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Can we stop with the positive and just tell the truth.

By Christina Strommen Stevens

Real Estate Agent with Southwest Realty Advisors LLC 0515710

January 22, 2008 03:42 AM

I a sorry but reading the blogs this morning has got me onto one of my rants. Maybe I am just the blondest, dumbest real estate/ home builder in the world. You be the judge.

I have read a ton of post this morning talking about the positive aspect of the rates dropping this morning. Do you not understand why the fed is doing this??? We are in serious economic trouble here people. Pay attention to what is outside our our little real estate bubble. This is not the end of the world but we better be willing to adjust our practices and mind frames.

Stop pushing ARMS on people. The "loss Lending" is what got our end of this mess started. Yes this is all cyclical. What goes up must come down.

If you want to be successful in this business learn to take the good with the bad and tell the truth. Your clients will actually appreciate your decency. I have turned down 2 listings in the last week and for good reasons. Once was over a million dollars yet I have to do what is right for the client and my soul.

Before you post BS search your soul. Trust me you will sleep better for being truthful person.

And yes I do believe in being positive but I am a bigger believer in truths. In addition I am firm when it comes to reality. I think people appreciate finding a honest soul in this business.

I think we have all heard the old saying that HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

Christina

www.Galveston4sale.com

www.SanAntono4sale.net

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Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty

Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL

Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

It is all about credibility - With ourselves and clients!

Jan 22, 2008 03:50 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Gary- so true. If you don't have anything nice to say well for pete sake don't just make up stuff.

Jan 22, 2008 03:53 AM

Joe Adams

Major Mortgage USA/Branch Manager - Montrose, CO

Honesty is always best and fixed rates are better. We are not clear of this yet.

Jan 22, 2008 03:55 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

So true Joe yet every mortgage broker is praising the Lord this morning wit the rate cuts offering great ARMS, ETC.

Funny how the headline always seems to show the sad agent in a bad market instead of the mortgage lenders who drug us down into this mess. Educate your clients and stay part of the process. Don't just assume the mortgage rep has their best interests at heart.

Jan 22, 2008 03:59 AM

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573

MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME

Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Christina...it is not dire everywhere. That is not Pollyanna or rose colored glasses talking. Yes there are areas where they keep building and have not noticed inventory piling up. Yes there are sellers that remember what they could have gotten two years ago or what their neighbor did get back then. But like the REALTOR radio/tv ads say (Every Market Is NOT The Same). The rant on thinking brokers/agents are not telling it like it is or being straight urks us in areas where property is moving, where prices are Sooooo much lower than the rest of the world. Areas like Maine that the more messed up the housing market is in other urban areas, the more attractive buying a five+ acre country home with killer view, pond, near many lakes, with a small barn for $67,500 gets folks charged up. They bail out of the high cost urban areas. We have folks dump their property they have owned in CT for the last 30 years they bought cheap who went down to work at Pratt and Whitney, Electric Boat, General Dynamics kind of places who never intended to stay when they left the farm. They cut their price to get on with their life and bail out! They own their homes and can sell them cheaper than the fellow that moved in last year and over improved at the same time market values fell off. They can take a $100,000 less and are not going to wait for a market. They make the market as they want to retire and live somewhere more reasonable without a mortgage!

Jan 22, 2008 04:00 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

Andrew- not dire here in my Texas markets (actually I build in one of the top 5 markets in the country) yet the President and economists are scrambling to help out country???? I never said EVERYWHERE. It is dire where I practice in Vegas and many other states. More then dire, out right sad. Do you watch the news. Be honest about our economy and the TRUE reason we are lowering rate.

My rant was not specific to brokers but to mortgage. Yes brokers should be accountable also since they should play more of an advisement rule in their clients purchase. Especially brokers or agents acting as the mortgage rep and agent. I so hate that.

Jan 22, 2008 04:07 AM

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573

MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME

Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

I see on the news a tendency to generalize and cover the whole country and world in black and white generalizations. That does not reflect the diverse country and world we live in. And it sways viewers, listeners to chicken little and panic. I heard one economist state this week that history has shown down turns in the real estate market last shorter and shorter times since the depression big whammy back in the late 20's early 30's and that 14 months should just about wrap this one up. It's an opinion and you can put your life on hold based on that or hopefully you run your own financial affairs considering what if market shifted, if a correction hit, how are you sitting to ride the storm out. I know your frustration and bombardment of opinions on yours and my profession!

Jan 22, 2008 08:35 AM

Christina Strommen Stevens

Southwest Realty Advisors LLC - Galveston, TX

Galveston Texas Realtor, Vacation home expert

I guess I agree with your point about the news being a bit batty from time to time. The word you were searching for I believe is cyclical. Yes this is the way our economy works, we have up and downs, yet we do have to prepare for the downs.

I am not referencing what I am seeing by the news alone. I build homes with ALL new homes builders. The only ones who are not having major problems are the Texas and custom home builders. More and more apartments are being thrown up and quickly. Many national builders are bracing for the storm. I have seen so many people loss their jobs due to the economy. Have you noticed that unemployment is done??? This is not made up. This is not a fabrication on our governments part. What do you think we have to gain by making up negative press??? Very interesting. Myself, well am a believer in facts and not so much conspiracy theories. I do believe terrorism caused 911, not the government in some evil plot to have use take their oil. Sorry but I believe in the truth that make American the best nation in the world. I try to put my faith in the leaders of this country and the news that reports life day to day.

We do live in a diverse country but not sure what that has to do with the economy. it is what it is which is why our government is working hard to help the current state of affairs. World markets are taking notice of our economic situation and losing on their end b/c of it. The numbers do not lie and they are not diverse.

To sway viewers, listernerss to chicken little???? Not sure what you mean??? This is not some conspiracy by the news to get ratings. This is the truth. Have you bought gas lately??? Have you bought food lately??? Have you noticed the trends in our economy. Research what a recession means. You can visit one of my previous posts regarding the signs. history will and does often repeat itself. Especially when it comes to the economy.

Nobody is saying we should panic. I a certainly niot panicked yet I am smart enought not to try ad lie to consumers about real estate. Because of this I sleep well at night. The ENTIRE point of my post was to express that the lies being tld should be turned in to truths. This is why our profession has a bad name. People want the truth and you will fell better for it when all is said and done. The truth does not mean you should not invest or buy. The truth means you should look hard at your finances before doing so. Be responsible. If we all practiced a bit more of this our economy might be a bit better.

Thanks for your thought Andrew.

Jan 23, 2008 01:15 AM