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Would You Sell A House to A Kid in Flip Flops and Jeans?

When daughter and her betrothed could not ignore my nagging any longer, these 23 year olds (freshly graduated from UC Berkeley) set out to buy a house. Back then, the market was on fire here in California.

The kids looked, well, like kids. Blond and skinny, jeans and flip flops. I knew they had landed lucrative jobs with their architecture degrees, won design awards, and were brilliant (okay, I am the mom, I am allowed to add that last one).

But no one else did, and guess what? They could not get a real estate agent to give them the time of day.

Now, like many people, they decided to start their search for a house by going to open houses on Sundays. Maybe open houses are not a good place to connect with an agent, what do I know? During this era, cheap little bungalows in Berkeley brought forth droves of people afflicted with California real estate mania.

I know this, because I went with them one afternoon to look at houses. When I walked into the open houses, it never failed. Attention was lavished on ME, even when there were 20 other people in the house. (older, Suburban, driving BMW, wearing real shoes, not flip flops...stuck out like a sore thumb in younger, urban, Toyota-land).

Sometimes, as I stood waiting for the kids, people assumed I was the real estate agent (I swear there is some sort of aura around me...I wasn't even in the real estate business then).

But I had to confess, they were right. Not one agent paid any attention to this sale waiting to happen. Even when I explained: "they are the ones who are buying a house".

Were they too young? Did they appear to be tire kickers? Did everyone assume they had an agent already? I don't know.

But finally, they made a connection, all on their own, when someone who looked more like a professor, took an interest in the kids, their architecture, and their quest to buy a house. Within no time, he located a run down bungalow in Berkeley that had original details hidden under a very bad 1950's remodel. It was DIRT CHEAP, and far less than the kids had planned to pay.

They had not asked for a fixer. He somehow understood that restoring this house to its 1920's splendor would become their post-graduate project, and result in something spectacular, architecturally, and financially (which it did).

How did he know that? How did he connect all the dots, and add all the right ingredients to bake the perfect cake?

When I think of how he mastered the situation, of the impact he made on my child's life, the value far exceeds the commission he earned. To me, this is the very definition of what a real estate agent should do.

When times are good, we have the luxury of becoming cherry pickers. Be the agent willing to pick a couple of cherries that are still green. You'll be glad you did.

Written by Janet Guilbault, Mortgage Lending Expert Based Out of the San Francisco Bay Area

Posted by Janet Guilbault California Mortgage Banker/Broker on 06/04/2008 06:59 PM

Comments (170)

first time buyer, realtor success strategies, california real estate

Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: Everything California

170 Comments on Would You Sell A House to A Kid in Flip Flops and Jeans?

JUN

2008

I'll sell a house to anyone with the income to pay for it. Flip flops or barefoot, I don't care! LOL

This is so funny. I have a post in Word about this very thing. NEVER judge a book by it's cover. Everyone should be treated the same and respectfully no matter what. Great post!

It is only human nature to pick the best apple from the barrel. In this market, I doubt they would be ignored. Still, it is a lesson to think about. You never know where a sale is lurking.

Janet, it is that 1st impression that sometimes gets to us. Personally, I am more into meeting the person, establishing the beginning of a relationship first, then find our more about them. Hey, they may not be qualified to buy a house, but they sure may know someone who is. AJ

Great post. I remember when the seasoned agents in my office years ago always judged the walk-ins by the cars they drove, the rings they wore, etc., etc. I never did. I sold some property to a couple with their, I believe three year old at the time, in the Bar XX subdivision. They told me they had gone to many offices and no one would give them the time of day because they looked like plain folk. I spent many hours with them, watching their daughter while they walked the 20 AC parcels. That was about 16 years ago. They still come back to visit me and recently her parents passed away. They had owned a home in San Francisco and one in Daly City. They let me handle the referral. I searched for a realtor and found a dynamite one who sold both homes very quickly. Don't Judge Your Ups by what they are wearing or what vehicle they are driving.

Roxanne Schilling, Realtor at Lake Tulloch in California

Janet,

Sounds like this professor type understands young people and quite possible this is his niche!

Great post. I flagged it for a feature. Good luck!

I long as I can get 'em pre-qualed I don't care if they wear moo-moos! In actuality, those flip-flop wearing kids are EXACTLY what I am looking for, because I know if I do a good job I can sell them at least 3 houses in the course of my career, not to mention all of their friends who got ignored!

