The jeep had been acting funny, and Mr Mechanic had listened to the symptoms carefully.

He had focused in on the operator assisted instrumentation section for diagnostics. As a Maine realtor, my jeep and other Maine real estate brokers have a special "CCH after market" dash board addition. Expensive? Oh yeah but it really helps you head off a bad day, save time, have less stress. You see as a broker, we get calls from folks that want to go thru that new high end listing...on a Sunday afternoon at 3pm.

     And as you explain the property's long list of special features, you also ask some questions. Do you have a home to sell first? Could you get a bridge loan to buy before a sale? And if we go thru a traditional bank loan program on this one with current rates applied, the monthly payment would be roughly blank. And with taxes and insurances add in another chunk of change.

Is a $1200 payment knowing you live, work and play in Northern Maine going to fit in to the monthly budget?

Unless a cash sale, or owner financed transaction, the buyer is going to end up at a bank to make this one fly.  The buyer unless they hit the lottery, or have sold a home or other real estate and made a tidy profit with the local pay scale may struggle with a high end property. This is not a starter home. And the dialog with that buyer starts to turn sour as one by one the facts are exposed with just a few questions.

     You learn the caller on the other end is in the middle of several dramas. Divorce, a nasty one. Custody battle that you don't really want to hear about as it makes you the broker think "those poor kids." The boyfriend can not seem to hold down a job, and work interferes with regular trips to a methadone clinic back in New Jersey. He has a few legal charges pending but that should not interfere with a purchase he indicates. He was innocent. Really. Honest. Bankruptcy...those proceedings for the buyer should wrap up in about six months but don't you worry about that small detail or incident. No big deal.

     There is nothing you can do to get this buyer qualified. Their credit rating is in the negative range, not C or D but Y or Z.

Not less than perfect...as far from perfect as the scale goes, and then maybe a few notches more.

The Jeep gauges start to twitch, waver, vibrate. What does CCH stand for? Well this one (sitting in the jeep, driver's door open at the mechanics garage, left leg hanging out, strattling the seat) the one to the left is the "crank factor" gauge. It is a valuable time saving one when working right. One to monitor carefully..to see when problems are ahead. The questioning of this buyer is turning up factors that make a sale near impossible. But our job is to overcome obstacles...to find a way to climb over or swerve around them to get the buyer qualified, into a property. Getting cranked up as it becomes apparent a sale is not possible can make the buyer cranked..and the broker's crank factor can raise. Don't argue with them, don't judge them but explain why you can not help them. Get them to a bank to reinforce the same principles of what it takes theses days to buy or sell real estate. Paperwork, secondary mortgage market guidelines.

     (Pointing at gauge in the center of the CCH cluster) And this one is the "confidence" gauge. You've had some pretty productive days this week, a couple closings, a few new listings priced right and ready to sell. But as this gauge's level starts to raise, it indicates doubt, uncertainty and can slow production. Cause the day to go down hill fast as the atmosphere of a real estate transaction waivers, stalls, derails. It can save you time on when to call it a day on a sale or listing you are putting together. Everyone has their own set of quirks, what takes them high, throws them low. This gauge helps show you a change of attitude, confidence is approaching unless you side step, redirect your course with the current buyer, seller, banker, lawyer.

     And the last gauge here on the right (tapping with pride). This one is the "humility" gauge. Sure you could have peddled property for decades. Been thru many successful and your share of those "not too much fun" situations in dealing with the public. But always, always something new to consider coming at you. A twist you might not have seen approaching and factors that you yourself contributed to that did not always help matters. Attitude is everything.

     This gauge is one that humbles you, makes you grateful or brings you to your knees. The reading on this gauge helps explain what happened to Mr Spring In His Step This Morning Real Estate Broker who has to suddenly rethink the situation. To figure out what needs his immediate attention. And when to just throw in the towel, call it a real estate day.

      The humble reading on this gauge helps the broker know when their ego is pushing a sale that needs to be derailed. When you think so much time has been invested to make it happen that you think you can't quit now. These are the deals when paramedics pull the white sheet over the property and give their condolences. The deals when no matter how much work, creativity and perseverance, you are only keeping the deal alive with machines, life support when you need to shift attention to another transaction needing your help, the calls made, the appointments set up.

     Use of this CCH cluster really helps explain what is going on, what is about to happen and to get your attention that a crossroads of a real estate deal is approaching. Every listing does not sell, Every property under contract does not make it to the closing table at the bank or lawyer's office. Life happens, emotions, tragedy, financial set backs, health issues, divorce and even legal proceedings...we see them all. But that is challenge like an emergency room to figure out what is needed to help this situation. To recognize when no matter what you do, this one is not going to happen with the current set of circumstances. Oh, back to that caller...she persisted because they really really wanted to wander thru the place, had always wanted to see the property since she was a little girl. And even though she agreed there is no way to buy it with their current financial situation, could they tour the place anyway?

      The owners had specifically warned you to not bring thru unqualified buyers. That they were worried about the white rugs with work boots that might bring in diesel fuel, grease, chunks of dirt and to make sure to remove them at the door. Lookieloos. No lookiesloos and you were sternly reminded at listing time. That this is not a museum or a Disney attraction for gawkers, dreamers. Lots of valuables inside this one to protect, worry about. I said I would ask the sellers about a Sunday showing as she persisted to try to defer the situation to my owner.

     Then I was pressed with a startling one last question posed by that caller. Would the seller move out, let them rent with option for a year or two to see if they liked it, and maybe a rich uncle would then for certain help them buy it? And they could pay $200 a month but could you wait a few weeks for that first $200 because Jimmy was getting a tattoo this Monday after school. They were a little tight on funds due to scrambling to bail out of the place she described as a dump but that the court ordered eviction indicated their time there at the pig sty was up after many unsuccessful legal maneuverings. Wednesday was the day the deputies arrived to put their things on the lawn and it sure would be nice if they could slide their stuff into your most expensive listing.

     The CCH instrument vehicle cluster. Don't leave your Maine real estate officewithout it. Order before midnight tonight..with three easy and one last not so much fun payment. Technology to make everyone's real estate day go smoother, easier, happier and more productive.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine.Four Seasons, Bluer Skies, Brigter Stars.