Stick with me a sec. I'm going somewhere with this.
Fishing is an interesting pass time. Some days are absolutely beautiful. The sun is rising. It's peaceful. There are others on the lake but plenty of room for all. The fish are lively and active. You take a second to soak in what a great day it is and you cast your line. You just barely get settled in and something grabs your line. Thrilled with the prospect, you reel it in. There it is a beautiful fish. Just what you were hoping for. It was a fighter but all the good ones are and with your skill you were able to get him in the boat with an average amount of effort. The day passes much like that. You take a break a few hours in to enjoy a snack and by noon you have caught your limit and you head home content and refreshed.
Seriously, I'm going somewhere with this.
Other days don't go so well. It is dark when you leave the house so you don't see the storm clouds brewing on the horizon. You get to the lake and it is crowded, hardly room to cast your line without hooking another fisherman. The fish seem to be asleep. snoozing on the bottom with little motivation to even pay attention to your bait. You cast your line and wait...and wait...and wait... Finally you get a strike. It isn't a big one but a strike is a strike. You reel and reel but after a long struggle the fish ducks behind a log. Your line gets snagged and then breaks. Nothing to do but reel in the line, get more bait and cast again. The day goes much like that. You catch nothing, your coffee goes cold, the rain soaks right through your clothes. Maybe even at one point you cut yourself setting your line. By the end of the day you are dejected and head home with nothing.
What's my point? Many of us remember the good old days, where deals used to fall in your lap. Big paydays and an average amount of work. Buyer's were motivated and sellers were gidddy. If you got to mutual acceptance it was nearly a sure thing that it would close. Problems that came up had everyone involved makeing concessions to see the deal through.
Now, not so much. Transactions are down somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% with most of the agents still out there slugging away. Buyers are like scared bunnies, with the smallest problem on inspection scaring them off or asking for ridiculous compensation. Seller's are scared out of their minds. Still believing that their homes are worth what they were several years ago and not willing to price at current market value. If you manage to get through the inspection, now you have to worry about appraisal.
I swear I am doing twice the work for half the commissions. (Not an exaggeration)
Here is my point. I know you are all in the same boat. (pun intended) But hang in there my friends. A wise man once said, "A bad day fishing is still better then a good day at the office." (Translation - Being a Realtor is still better than answering to some jerk!)
The sun will rise again. The waters will calm. The fish will get hungry, and we will all start reeling in the deals once again. Don't loose hope. Cast your line and know you will be rewarded.
Footnote:
As of this writting Rob is being treated for excessive optimism at the OB Jacobi home for the professionally insane. Please send contributions of coffee in leu of comments.
Comments(1)