Janet, It's sad how we tend to judge people by their appearances. The reality is that a lot of folks who look like "money" really should look like "in debt up to their ears" and quite a few folks like your kids are very financially sound. I wonder if the young kid that owns facebook would have received the same reception? Probably.

I'm glad to hear it all worked out. I'm sure the REALTOR(R) that did help them made friends for life.

BB: What I think is that customer service takes a nose dive when business is good. It is easy enough to say we would never do this now that real estate is tough. But when the buyers are flooding in, it is easy and natural to pick and choose among your many choices.

I also think it is especially hard with the younger generation, who dress casually for the most part, and are not into "status symbols".

Nice to hear from you BB, hope all is well.

I had a situation where a young couple was to be married in a year, did not want to buy a house until after they wre married but they told me the four previous Realotrs they went to would not even talk to them. I spent the time to explain the process of buying a house to them, setup some searches in the MLS so they could start to understand the market and after they got married we went out and purchased a house ! Yes it took over a year, but the total time I spent with them was no different than any other buyer. Don't you think I now have a client for life?

Good post, Janet. Folks do tend to get judged by what they drive and how they dress... boy, oh, boy what a mistake that is. I know a lot of folks with lots of toys and the trappings of the well-to-do, but it's all mortgaged to the hilt.

Never underestimate a client's finances by their dress. I've seen more than 1 major surprise in that.

I made that mistake years ago! You judge the visitors to your open and you will be amazed at the "kids" that can buy a home! I do not judge anyone now.

This is really quite a lovely story. I thank you for sharing it with us. I myself have had the opportunity to help people find their home that said that I was the only person that asked if they needed help. Guess we just need to ask!

Remember "Pretty Woman" - she dressed inappropriately and the snooty store owners ignored her - well she showed them when she returned beautifully dressed and coiffed - with many, many shopping bags in hand...same thing - ONE NEVER KNOWS!

Also, don't judge one's ability to buy/spend by the kind of car they drive...

I had to check this post out. I have been showing houses all week to a young couple wearing flip-flops and baggy shorts. I think it is so exciting to be involved in a huge event in their lives. I look forward to the day when I can hand them the keys to their new home.

Why wouldn't you sell someone a house just because they are young, wear torn jeans & flip flops and have more piercings than a piece of swiss cheese? I would never judge someone just by their looks! If they are qualified buyers it doesn't matter. Even more though I find it very important, being a Buyer Specialist, to make sure I educate and protect my "young", first time home buyers the whole nine yards!

Manuela

Yes I would. And I have a relative that goes shopping in sandels with black socks, multi colored shorts, and a t-shirt with some redneck saying on it and wonders why people don't seem to want to help him....funny thing is...he pays everything in cash or check....never finances anything, and is worth over 11 million. Drives a 1982 small truck....

This reminds me of a story (Kentucky style). The story is that this man walked into a car dealership in town in his bib overalls (no we are not all barefoot with front teeth missing here). Anyway, the man kept walking around a car on the showroom floor and everyone was ignoring him because of the way he was dressed. Finally, one of the salesmen approached him and asked if could help him. The man told him he wanted that car and asked how much it was. The salesman told him and without hesitation, the man reached into the bib pocket of his overalls without even bargaining and pulled a large enough wad of money to choke a horse and counted out ALL CASH to pay for the car right there.

Never judge a book by its cover.

I don't judge a person when they walk into my open houses - that is for the lender to do -(j/k). I am not a real estate snob but I know plenty. I am glad they found someone that listened to them - that is the key - oh and I have sold homes in jeans and flip flops :) - yep always fun to show up at a construction project after hours just to measure something and find that buyer lurking around!

I could care less what they wear or drive. It's a buyer!

Goodness. I've sold homes to older folks who looked like they couldn't rub two dimes together but paid cash for their purchase. I sold homes to young folks who are just out of high school with FHA non-resident co-borrower.

This is a failing of the agent, not the buyers. Serves them right. I'm glad they found someone with some experience that knows that it pays to listen.

All someone would have to do is speak and listen to them for five minutes and they would see a qualified buyer.

Janet,

That was one awesome agent that they found! I recently rented a house to a couple who was covered in tatoos and dressed kind of ratty. They are so happy that I didn't care what they looked like, I just wanted to help them. Now they are getting ready to buy a house. Guess who they want as their realtor!!!

