Since I've spent the last 16 years helping others list and sell and I haven't been an active Realtor for as long, I was just remembering all the things I really didn't like about being a Realtor. Just a trip down memory lane... see if any of these rings a bell with you. I know there are many who absolutely love being a Realtor and that is good. I was not one, it wasn't a good fit for my personality but I wrestled with it for over 8 years before the opportunity to buy our Homes and Land magazine came along.
1. Sales Meetings. Ugh, I dreaded Tuesday mornings. I was with a very aggressive growing firm... Engulf and Devour is what I nicknamed them. Every sales meeting seemed to be an introduction to a new program, a new office just purchased or something that always seemed to cost me more money. Then I'd have to listen to why this was good for me and all I could think was how many more sales I had to make to cover the new expense. Either that or it always seemed time to give to LPAC or PAR or NAM and they always wanted 100% participation. I never gave one dime to any political action group, period. When I acquired my first portable cell phone around 1992 (Don't even own one now.), I would have Bonnie call me on Tuesday mornings about 5-10 minutes into sales meeting and I'd walk out while gesturing that I had to take this... and then just not come back. I was real good at looking busy for the sake of not being busy. Once and a while she would get tied up or forget and I'd have to muddle through the meeting and house tour.
2. Phone Calls at All Hours. On the day our first daughter was born, it was a crazy day from the early morning when her water broke until 10:30 that night when Gretchen finally came along. During that day I got word that a contract came in for a listing of Bonnie's that I was covering for her. I let the people know she was in labor and would it be ok to come tomorrow to present the offer. No problem they told me. I got home that night exhausted and a proud new dad and made the mistake of listening to the answering machine. Her clients had called about an hour before to tell me they couldn't sleep without knowing what the offer was and that I should call them at any hour! So like the nice people pleaser I was I drove, bleary eyed into the office to get the contracts and drove back home to let them know. I don't remember if it was a good offer or not as that was 24 years ago now.
3. Impatient People. This kind of ties into the last one but the time that comes to mind was the winter week in 1993. We got 24 inches of snow on a weekend, by Tuesday we had another 4 inches on top and Friday we got pummeled with another 14 inches. The State of PA was under ordered emergency status and the orders were broadcast that anyone who was not emergency personnel found out driving would be ticketed. The roads where we lived were impassable for most of the week. We also had blowing and drifting conditions that when they'd get a lane opened up it would blow shut within hours. Bonnie was the listing agent for a condo community who had snow removal as part of their HOA plan. The phone started ringing on Monday with calls about "When are they going to dig us out??" "We can't go anywhere!" and the like. After about a dozen calls I started getting a little perturbed and started snapping back- "Where are you going to go?" Needless to say, we enjoined being snowed in ourselves... and it was wonderful family time.
4. Trying to Plant Signs in Frozen Ground. Nothing would work until a thaw day or two. The endless trips back to properties to reset the signs always bothered me. Open houses were the worst with all the directional signs needed.
5. Buyers From Hades. I remember getting a well qualified buyer from New York coming to town for one weekend and just had to buy right away. I set up a full day of showings on Saturday of everything that was what they wanted. The bad thing was they wanted anywhere within Lancaster County so our tour was going to be a monster one. They met me at my office and brought their two grown men children (who still lived with them), one was at least 400 lbs while the other brother was skinny as a rail. The other unexpected rider was a super old tiny dog with very little fur and was incontinent to boot. They just couldn't leave the dog at home or in a kennel. So off we went. After 2 homes, both brothers couldn't agree on anything, the skinny one kept yelling at his big brother to hurry up which was impossible especially when there were stairs involved. They reminded me of Ray and Robert Barone, always at each other and very whiney. Then the requests to stop and get something to eat every hour was very annoying as well. The skinny one would say more than once... "In case you hadn't noticed, my brother weighs 800 pounds!" We were about an hour and half behind schedule already when they wanted to stop for a leisurely paced lunch... my treat of course as they made no effort at all to even look at the check. On the good side, the dog just slept in my van and didn't have any accidents ... whew! After skipping a few homes due to the lazy way of looking, being so far behind schedule and not finding anything that any of them could agree on... I dropped them off and said I'd be in touch. I secretly was writing them off and praying I'd never hear from them again. I didn't... I'm sure they didn't like me either.
I could go on but I was just recalling today how fortunate I was to find a real estate related business that was more suited for me. I also wonder that now that I've had the revelation of Jesus Christ in my life since then, would I have handled situations any differently then, had I known Jesus back then? Most assuredly I would have is the answer I come up with. I was a self righteous and self serving individual. My main motive was closing a deal with as little work as possible. Even though I would never lie to or deceive anyone knowingly, I was not the type to put people ahead of my own desires. The one thing I'm sure I've learned is this: I would have sold much more and listed much more had I put everyone else's needs ahead of my own. With proper and healthy boundaries put in place, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it much more also. Bottom line, I was very immature for succeeding in real estate. I'm convinced that those who succeed long term in real estate are some of the most unselfish, patient and mature human beings on the planet.
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