I love food... and Sunday nights there is nothing I enjoy more than watching the Iron Chef on the Food Network... but this post is inspired by the show which follows Iron Chef, Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

I like to consider myself the Bobby Flay of Dallas Short Sales.  I still can remember almost 6 years ago when I listed my first Short Sale how hard it was to find anyone in my market who had ever heard of a Short Sale, let alone had worked a Short Sale deal themselves.  Even today, Short Sales seem to be less common than they are in many other parts of the country, so finding a Dallas Short Sale Specialist who actually has significant experience can be difficult for consumers.

Often when my phone rings, the home seller on the other end of the line will tell me that they were just about to list with another agent but they found me on Google or Yahoo or Bing and decided to call me to see if I could offer something more or different than the other agent they are speaking with.

It's like on Throwdown, some chef is just doing their thing, feeling confident, and then Bobby Flay shows up unexpectedly to challenge them to a Throwdown, making his take on their signature dish.  I love the excitement of sharing my knowledge and experience with consumers and I am always amazed at how many people are moments away from listing their homes as a short sale with agents who have no experience in this specialized type of transaction.

Now don't get me wrong, I have taught classes on Short Sale transactions and have personally mentored other agents in this area (at no cost to them).  I am a huge believer, as I know Bobby Flay is about cooking, that more people doing what we do well only means better things for everyone.  I have always believed ours is an industry of friendly competition and will continue to promote that spirit in my community.  But like Bobby, I also enjoy competing against my colleagues... the competition always seems to raise the bar and no matter who gets the business, the winner is (and should be) the consumer.

Knowing my markets, knowing the different short sale lenders and their policies and procedures, my nearly 6 years of experience and knowing the implications and "ins and outs" of Short Sales gives me a lot to draw on in a Throwdown.  If you want to do the best job, you need to be prepared and hone your craft.  And even if you are prepared and lose the listing, you will inevitably learn something which helps prepare you to win the next time.

So, as they ask at the end of each episode of Throwdown... To all you Short Sale Specialists out there... Keep doing what you do, but ask yourself this:  Are you ready for a Throwdown?