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You Can't Bury Your Head In The Sand

By Cynthia Larsen

Real Estate Broker/Owner CalBRE# 01433049

August 20, 2010 08:13 AM

ostrich with head in sand I just read a featured post with a great story called Lessons of a Hot Dog Vendor. While this story taught a wonderful lesson, I was surprised at the comments of so many real estate agents who admitted they don't read newspapers or watch the news on TV. I understand wanting to shield oneself from the negativity that is so rich in our educational resources, but to hide from it doesn't make any sense to me.

I read the newspaper every morning, it's one of the first things I do. I know how to filter out the sensationalism and stick to the local news that I need to be concerned with. I read the newspaper because I need to know which schools are closing. I need to know when and where that next casino will be built.

Should I sell a home next to the railroad tracks and disclose that a train hadn't blown past there for the last 12 years or should I tell them the SMART train is scheduled to toot it's whistle in 2014?

Should I recommend that my clients retrofit their home using Sonoma County's Energy Independence Program or should I warn them that Fannie and Freddie are refusing to lend on homes that currently have a SCEIP assessment?

I need to educate myself so I can educate my clients. Sure, the news can be downright depressing at times. But without the news, we are without the proper disclosures.

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Katerina Gasset

The Gasset Group & Get It Done For Me Virtual Services - Provo, UT

Amplify Your Real Estate & Life Dreams!

BTW- Congrats on your feature! Great counter post!

Aug 20, 2010 05:11 PM

Nevin Williams

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation - Cary, NC

Senior Mortgage Advisor

Oh man! After all of these years of blissful denial and now you challege me to be normal. Geez.... I got some sand in my ear...Gotta a Q tip?

Aug 20, 2010 05:36 PM

Mike Mayer

Mike Mayer, Broker/Owner - i List For Less Realty, LLC - Lafayette, LA

True, one cannot turn a blind eye. However, one lesson I've learned is that one cannot be all things to all people. That's one of the reasons for the prescription, caveat emptor.

Aug 20, 2010 07:01 PM

Lorraine or Loretta Kratz

Crescent Moon Realty, Inc. & Land N Sea Auctions. - San Marcos, CA

Certified Negotiation Consultants

I support the endeavor to stay abreast of what is going on in your local market, via the local paper or going on the internet. I know from personal experience that my local community changes daily, from school closings to boundaries changes, and yes, what business are staying & which are going.

I also, find good info to blog about. I enjoy reading the newspaper .

Aug 21, 2010 01:40 AM

Michael Setunsky

Woodbridge, VA

Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Cynthia, you make a very valid point for keeping up what is happening in your community. Thanks for the reminder.

Aug 21, 2010 01:46 AM

Tammie White, Broker

Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN

Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Cynthia, I watch the local and national news. I also read a little local paper that deals with some of the issues that you mentioned. I am especially interested in improvement projects and school information. That is what both buyers and sellers are most interested in.

Aug 21, 2010 03:09 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Karen Anne - ah ha, it was you! I have a HOG in my garage (Harley Fat Boy), maybe that was on my mind at the time!

Liz - I read articles out loud too. One of us might be cooking and the other one reading. It's quality time together.

Susan - I hate not knowing what someone is talking about!

Ken - my mistake in my blog was to only mention newspapers and the TV. Getting news online is perfectly OK, the folks I was referring to are the ones who totally shut themselves off from news because of the negativity. Put yourself back on the "good" list :)

Paul - thanks ... I love TGIF!

Aug 21, 2010 05:13 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Katerina - we have some good news stations out of San Francisco. I don't watch a lot of news on TV unless it is something that is best understood by video (Katrina, 2004 Tsunami are examples). My local newspaper definitely leans to the left, but it covers what is going on locally, nationally and globally which I very much appreciate.

Nevin - oh no, not you!

Mike - you speak the truth.

Lorraine - I grew up reading the comics. Then I started reading the articles. Then it became a vice. This was learned behavior, my whole family reads the newspaper daily.

Michael - somehow I think you do a pretty good job of staying current :)

Tammie - clients ask a lot of questions and I like to be able to answer most of them. And you are right, home improvement and schools are the most talked about.

Aug 21, 2010 05:24 AM

Patricia Aulson

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate - Exeter, NH

Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes

Thanks for the post today.

Aug 21, 2010 07:39 AM

Kate Elim

Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA

Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Cynthia...I hope I'm not breaking any AR rules but I'm adding this comment which I left on the other post.