Lenn: I think you also need to think about the fact they had never been in the real world at that point. We underestimate the skills it takes to "stand up and be heard" as a customer. They do not teach that in college, you just get out there and figure it out.

There is more to this story....maybe another blog.......but they went through the entire transaction and never understood what was happening...

I often wonder how often this has happened to first time buyers.

I had to laugh at the title because I myself am often mis-judged by my jeans and flipflops. Okay, maybe jeans and Jimmy Choos, but still... I am frequently overlooked at car lots, etc... when in fact, I pay cash for my luxury items. You can bet there is a gold mine in the understated. NEVER ASSUME.

Love Lenn's comment. (gosh, she sure has a lot of groupies :))

Fantastic, as always Janet!!

Sara: I would have said flip flops and tatoos but not one of my kids has a tatoo. Thank goodness.

Jo: LOL. In the car business, car salesmen would always come to the lots on off hours. They knew the people would show up just to avoid the salesmen! They called them lot lizards. I didn't know there were construction site lizards as well.

In the South this story is the old farmer in a pick up truck and dirty overalls. No one pays attention to him until one lucky agents does and he pays cash. Now it shifts to our kids. HA HA

Earleen: I was born in Kentucky and look at my picture! I have teeth! And you already know if you read my post that I wear real shoes!

Not only that, but I was in the car business, and we hated those cash buyers. The cash often smelled like dirt (had been buried). The banks assume it is drug money. There are limits to how much you can deposit. Not to mention how much green paper it takes to buy a $30,000 car, and how nervous you are just driving with it in your car!.

In Calif. cash buyer does not wear overalls, he wears sunglasses.

Jen:

No one would overlook someone as cute as you at any car lot. Please. They are car salesmen.

Been there, done that. I was only 19 when I bought my first house. You should have seen the agents when I would come walking into the house!

If someone has the ability to buy a house, they deserve attention!

Janet.. As long as the money is *green*, they have a job and are qualified.. I'll sell them a home they can afford. If you know anyone wanting to relocate to Connecticut.. please have them see me. I'll be glad to help...even if they come in sandals, shorts and drive a beat-up truck.

Okay, Chuck, about your relative: What AN ABSOLUTE GEEK. You need to talk to him about those black socks right away.

The 82 truck is normal. Many of my wealthy clients (when I was in the car business) felt the need to drive beat up cars to hide their wealth. They thought people would take advantage of them if they knew how much money they made.

Red neck t shirts (or those with suggestive sayings) belong in the rag bag IMHO

I smell a reverse snob here.

Nice post, you never know how much money anyone has treat them all the same, as if they are your only customer.

Bill: I can only imagine what it would be like at 19. When the Welcome Wagon lady came to your door did they ask to talk to your mom? LOL

Valarie: Sandels and shorts, yes, but if they have black socks on I think you should run the other way.

JoEllen: I am glad the headline drew you in. I hope your ending is as happy as the one I describe in this post.

Manuela: More tattos than swiss cheese? I bet over 60% of people under 30 have tatoos, what do you think? I bet over 80% have piercings. My own son has his ear pierced and is trying to get me to give him a diamond stud to stick in that hole. We would eliminate alot of the younger generation if this was the criteria.

Okay Stewart, we will need to leave Hollywood out of the discussion because anything goes in LA.

Not to take the discussion in a different direction, but do you ever feel that a potential client might pass you over because of your casual attire?

Joan: I loved Pretty Woman...and I forgot about that scene.

Chris: I think NOT ASKING is probably the biggest single SIN we as real estate professionals make. I am sure you are right to make the observation that the agents in this story were not passing them over due to what they were wearing. They just didn't ask, and the kids didn't know enough to be bold about finding an agent. Excellent observation!

Whether selling homes, cars, jewelry, antiques, etc., a good saleperson should never assume.

I tend to keep cars, as long as they run. My son used to refer to my car as "the Pig", not because it was dirty, but because it was big and guzzled gas.

Years ago, my family finally convinced me, that if I insisted on keeping my cars that long, I should buy one that's just getting warmed up, at 100,000 miles.

I drove up to one "exclusive" dealer, in my old, Olds Custom Cruiser. Chances are, I was wearing jeans and sneakers. I was completely ignored. Guess which dealer didn't get to sell me my Mercedes? ;-)

James, it pays to keep in mind that everyone needs to start somewhere, and to not overlook people who just don't know how to go about "snagging" a Realtor. Thanks for sharing your story.

