My days of helping challenged buyers may be coming to an end.......

My days of helping challenged buyers may be coming to an end.......

Throughout my career, I've always had a soft spot for first time buyers or buyers who are seeking a home in a challenging market.

We all know what it's like to want to buy a home with little down payment in an upward market.  Cash and conventional buyers usually have the priority and FHA or buyers with 5% or less down payment tend to go to the bottom of the pile in a multiple offer environment.

That has never stopped me in the past.  I've always been turbo-charged with both the challenge and the empathy of trying to help people enter the homeowner's market when they don't have a boatload of money.

I think that probably stems from the fact that my family never really had a lot of money, and I feel it's only right to help those that want a fair shake at living the dream.

It's been almost 10 years for me now, and that may be coming to an end, or at minimum, a different outlook.

I've helped MANY buyers get their first home.  Some of them took 30 or 40 plus offers, dozens and dozens of home viewings, hundreds of hours of communication and even years of never giving up, but I did it.  And I'm very proud of those clients who are homeowners now because of the hard work.

But in recent years, it seems that there is not much appreciation for that hard work.  For example, I've taken on clients that most agents would not because it was going to be difficult to get them in.  And then what seems to happen is the communication all of a sudden stops.  And I've found that usually means a hidden agenda - i.e. - they've decided to romance the listing agent and play upon their greed to get an accepted offer, or a "friend of a friend" enters the picture and pursuades them to take a different, shady route, etc.

Most of these buyers do not have a clue as to the type of accomplished agent I am, my accolades, my ethics, my education and resources, and how fortunate they are to be working with someone like me.  I'm not saying that I'm the only agent on the planet with this mix.  There are many.  But we are the minority as the bulk of the real estate agent market are part-time and/or tend to end up wherever the wind blows.

So, with that being said, I think I can truly say that I've done my deed.  I've helped many challenged buyers become homeowners.  I've paid my dues.

At minimum, should I decide to use my resourcefulness, expertise and education to help any similar kind of buyers, it will have to be with a buyer-broker agreement.  Period.  If any buyers are uncomfortable with that, they'll have to go and find another agent that doesn't have enough respect for themselves to work under an open window of being taken advantage of.  The relationship, as in most, must be based on mutual respect.

This blog post serves many purposes.  For one, it's obvious that it is a venting channel for me.  I just needed to get this off of my chest.  But also, if you are a buyer out there that fits this profile, take heed.  Appreciate the time and effort of a good, qualified, resourceful, seasoned agent should you be fortunate enough to work with one.  They are the difference between becoming a successful homeowner and a statistic.  They are the difference between becoming a homeowner with positive energy for your family and ending up in a lawsuit because they fly by the seat of their pants.  They are the difference between meeting your financial goals, and ending up paying tens of thousands of dollars for things that a seasoned agent knows to watch out for.

So as the market continues to become more internet based with sites like RedFin, Zillow, Trulia, and hundreds of others joining the bandwagon who think technological automation is the key for buyers, I will be headed in another direction.  My value as a real estate professional goes leaps and bounds beyond just being someone to open the door for people.  The more the internet sites attempt to create what "seems" like empowerment for the buyer or seller, the more it seems to create a perspective of the real estate agent being more of a "disposable" commodity.  And for those who know the residential real estate market well, nothing could be further from the truth.  For example, I see more and more online capacity being created for people to track and monitor their health treatments.  You can see your history, you can view diagnosis, etc.  But does that mean that your physician is no longer necessary?  When your ill, do you trust the internet to treat you and heal you?  Or do you feel more comfortable having a qualified professional help find the solution for you?  I've been officially around enough to be able to call myself a practicioner.  I take pride in being able to look someone straight in the eye and tell them "you're in good hands".

I officially remove myself from any type of prostitution ring.  If you are a buyer or seller willing to delve into that prostitution ring of agents who will say or do anything to get a paycheck, then take heed in my statement, and know the meaning of the phrase "you get what you pay for".

As in life in general, be appreciative.  Be thankful.  Live your life on a path of positive energy.  Be respectful of those people and the environment around you.  It will come back to you ten fold in the form of positive energy and peace.

Choose the route that through smoke and mirrors appears to be the magic bullet, and/or if it involves having to throw someone else under the bus, then take heed in the statement that I'll never forget hearing at a conference regarding that from the founder of Keller Williams, Gary Keller:  "You're gonna' get yours......"

Much Peace, Love, and Prosperity,

The Ralphster

Ralph Gorgoglione

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