I do get entertained by having two companies. On the one side, as an electrical contractor, I get a lot of calls from Realtors who don't know me as a real estate broker. I almost never tell them I'm a broker until we have thoroughly discussed our electrical business. It's fun watching how Realtors treat tradesmen.
Today, I had another opportunity to watch a real estate professional. Our real estate company also 
does property management. In the past few months, we have been inundated with new property management opportunities. We've taken on enough that I've had to bring on more people to help us get the properties in shape for tenants.
Even with the additional help, I still don't have enough. This week, a local contractor was supposed to help us get a property ready for clients to move in Monday, but he got busy and couldn't make it so I loaded up my carpentry tools and headed out to the rental. I brought staff members along to paint a room, I fixed the drywall before they painted and I replaced five doors that were damaged by the previous tenants.
In the process, a neighbor dropped by to see what we were up to. I didn't have my Realtor attire on (whatever that is). He dropped in with his chest puffed out explaining that he was a Realtor and he wanted to know if he could see this property inside. He bloviated a bit about his business acumen before he told me his name, and I said, "Oh yeah, we recently did that Fannie Mae foreclosure together that was on xxxxxx Road."
I stuck out my hand and said, "I'm Mike Cooper, the broker you worked with on that deal." I could have bought him for fifty cents. I picked up that buyer because "this particular Realtor" didn't bother to answer his phone. When I introduced myself, and he finally realized that I wasn't some clueless carpenter, he totally changed his demeanor and the way he addressed his conversation to me.
Friends, you never know who you're talking to. Make sure when you come upon ANYONE that you treat them with dignity and respect. If our profession is going to garner respect, we must share that same level of respect with anyone and everyone we come in contact with. This guy would have continued to treat me like I was a mindless redneck tradesman until he realized who I was. Don't be that guy. We're better than this.
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