It's best to under dress if you don't want to be attacked by sales people

Marilyn: ZING! Any lady all by herself that goes on to a car lot should be taken VERY seriously. Ladies do not consider car shopping "FUN" and would not be there unless they were planning on buying a car.

Now don't get me started on how a car is important to your self esteem....I have very strong opinions about this....Driving a PIG of a car? Life is just too short, and it isn't about impressing others. It is about remembering why you worked so damn hard.

Oh Russ. Then you must be saying you agree with the fact salespeople go after those who dress the best?

Roxanne: You know, because of where you sell real estate, you probably rarely see people dressed up for work the way we do in the Bay Area. So someone could walk in and want a lakefront, but be dressed for fishing...am I right?

I already know you just take them as they come, without judgement. It is part of what I love about you! You can relate to everyone.

Janet,

I have learned over the years to never judge people by the way they dress. I have made some really nice sales to people who came in to my office in dirty jeans & a flannel shirt. They turned out to be high end buyers who owned a construction company or some such thing. I would definately sell to kids in jeans and flip flops because first timers are fun. A little more labor intensive but when it is all said and done and they move in to their house they are so happy and grateful if warms the heart. If I were judged by my dress I would never sell a house because I am a jeans type person myself. I just wrote on a half a million dollar house today and when I met the people who bought the house I had just stopped by my office on a Sunday to do a little work and I definately wasn't dressed for work. The old saying is Never Judge a Book by the Cover.

Not only would I have sold them a house, I would have taken them out while wearing shorts and a T-shirt if it made them more comfortable with me. I know too many people that look like a million bucks and can't afford to look at money, and people that look almost homeless that can buy anything I'd want...

Janet,

I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was saying. I live in Kentucky...I was saying yes we do have teeth and we don't all go barefoot. As a matter of fact Kentucky is known for its fast horses, pretty women and good whiskey.

I guess I should have qualified my story more....the man in the overalls happened in the late 60's. Most cars were less than $5000 back then.

Anyway, point being you should take all buyers seriously. Even if your children were low end buyers, they deserved just as much respect as a high end buyer.

Great Story . . . absolutely I would sell them a home. You cannot always judge a book by it's cover! I would like to think I might be as perceptive as the agent who finally helped them.

Sheila

There is more to this story....maybe another blog.......but they went through the entire transaction and never understood what was happening...

I often wonder how often this has happened to first time buyers. Lots, I'm sure. Do write that post.

I think it is so cool they ended up with the agent they did. Othewise they wouldn't have had the opportunity to do what they did.

Interesting comment you made earlier about "the skills it takes to 'stand up and be heard' as a customer." That reinforces how important it is that an agent be able to professionally ask a few quick qualifying questions to any potential buyer. We need to keep in mind that anyone can be a buyer -- or a potential referral source. How we treat them initially will set the course for whether or not a business relationship develops.

That was a wise agent and a good judge of people. A very rare quality for any profession.

Earleen: I am from the South and I am not talking about Los Angeles. I am talking Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, AND born in Kentucky. I knew exactly what you were talking about....people who are NOT from the South, judge people who are....you know, as if they are all hillbillies.

Oh, yes, I could rant about this for days and never tire. It is the whole reason I keep my Southern accent in check....

I am well aware the South is full of elegance and grace...I may live in Calif, but to this day I am drawn to people from the South and believe I am a Southerner at heart.

What a fabulous observation. I can recall being very young, looking at houses, and having the agents take a partial peek at us at open houses, with a dismissive attitude. I'm glad that the kids located someone really good.

Sandra: Good story. Whenever you sneak into the office with no make up and sweats you are sure to run into a client, right? I remember some of my girlfriends in Dallas had a saying that they lived by, It was "Always look cute"

Laurie: Since I WAS a real estate agent by the time I was 23, I did not have to snag an agent to sell me a house. When you think of sales, you always think every single person who wants to buy will be scooped up. This is not the case.

Doreen: It is pretty cool that someone was able to translate the dreams of 2 young people into a house that changed their lives. We all laughed at their wedding because the house was torn down to the studs and their honeymoon cottage was a construction zone. They moved in with me during the rehab.

There is something sort of magic about a first house. I bet everyone could blog about the first house they every bought and the circumstances that connected them to that very house. I think there would be alot of compelling posts.

