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Recent letter to my agents

By
Real Estate Attorney with Bay Vista Realty BK671311

This is an email that I sent my agents today, and I thought that I would share here too.  Please enjoy and leave a comment or two.  

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For those of you who are in attendance for the class next month, this will be a preview.   

 When I was overseas, there was this guy.  More of a kid really. (barely 19) Couldn't put his boots on right without help from a key leader, or so it seemed.  He was a little overweight by normal standards, and very over weight by Military standards, and he was a dead ringer for Bobby Hill from the Fox television cartoon "King of The Hill"  So in the tradition of Love and camaraderie that we military folks show towards each other, I started calling him Bobby Hill and it stuck.  In fact, until yesterday, I couldn't remember his real name.  

Anyway, Bobby (as he was known by everyone by this point) was struggling with his weight and Physical Fitness, which is mandatory.  He had rubbed some of the guys the wrong way just because he was such a poor soldier and so many didn't care to help him.  He was not my soldier (not in my squad) and not even in my responsibility.  But he was a soldier just the same.   

I was going to the gym every night until about 2:00 am.  An hour of cardio and an hour of weights, and it was working.  I changed my physique and my overall mental attitude about life through better health, but not about humanity.  (I was away from my family and in a Freaking War Zone, to say I might be resentful would be like saying Earth MIGHT have Gravity)  

One night I was working out and in walks Bobby.  At first I didn't even notice him, between reps and breaks.  It wasn't until I took off my MP3 player and looked up that I saw him struggling to lift some weights.  His form was off and he was completely dry so I knew he had not warmed up in the least.  So as a Senior NCO, I had to stop him immediately before he risked tearing a muscle.  (We had this ridiculous standing order against injuries, in a WAR ZONE)   

So anyway, I approached "Bobby" and in my best Army voice, I asked him what he thought he was doing.  He immediately broke down.  He had been coming to the gym for months, after hours so that no-one would see him trying, and simply mistimed his workout. 

He had seen me and was hoping that I wouldn't see him.    

Now this next part might seem counter-productive, but we went to the sandwich shop.  On Military posts where there are 24 hours operations, there is 24 hour food and 24 (old) COFFEE. 

We spoke for a few hours and I realized that buried under several unwanted pounds of genetic fat, there was this kid who wanted to be a soldier.  He didn't see himself as a soldier and  even worse, he didn't feel fit to wear the uniform.  But he wanted it badly.  

I asked him about the nickname.  (I really felt responsible) He responded, SSG De Pury, you are the only guy who even cared to give me a nickname that wasn't profane, and I kind of like it, because everyone knows who Bobby Hill is (meaning himself).  So we stayed with Bobby or just Hill.    

It turns out that Hill had been trying desperately to loose weight and grow some muscle.  He needed to pass his PT (push-ups, sit-ups, 2 mile run)  test to get accepted to a school, and he needed that school to get promoted, and he needed to get promoted to earn more money to pay his bills back home.  The problem was that he would get a bill or letter from a creditor, which would get him anxious and/or depressed and then he would eat.  He didn't know how to work out and so he was not getting any gains in the gym, and he was not going to get any help from his leaders because he was not trying (Remember, he was hiding his efforts at 3:00 am, when the sane slept)  

So, under my wing he went. 

First, I swore that this would be our secret and I would not tell a single soul.  (I told several people, his leadership, they should have been embarrassed, not Hill) But I wanted him to start getting encouraged by those who were discouraging him.  

I then introduced him and more importantly his creditors to the SSCRA (http://usmilitary.about.com/od/sscra/l/blsscra.htm).   

Then we looked at his body type.  I sent him to the Doc for a work-up and we got started. 

We started by changing his diet and his mental state about food.  We also changed his workout to focus on large muscle groups.  Then I took his belt and cut off any excess.  No going backwards then.   

I made him get a notebook and write down everything he consumed and everything he burned.  Every workout was logged and every Saturday he did a PT test with me.  Within 30 days, he was passing and with 45 he was at the 70% needed for school.  Bobby continued on and he changed his entire outlook. 

He became proud and his leadership became proud of him.  He went on to go to school and I am pretty sure that he got that promotion after we returned home.  

So why did I tell you this story?  Look at me.  Do I look like some kind of Physical fitness GURU?  A Personal Trainer? Hell No.  Now days, for a workout, I pull the plug in the bath-tub and fight the current

So how did I help this kid?  I didn't, I just believed in him, and he helped himself.  I didn't lift a single weight that added muscle to his frame, nor did I walk past a single donut that would have added fat. 

He did all of the work, I just gave him some encouragement and belief, some direction and some grief.  (Besides, those donuts were tasty)  

 In the same way that I did what I did for Hill, I do for my agents from time to time.  But that is not the real moral or goal here either. 

The moral is that I got a great sense of pride form helping a fellow soldier.  The goal is to get you guys to do the same.     Each of you has a business.  You are all running your own Real Estate Business and from that you have learned things that have helped you and other things not to do again. 

In much the same way, there are other friends of yours that you work with.    They are your Carpet cleaners and mortgage brokers, your Vet or pool guy, your lawn guy or maybe your car mechanic.  Whomever it is, you will know them when you talk to them.  They will look up to you and look for some guidance.  They won't say it, but it will be there.  Grab them, use your best Army voice, and ask how business is.  Ask them what they are doing for new business and how they are keeping old business from becoming stale business

Find their niche and their desires.  Do a Dutch Lunch and talk about them.  Offer to share links on websites and let them know that they are your go-2-guy for what ever it is they do. (This makes you theirs by default) 

Get them moving in a new direction if they express that interest and give some encouragement and belief, some direction and some grief (When applicable)  

I think that if you do this in 2007 you will learn something more valuable than any class I could give.  You will learn how to build a business that will in turn build yours.  You will feel great about it and you will be writing a letter like this in a few years, because you will repeat it. 

You will learn some of your own shortcomings and overcome them and you will use your strengths to overcome another's weaknesses, and vice-versa.   

And Maybe-just maybe, you will be shocked when a voice form the past calls you and leaves you a voice mail about his father wanting a horse farm in Florida.   

 Time to wrap this up, I gotta call Bobby Hill back.    

 

Your friend and fellow Realtor,    

Gary De Pury

Broker~Owner

Bay Vista Realty and Investments, Inc.

Office  (813) 909-8202

"Sell"  (813) 917-4279

Fax     (813) 909-8018

 

Re-Defining Real Estate

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I certainly hope this helps and if you have any questions, as always, feel free to drop a line at Gary@BayVistaRealty.com

If you or someone you know needs assistance with a Short Sale anywhere in the Tampa Bay Area, please don't hesitate to call to speak with a certified Short Sale Specialist.

 

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Gary De Pury, SFR

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