when it literally has felt like I was riding a super fast spinning merry go round.

I haven't ever had to live life at such a hectic pace before. Church work tends to keep you busy, but not THAT busy!

A couple of observations about the world of Real Estate (from a relatively new agent).

1)You meet lots of really nice people in this business. And you meet lots of very interesting people in this business. The funniest people are the ones who come to open houses and they don't want to talk to you or to let you know their "inner" secrets about their real motivations. You learn to read people like this. And what is so funny is that they're really only hurting themselves. In being all secretative around me (the Real Estate Agent) they're shutting out good converstation, a potential friendship and relationship and my ability to help them accomplish their goals. Lest you think this is a commercial, it isn't. I'm a person first and a Real Estate Agent by job choice. At the end of the day doing business is, of course, the end goal. But getting to know people - even if I can't ultimately help them is the best part of the job. People who hide motives close out that part of being a human being.

2)In this business you also meet some of the goofiest people on the planet. Some of them are buyers and sellers and some of them are other agents. Suffice it to say that the world is just full of...interesting people. I include myself in that!

3)I think the state of our economy has hit everyone. Interestingly enough, what it has done is to cause lots of people to look for easy to cut corners. Folks might be getting rid of their SUV's, but not everyone is. You still see people out eating all the time too. In the world of Real Estate people have decided (at least a lot of people) that they can sell their house themselves and save the real estate commission. In a free market economy I'm okay with that. In fact, I've done it myself (before going into the business). The part that gets to you as an agent is the attitude that goes along with it. People tend to think that we agents are money grubbing, wealthy snobs. Maybe that is an image we have presented. I don't know. What I do know is that I work hard to make a living for my family. I pull a lot of hours and bend over backwards to serve my clients. When I get paid, I believe I have earned my income.

4)My real estate company is a great place to work. I love their vision, leadership and support.

5)Being self employed (outside of the higher taxes you pay) rocks! I love not having to be at an office, under a boss at a certain time every day.

6)Selling houses is fun because you get to see the inside of so many homes. We are such a creative society that you never know what kind of decor you're going to walk into. And then, once my buyer has moved in and made the house their home, it is really fun to see the changes.

So that's my observations from the world of Real Estate so far. It's an interesting career. Not one for everybody, but so far it's good for me!

Bob