Lane....so very true. But throw being awfully young into the mix, and inexperienced in the business world, and you have some folks who can just get lost in the crowd.

Janet Great Post!! You know this is the BASIS of all SALES. A good buddy of mine who has been in the car business for many years became a TOP SALESMAN because he made the effort to talk to EVERYONE and ANYONE that came in the parking lot, regardless of Creed,Color,Age,Height etc...most of his co-workers wouldn't think twice about certain sterotypes but guess thats why they found another job.

Another story that hits home is my own exp. I was shopping for furniture for my 1st house and all the sales rep in that area just completely IGNORED me thinking im some young guy with no money, well little did they know I had a checkcard ready to pay for everything in FULL, the funny thing was an ederly associate from another dept saw me looking for help and he helped me and when it was time to pay the elderly associate asked one of the young sales guy to ring me up, I of course told them NO and demanded that the guy who helped me get the commission. Karma, don't you just love it.

You can NEVER judge a book by its cover! If they are qualified to buy a house - I'll sell them a house. I'm don't care what they look like. They could be the cavemen from the Geico commerical for all I care. You know, I've had people driving BMW's and Mercedes that were in debt up to their ears....just because they LOOK the part, doesn't mean they have the money. The kids had the money (perhaps) because they weren't spending money creating the illusion of wealth.

JUN

2008

First of all, it sounds like agents are violating the Federal Fair Housing Laws by discriminating against the "kids" because of their age. But, I would have at least asked them if they were pre-approved. That's all that really matters.

If someone is pre-approved and can buy, then let them be buyers ... flip flops or not. And in Arizona if we avoided anyone wearing shorts and flip-flops , well there would be far fewer buyers. It can be more than 110 degrees here-- everyone wears flip-flops!

I work with a lot of first time buyers in their early twenties - I always treat them as if they were my kids..........in so far as I want them to get the best deal possible -and I'm so proud of them for investing in real estate rather then just fancy cars - restaurants - and holidays - although those are good too! Loved the retro house!

Hi Janet - bad mistake many agents make. I've seen it happen in companies where I've worked, and I've heard buyers tell me how they were passed over or just told that they couldn't be helped. Young buyers that look like kids, older buyers who looked like they didn't have a plug nickel between them, and others. It doesn't take much effort to ask a few simple questions and run with it from there.

We were always taught to never judge a book by its cover - and that goes for not judging people by how they look, by the car they drive, the shoes they wear or don't wear, etc. I've had mega multi-millionaires in my car and you'd never know it to look at them.

Yep, I like taking "cherries that are still green"! Some of those 'cherries' have turned out to be lifelong clients who refer everyone they know to me.

Ann

"The kids looked, well, like kids. Blond and skinny, jeans and flip flops."

Janet, that's what all the new agent look like to me, let alone the buyers. ;->

Janet. My experiences is that very few buyers, even repeat buyers actually know what is happening or what has happened. That's why they need honest agents with fiduciary. Since the consumer understands so little of real estate transactions and they think they know so much, it's easy for poor agents to under serve them. Sad but true.

Never judge a book by its cover. I had a buyer recently who came out to look at homes in flip flops and jeans and looked about 23. He had just received a big promotion at work, had a pre-approval letter and wanted to look at homes. 5 hours later I sold him a brand new home and it was the easiest sale I've ever had. I'd love it if they were all like him!

Lenn:

the consumer understands so little of real estate transactions and they think they know so much

I would add to this: OR they are too afraid to admit they are lost and therefore don't ask questions.

The younger the client, the more this is true, in my experience. One of the big failings in our industry is making assumptions, which is of course, what this post is all about.

I found this out not only by watching my daughter buy her house, but by jumping out of the auto leasing business and into the mortgage business.

I was shocked as my auto lease clients one by one admitted they had no idea what kind of mortgage they had, and did not have the guts to ask their mortgage broker.

Jim: Best comment so far. LOL and long live flip flops.

One of my favorite scenes in a movie is when Julia Roberts goes shopping in Pretty Woman. NEVER judge a book by it's cover, when the book is opened the contents may surprise you!! I love to go shopping at higher end stores with sweat pants and a Taz T-shirt just to see who ignores me and who is customer friendly! The customer friendly ones always get my business!!

