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Have you ever paid for something twice due to a failed DIY?

By
Real Estate Agent with Long & Foster REALTORS® VA License # 0225216535

Have you ever had to pay for something twice due to a failed Do-It-Yourself attempt?  I have and now I have another story to share with my clients.  

I recently purchased a new cell phone cover and discovered my new case didn't allow the charger head to be fully seated into the port.  Being thrifty by nature, I immediately took to task to 'fix' it instead of returning it.  The concept didn't seem too hard--simply widen the hole on the phone case to accommodate the charger.  After using my trusted knife, several matches, and a lot of patience, it worked; however, it didn't look pretty.  While operational, I consider my DIY as a cosmetic fail.   

Had I taken some offered advice of a professional phone mogul, I'm certain I wouldn't be sitting here planning to purchase another phone case.  As it is, now I have a cautionary story to tell future home buyers and sellers who contemplate 'doing it themselves'.

A home is usually the most expensive purchase of a lifetime and some people insist on doing it themselves.  Of course it can be done, but the outcome may be stressful and not very pretty.  The process of purchasing or selling a home is not one I would recommend as a DIY project.  The financial risk is lessened when a professional offers you guidance and takes care of the process from beginning to end...in real estate, that professional is called a REALTOR®.

 

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Comments(26)

Michele Connors
The Overton Group, LLC Pitt & Carteret County - Greenville, NC
Your Eastern North Carolina Realtor

this is a great topic ! LOL ... My fails typically happen in the kitchen.. I tend to have a back up meal ready when I am experimenting with a new recipe. 
Pinterest has surely cost me more than I want to admit hahha

Mar 05, 2015 10:15 PM
Kim Frasier
Best View Imaging - Millbury, MA
Showcase Your Listing with its Best View

Thank you very much for sharing this wise advice.  Before I started working in this industry I always thought I would do it on my own when it came to buying a home.  But within only a short amount of time working with real estate agents and learning about the market I realized that this is much to much to do on your own.  Better safe than sorry on this one.

Mar 05, 2015 11:09 PM
Captain Wayne - Rowlett Real Estate School
Rowlett Real Estate School - Panama City, FL
Rowlett Real Estate School / Owner and Instructor

Welcome, Cathleen Connolly to the Rain train! I'm glad you made the brave first steps into the blogging world with us! It's a great place to be and I hope to see many more posts from you in the future!

Mar 05, 2015 11:22 PM
Frank Harper
Idaho Family Real Estate - Boise, ID
Broker/Owner, Realtor, GRI, SFR.

Welcome to ActiveRain! Congrats on your first blog in the Rain! Keep up the good work!

Mar 06, 2015 03:23 AM
Cathleen Connolly
Long & Foster REALTORS® - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker

Thank you all for your kind remarks! 

David - Thank you for being the first to welcome me.  I'll admit...I was smiling :)

Christine - Thanks for the encouragement.  I hoped it would make sense to others as it did to me! 

Dan - Thank you.  I'm happy to be here! 

Chris M. - I recently gave someone that SAME advice!

Mar 06, 2015 03:52 AM
Cathleen Connolly
Long & Foster REALTORS® - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker

Chris S. - Thank you.  I hoped so! 

Michele - Thank you for sharing...I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! :)

Kim - Absolutely!  

Capt Wayne - Thank you for the warm welcome!  I was hesitant to post, but I'm glad I plunged in and landed in the safe and welcoming water of the Rain. 

Frank - Thank you.  I plan to keep blogging and hope it will be about things other than my failed DIY attempts!  

Mar 06, 2015 03:53 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

 I see this all the time.  Either husband tries to do floors himself and fails or they hire a cheap place and it fails. Either way, they are often paying at least twice...sometimes more because we have to rip up the messed up floors.  I've also had someone who had 3 people refinish his floors and then had to entirely replace them.  Dumb is what I'd call it.

Mar 06, 2015 05:44 AM
Jayne Esposito
Coldwell Banker - Morgan Hill, CA
SRES, GREEN

Well, I have burned a few dinners that forced us to eat out  Congrats on your first post!

Mar 06, 2015 06:17 AM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Cathleen Connolly - well, home purchase is surely a huge investment - so follow the basic rule - work with a professional!

Mar 07, 2015 01:48 PM
Cathleen Connolly
Long & Foster REALTORS® - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker

Debbie - Expensive at the very least!

Jayne - Thank you!

Praful - I absolutely agree! 

Mar 08, 2015 12:36 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Many things like these are the reason that I always help for professional help when I know I am out of my depths.

Mar 13, 2015 11:00 AM
Frank Rubi
Frank Rubi Real Estate, LLC - Metairie, LA
FrankRubiRealEstate.com

Cathleen, Welcome to the Active Rain Community. Most times I hire people to do any type of work. Just like I say hire a professional and get professional results. 

Mar 13, 2015 11:45 AM
Cathleen Connolly
Long & Foster REALTORS® - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker

Chris Ann - Yes, it's a basic skill--know our own limitations!

Frank - Thank you for the welcome!  Just this week, I've seen both a professional and unprofessional jobs in different homes...guess which house my clients picked?    

Mar 13, 2015 12:40 PM
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Hi, Cathleen. 

     Welcome to ActiveRain.

  You are so right about the DIY.   Hire a professional and pay only once!

Mar 13, 2015 01:42 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Cathleen - Welcome to the ActiveRain community.  One of the best resources for real estate professionals I've found!

Mar 13, 2015 10:30 PM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Cathleen you wrote a great post here.  Welcome to Active Rain.  We are looking forward to your future posts.

Mar 14, 2015 03:12 AM
Belinda Spillman
Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO
Colorado Living!

Hey Cathleen.  Chris Ann Cleland sent me over.  Welcome to our community.  Be careful as you proceed though - you will become addicted.

Mar 14, 2015 05:47 AM
Nick T Pappas
Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL
Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource

Cathleen, I'm stopping by after reading Chris Ann Cleland's shout out to you. The problem with DIY projects around the home is that they look like DIY projects...great points. Congrats on the Feature! 

Mar 14, 2015 07:19 AM
Cathleen Connolly
Long & Foster REALTORS® - Prince William, VA
Associate Broker

Fred - Thank you.  Agree!  I equate not hiring a professional  as being penny wise, but pound foolish. 

Mryl - Yes!  The information available here is incredible...I'm so glad Chris Ann  suggested it.  

Grant - Thank you for welcome and boost of confidence.  

Belinda- It's a bit intimidating posting alongside the experienced agents, but everyone has been so welcoming I may indeed become addicted!  Thank you.

Nick - Thanks for the welcome and taking the time to view my post.  I was surprised I made the featured post, but I was grinning nonetheless. 

Mar 14, 2015 03:25 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I am always doing this, even when I pay for professional work. I paid a construction company a ton of money to remodel my bath, and they couldn't install my bath drain. They referred me to somebody else after the job was finished, and I just paid this company $375 to do a custom install of the stinkin' bath drain. Why didn't they hire that company? I dunno.

Mar 16, 2015 06:13 AM