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I am grateful for speaking in common language

By
Real Estate Agent with The Virtual Real Estate Team 104556

Margaret Rome, Baltimore Maryland wrote a post on Time is of the Essence and it reminded me of the three principles I learned from my teacher in 1989. The second was location location location, but the third is what I am writing about. I commented to Margaret about and I put the third principle in the comment as SF MOL. I quickly received a text from Margaret asking me what I was talking about and I realized I committed a common faux pas as a REALTOR®m speaking in an ideal language instead of a common language. What I meant was Square Feet is always more or less and not exact, so you tell me which one tells you what it means? 

I also remember that years ago a buyer would ask me if I knew yet what the amount of the cashiers check was for their closing and I would reply, I need to see if the HUD has been generated. Do you think that a first time buyer knows what I am talking about? Normally they don't want to seem ignorant so they never ask. The point is I should have said that their is a closing statement that has where all the money is going and the totals of it, and when i have it you will know, and I am calling right now.

I think at times we say things in an ideal language without realizing it. Other times we want to sound important and we say things this way on purpose because we are afraid that our clients won't respect it otherwise. For me the key is communication that links and unites people instead of separating them. I don't want to be like that guy who is having a cocktail with two engineers who can speak the same language but I have no idea what they are talking about. So thank you Margaret for reminding me tp speak plainly with what I truly mean to say. It's a good thing to be questioned about what you do and realizing that there are too many ways to be separate and how we speak can be a great unifier.

Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

You make an excellent point about speaking in a common language, Joe.  One thing I have learned over the years is that putting things in in shortened version, ofte leaves clients in the cold when it comes to understanding.  For example, not all understand that "MLS" means "Multiple Listing Service."

Dec 07, 2017 05:07 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

CONGRATULATIONS Joe, on having this blog FEATURED in the Old Farts Club group!    

Dec 07, 2017 05:07 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Joe

This is a common problem in our business, but your points apply to many professions. They all have jargon and abbreviations, and it's easy as a practioner in that field to forget that others may not know what you are talking about.

Jeff

Dec 07, 2017 08:38 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Joe 

Margret Rome is an outstanding ActiveRain blogger.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Dec 07, 2017 08:40 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Joe 

Congratulations on earning a feature for your post.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Dec 07, 2017 08:41 PM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Joe Pryor congratulations on the well deserved feature!  Common language is not the same to everyone...

Dec 07, 2017 09:11 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Morning Joe.

I can remember just like it was yesterday when I first heard fiz bo, FSBO.  I had no idea of what the agent was talking about.  Terminology, like all other professions needs to be explained to those who are not in that profession

Dec 08, 2017 02:59 AM
Nathan Gesner
American West Realty and Management - Cody, WY
Broker / Property Manager

Great points, Joe. I try hard to remember to dummy down my language with newer clients.

Dec 08, 2017 04:50 AM
Tim Maitski
Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage - Atlanta, GA
Truth, Excellence and a Good Deal

I agree with you but then you went French on me with faux pas.

Along the same line, as I grow older I have to refrain from making references to older movies or performers because many are too young to know what I'm talking about.  

Dec 08, 2017 05:39 AM
Joe Pryor

Tim Maitski You really made me start laughing this morning with the remark about faux pas and I almost snorted my coffee. There I was talking about common language and then I go all French.

Dec 08, 2017 06:03 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Someone used the words ballyhoo and shenanigans the other day and I get the gist but still don't know what it means exactly only to not do this if you can

Dec 08, 2017 07:16 AM
Richard Bazinet /MBA, CRS, ABR
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Phoenix Scottsdale. Sellers, Buyers & Relocations

So true. I pride myself in explained things in plain English and not to over-complicate. 

Dec 08, 2017 07:51 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

This is a wonderful reminder to say what we want to say in plain language. When I used to work in a telecommunications firms, we were the masters of acronyms. I had to often stop people and ask what the word they just said meant. Otherwise, how would I ever understand what they were actually saying?

Dec 08, 2017 08:21 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Well said, Joe. I can remember trying to figure out what Larry and his friends were talking about when we went out with his fellow homebuilders. It took me a while and sometimes I had to make a mental note to ask him later what it meant. 

 

Dec 08, 2017 09:21 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Joe this has been a stickler for me for many years. Talk in a language people will understand - please!  Sometimes we all mess up (me too) and it's easy to tell because somebody is looking at me like  - what the heck are you talking about? Whoops sorry...this is what I meant!!!

Dec 08, 2017 09:49 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Joe Pryor

Have a great weekend . . . .

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Dec 08, 2017 06:37 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Ha ha ha... square feet, more or less. I thought it was a common language, but I might be wrong

Dec 09, 2017 06:52 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Congratulations on your feature recognition. Your message provides a good reminder for all of us.

Dec 09, 2017 08:56 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

I believe every segment of society has it's own jargon.

In real estate we get the jargon down and then think everyone else knows what we are talking about.

I agree that we need to all speak to others in normal language and we will see more success.

Dec 09, 2017 09:13 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Add me to the list of those who adore Margaret Rome. Truly a consummate professional, and wonderful human being.  

This is such a good reminder, Joe. Speak to me in my language please, haha. 

Dec 09, 2017 09:21 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Joe, I had a short sale asset manager throw a bunch of intials at me the other day saying my client would need the form associated with the initials. I had no idea what he was talking about. The form he mentioned was a part of his companies requirements. It was not a common form with other companies. Common language is always a good place to start.

Dec 10, 2017 09:21 AM