Bending Over Backward for my Clients!
So it occurs to me this morning, while deep in a back-bend pose (yes, that’s me) how much of a correlation there is between being a good real estate agent and a good yogi (not as in Yogi Bear, but as in I do yoga).
Flexibility–it would be impossible to be an effective agent, especially in this market, without being flexible. In yoga, we have to learn to bend in all sorts of way, stretching into areas that are often uncomfortable. It’s the same way in real estate. For instance, I remember when I wouldn’t touch a short sale. I wouldn’t show them and wouldn’t list them. My attitude was inflexible because I knew, just like when doing the splits, the change would be challenging. However, once I began to learn the ins and outs of short sales and became certified, I realized how many people I could help avoid foreclosure. Before I knew it, the discomfort had vanished and I became passionate about saving Sacramento homeowners from the horrors of foreclosure. Being flexible helps me serve my clients better.
Balance–Real estate is not like your typical 9-5 job. Actually, it’s more like a 7-day a week, 12 hours a day job, but maybe that’s just me. At any rate, balance is key. In yoga, when I’m doing a one-legged, head-to-knee pose, I know that if I do not focus completely on my core and my balance, I will fall. I know that putting all the weight on one leg, while bending over and holding the other leg extended is a true test of my concentration. In real estate, balance is everything. I have to be like a watch dog with these banks…calling and bugging them as many times as it takes to get an answer, oh, I mean the answer I want. I also have to be a counselor to my clients who may be having a hard time adjusting to all the changes in their lives. I may go from the analytical skills of preparing a Broker Price Opinion or listing contract, to fielding calls from new buyers, to negotiating like a tiger to get my clients the best price. Balance is key to my business.
Focus–In yoga, focus and deep breathing are everything. With time and practice, your body and your breath become one, and when things get uncomfortable, breathing into the discomfort is the only thing that helps. In real estate, if I were to lose focus, I would not only flounder myself, but I could potentially affect the lives of all my buyers and sellers. In avoiding foreclosure through a short sale, there is no room for error….the package cannot be half-haphazardly put together. Each detail matters or the bank will dump the file. In working with buyers, I must know they have the best lender for the job and that all their interests are protected, from getting them the lowest price and best terms to making sure the inspections are complete and the escrow runs smoothly. Maintaining focus at all times is what gets deals closed.
So there you have it. Yoga and real estate really do require a lot of the same skills. I’ve been in the real estate industry for nearly 20 years now and practicing yoga about 10 or 11 of that, and I know for sure that starting my day with a few good poses enables me to incorporate all the balance, flexibility and focus that will help me serve my Sacramento, Carmichael clients best.
Ta ta for now,
Tamara
PS
Tune into my radio show where this week’s guest is national celebrity health guru, Rico Marciano…Rico has had his own national television shows and is a very popular trainer…oh, we’ll cover real estate too! Wed. 10 AM www.InLoveWithSacto.com.
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