Janet,

If the couple qualify for a loan, it doesn't matter what they are wearing. I sold a home to a young couple in their mid 20's. This was one of the smoothest transactions I dealt with. If they are ready to buy and qualify, I am ready to work with them.

The owner of my company pulled down almost $400K last year...and he dresses like a skater. lol

Liane: Bless those easy sales. You need one of those every once in awhile just to remind yourself that there ARE some easy ones. I think someone should come up with a new niche: I cater to buyers who wear flip flops.

Ann: I have a policy when I am at a social event or a networking event. I always look around the room for the person that no one else wants to talk to and try to engage them in a conversation. It could be they are just shy, or it could be they don't fit in because of the way they look.

But this policy has generated some of the most interesting conversations, and yes, often their appreciation at being noticed ends up with them becoming a client. But that is not why I do it.

Janet: This was a great post.. Best of luck to your daugher. This goes to show that a qualified buyer comes in many ways and one should always seek first to understand !

Liz: I know this sounds corny as hell, but whenever I have a first time buyer I always think like this: This could be MY KID. How would I want someone to treat MY KID if they had limited experience in the business world and had to rely on the agent to guide them through?

I would want them to treat MY KID as it he were THEIR KID.

You only have one chance to buy your first house. And that is why it is special, and should be handled with care. First time buyers usually have NO IDEA what they want or need, so an agent who can help them think this through is priceless.

Clint: is there a connection between the $400k and the skater look? I think I may change my look.

Hey Justin: Great story about furniture shopping. I think it is the weirdest experience when you are ignored as a customer. Almost like an insult....aren't salespeople supposed to attack me? What is wrong with me?

As for the car lot, there is a very good lesson there. If someone took the time to come out (to a car lot or an open house) THEY ARE POTENTIAL BUYERS. Why assume they are not? That is a glass half empty mentality.

Sandra: Those sales clerks are more than customer friendly, they are not making judgments based on how people dress. Salemanship 101.

Bob and Carolin: It isn't that hot in Berkeley, but flip flops seem to be the official shoe. I was agast when my daughter wore them to a family graduation (those flip flops were fancy ones, but still...) She just rolled her eyes and continued on.

When I was little we had flip flops. They were rubber and we called them thongs (I was raised in New Orleans). Same daughter keeps reminding me, "MOM! Thongs are something different!!!!!"

Lisa: Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say they were victims of discrimination. I would just say they were not versed in the ways of the world where more experieced buyers would not wait for an agent to approach them. All of us will pick the best apple in the barrel and it doesn't mean we would NOT pick the other apples.

It just means we chose the reddest shinest biggest one we could.

good post..you just never know..shouldn't judge a book by its cover..

Ruthmarie: My kids were poor with no money and were driving their beaters (old cars) from college when they decided to BUY instead of rent.

My observation about their generation, and this era, if you will, is that living beyond your means just for the sake of appearances is a very old fashioned concept.

The economy is suffering. Gas is expensive. People are out of the mood.....driving a RANGE ROVER hurts your appearance more than it helps at this point in time.

In our resort area, we have many people who come in "disguised" in their beach wear. They are usually true buyers.

These days when we meet first timers, I often whisper to my husband..."The buyers look like they are 12"...and the older we get, the younger they look. The very good news is that if you have first time buyers and continue to keep them in your SOI and stay in touch as you should...they will also be the 2nd, 3rd, vacation or lake property buyers that you have for a lifetime !

Heath: Post this in your office: I Sell to all incognito buyers. Beachwear welcome, but not required. Cowa-bunga.

A Gentleman called me to set up an appt. to see a certain piece of property I had listed. We set the time a nd to meet at my office. To my surprise the client rode up on a bicyle, secured it on a pole in the parking lot and came in to see me. We talked for a while and I thought that he was one of the niocest people I had met. He lives quite a way from our office but told me that he rides his bicyle whereever he has to go, on an average 20 miles a day. I take my hat off for him to be in such good shape to do that. We had the most pleasant conversations coming and going from the property and most likely he will put on offer in on this property. He loves it and was so pleased that i took the time with him, even if he rides his bicyle all over. I wish I was in that kind of shape this gentleman is, we are both the same age. ( I am not telling, only Social Security knows)So Agents please don't judge aperson by his appearance or what the drive)

Never judge a book by it's cover...I learned that a long time ago. Some of my best buyers looked like they could not aford to buy. Lucky for me...I never judged them.

