Answer "the WHY" I am a Realtor!
Why I Sell Real Estate In Springfield, Mo!
Who thinks of this as a hard question? Probably not many, but for me I have found the ANSWER to be VERY IMPORTANT! Perhaps, you have given this some thought to your WHY and want to share.
I got into real estate when a friend said her Realtor husband was so busy that his boss was looking to expand, the year was 2006. I have to say, I had an ease about going for it! Soon I was a Realtor! I found I had a strong desire to help people find the most bang for their buck. I was aggressive and helpful. Accommodated everyone's schedule, 7am showings, contracts at midnight, I was engaged! I was heavy into learning and had a passion for understanding the contract. I always wanted buyers and sellers to understand on the details.
It wasn't until I sat down and thought about my past that I had a light bulb moment of MY WHY! am I a REALTOR? My first experience of buying a house was in 1992. My father had told me about one of his co-workers buying a house. It was new construction, overlooking Table Rock Lake in Branson West. Her's was the first house into the subdivision, mine was the second! It was interesting when I met with the builder and he said, there would be a pool, tennis courts and basketball court. I can remember my dad saying, “ Yvonne, those things aren't built, do not expect them just because they said it.” In fact, he followed up with more words of wisdom, “no house is without flaws and expense, you will be the homeowner responsible for your own home.”
Fast forward, Stone County had no building codes in place or inspectors for new construction in the 90's. The developer built 36 houses and each was hooked up on septic holding tanks, a fact that was not shared. Buyers included John Davidson of Hollywood Squares who had 5 of them for his band who were playing in Branson, Mo. I never had a concern about the septic, as I could flush my toilet daily.
The builder was building another 50, and got 23 of those sold before he started feeling the heat, all because he didn’t have the sewage system in place. The FBI was looking for this developer for fraudulent activity. He left behind his crew who were still working and were waiting to be paid. When it became clear that he wasn't coming back, the company who had been pumping twice a day, stopped pumping until there was a contract in place. I was all over that, putting together the first home association meeting. But then the DNR said the holding containers were bad and raw sewage was leaking into the lake. Still I was trying to change things up. Then the county said they wouldn't take care of the road anymore. Before I blinked the home owners association was accessing us $5600 each, I was the only naysayer to the allocation of funds, those who had decided no, were no longer participating, and were letting their home go back to the bank. Next, came a $150 a month charge to pump the sewage twice a day. Crazy thing was the homeowners association spent $100,000 on the road and the septic problem had not been addressed.
I met with the county commissioner and that was disastrous. He sat in a chair puffing on his cigarette telling me that it was my problem. I could not put in my own septic tank, even though I had spent $500 to have it accessed and there was no reason it could not be done, except the county would not allow me to.
Next, I decided it was time to write Governor Ashcroft an email. I had met him a few times and amazingly that is when I got some help. His secretary called me and put me in touch with my senators and representatives and soon we were meeting. That was fun, the invites to go and speak to the powers to be who wanted to help.
Finally, we had a public meeting with the county commissioner who told my neighborhood that we needed 500 signatures on a petition to get assistance with some bond. Off I went, door knocking, and it was tough. That experience, probably ended any aspirations of politics. I was fierce and to the point and angry too. We moved the mountain and were on a slow journey up a tall mountain.
Months later, a neighbor shared with me that the kids were down there by the lake playing around the tanks and there was sewage still going down the hill to Table Rock! I went down and looked in disbelief. I grabbed my cell phone and called all three local television stations. I told each of them, you need to come down here and see this, and blink of an eye I was holding my own press conference. I really didn't know what the fallout of this decision, but I was all about doing the right thing! After words, I took all the video, and meet with a realtor and listed my house. I told her I wanted to sell my house and she was to make sure that it was fully disclosed and that video was shown prior to anyone making an offer. It took about six months before closing on the house and moving on. The buyer still owns the house, and she appears to still love everything about it.
I love being a Realtor because there is so much to know and understand. I have the ability to help people make the right choice for them! It is a profession that demands integrity and confidence to speak the truth. There are test every day, and with knowledge and resources I believe I can travel my chosen path to impact one life at a time! When is the right time to buy and sell? When it is right for you!! Large inventory, phenomenal prices, historically low interest rates......
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