I read newspapers, watch tv, listen to the radio, and search the internet for information. I have always wanted to know what's going on not only in the world around me but far from home.

Many, many things affect us whether we know about them or choose to ignore them. I'd rather know as much as possible whether it is local news, real estate related issues, technological and scientific discoveries, and many other things.

The more well-rounded we are the more enriching our lives and the value we bring to any relationship including with our clients.

Learning to be discriminating is very important in life. I don't believe everything I read nor hear. Never did and don't expect I ever will. Our own biased views often determine which ones we think are slanted. There are sources that are more reliable than others and if in doubt about the validity of something it can be checked out on sites like factcheck.com.

Kate

Aug 21, 2010 11:33 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Patricia - you are welcome!

Kate - we are definitely like-minded. I had a manager who once said "I believed everything I read until my Father wrote a book". I guess he realized that anyone could write anything, there really isn't something that qualifies a writer. And with the Internet, we all have to critique EVERY thing we read. I'm sure I get some of my facts wrong as well. I use snopes.com for a lot of the fishy e-mails I get that are passed around.

Aug 21, 2010 12:00 PM

Kate Elim

Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA

Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Cynthia...I've used snopes.com too but found that factcheck.com is suits me a bit more. I like the way it's set up. If you haven't taken a look yet you might find you like it too.

It amazes me when some folks say they only watch someone that is quite extremist and think they are hearing a fair and balanced report. I know which tv channel lean to the left, to the right, and the one that is more centrist. I tend to watch the one that is more slanted towards the way I feel but I don't fool myself into thinking I'm getting unbiased information.

Good topic and interesting comments...even the one that amused me.

Kate

Aug 21, 2010 02:44 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Not unusual. Some folks listen to music while driving. Some folks listen to music at home when not watching a TV show.

There are millions upon millions of folks who have no knowledge of what's going on in the country or the world. Just listen to "man on the street" interviews.

Not a clue.

I'm a news junkie so I'm often sending "snippets" of news to agents in my network. They appreciate it and it helps them to stay on top of real estate related matters in the news.

Aug 22, 2010 01:37 AM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Kate - we have some very good news channels from San Francisco. I don't stick to just one channel either, there are some reporters I favor over others, the ones who keep a constant tone instead of a tone of hype. I'll check out factcheck.com.

Lenn - I don't know how folks cannot know what is going on in the world. Let's just hope those are the same folks who don't bother to vote.

Aug 22, 2010 03:47 AM

Liz Loadholt

Liz Loadholt- AgentOwned Realty- Covering SC - Mount Pleasant, SC

Realtor--Broker-in-charge - Trainer--Relocation Director Covering SC

Cynthia ---- could not agree with you more -- if you are in the real estate business, it is our job to know what is going on in our local areas --- as you said -- disclosures are critical.

Aug 22, 2010 05:19 AM

Connie Winstead

Nancy Puder & Associates - Arroyo Grande, CA

San Luis Obispo County CA Real Estate Agent

Well my two cents is that I read my local newspaper even though it gets stacked up on me sometimes. How can you not know what is going on in your community? Thanks for bringing this up. Glenn Beck ... really?

Aug 24, 2010 06:29 PM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Liz - we just had an article in our paper today about a proposal for a 1,900 home developement. If I show a home today on the boundary line of that proposed development do you think the buyers might want to know that the green space behind the house might soon be littered with development? I think so!

Connie - your two cents are priceless. I'm with you on the Glenn Beck comment. P.S. I love where you live.

Aug 25, 2010 04:24 AM

Kate Elim

Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA

Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Cynthia and Connie...Thank goodness I'm not the only one that tends to believe Glenn Beck does not deliver news. I was being a little more discreet in my second comment #46. It's scary that he is a source of someone's news. When we stop being able to recognize extremism, no matter which way it leans, we are in trouble.

Kate

Aug 25, 2010 02:36 PM

MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900

Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA

Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

I too love to start my day with a cup of coffee and the SJ Mercury News.

Aug 25, 2010 09:25 PM

Cynthia Larsen

Cotati, CA

Independent Broker In Sonoma County, CA

Kate - LOL, I guess that means you won't be at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug 28th for the restoring honor rally?

Michelle - Hey, South Bay friend, I drink my coffee with the Press Democrat (owned by the New York Times) out of Santa Rosa.

Aug 26, 2010 04:39 AM

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