Renee: Thank you for that great story which is so appropriate with gas being so expensive.

I expect we should all buy stock in companies that sell bicycles, don't you? They are healthy and they save gas.

Having said this, I confess I would think twice if someone wearing flip flops rode a bike to my office to discuss a mortgage. Not about doing business with him. This is California and anything goes.

I would think twice about how to make him into my next blog. LOL

I'm glad they found an excellent Realtor to find what them what they wanted. Is there a reason you didn't mention the Realtor's name in the post? It would seem as though this would be an excellent testimonial for him.

You can't judge how much money people have by the clothes they wear. All you have to do is see if they are pre approved.

I just can't believe that in this day and age people STILL judge others by their looks. Dread locks, flip flops, barefeet, mohawk, it doesn't matter to me. I am interested in my clients best interest and their best interest only, not their looks.

Thanks for sharing. tons of comments!! Have a great weekend!!

Andy Laughlin

Connect Realty

Thanks for sharing. tons of comments!! Have a great weekend!!

Andy Laughlin

Connect Realty

I wear flip flops and jeans when showing places. And I dont even live in a beach town!

Some of the wealthiest and most successful people I know are very casual. We live in a resort area and even high-powered execs, etc, are lounging in shorts and t-shirts. It makes a very dramatic point that you never know who you are talking to and to treat them ALL like million-dollar clients (shouldn't that be our mindset anyway?)

Great post. What a happy ending! Unfortunately, we tend to make judgments based on appearance sometimes. I am guilty. I try to make an effort not to be that way, but sometimes it happens. We should all stop and think. I know someone in the business world who is extrememly succesful and dresses in the sloppiest clothes - sweats, t-shirts, etc.. You would never guess what he does by how he dresses.

Flip flops are the style... everyone should know that by now.

What a great looking house! I love that style.

Great example of not judging a book by it's cover. All I can think is with a booming market the agents might have had their hands full- they probably would be paying attention today! Thanks for sharing the story.

Nice post and congratulations on the feature - don't judge the book by its cover. This real estate agent did an excellent job in providing customer service at its best.

I know, I'm getting OLD Janet! I "came of age" in the late 80s early 90s. I drive cars until they cost me more to maintain than to get a loan for a new one. I'm only on my third car. I drive Hondas not BMW's. That said, I was able to afford a house fairly early on. That was the luck of the draw. Housing was rock bottom when I was buying. So in some ways I had it easy.

My sideline job (adjunct professor) and my real estate work shows me another side to what is happening to the young. It's a lot harder for them than it was for me. They are under a mountain of debt for that education and its not like there is always a good job with a decent salary waiting for them. I had one young person stymied because she couldn't pass the coop board for a studio because her loans were so high. She qualified for the mortgage, but that was only the first hurdle. Renting cost her MORE but she had no choice for over a year and keep the savings going. It was a very pressured situation with an almost impossible budget.

Unfortunately, you combine that with very heightened expectations and you have an explosive combination.The best clients I have are young people willing to buy a house/condo/coop that needs work! They know what they need to do - and its not pretty or easy. The ones that want the move-in ready "new look" with gorgeous finishes in the baths and kitchens have usually turned into chronic lookie lous. Ironically, they dress well - but that doesn't mean a SALE! They have a huge case of the "I wants" and no means to pay for it. Worse still, they've rented in a luxury rental building. That has gotten them used to a very nice lifestyle and they won't take one step back to take two steps forward. They're STUCK.

Parts of this I understand. Young people are more chained to work. It's harder to make home improvements when your boss is text -messaging at 10 pm on Sat. night. Home time is no longer separated from work time and for renovations - that's a huge issue. But some of this is just plain silly. You don't NEED marble in the baths. It won't kill you to cook on a stove that isn't brand new and isn't stainless steel. There is a gym a block away. It won't KILL you to go there. A common laundry is not the end of the world.

Janet,

I've personally seen the same situation with my son who became the youngest pilot in his company. He was making a great salary, was super professional and confident but often got less than professional behavior from someone he was dealing with. It used to really tick him off.

Janet,

In any business... the salesperson that helps people no matter how they are dressed is generally the salesperson that is not just doing it for the money.

JUN

2008

As always, right on the mark Janet! I just have to laugh as I sit reading this with my flip flops and cut off jeans! (friday AM and no clients to meet with today). This type of thing happens in virtually every type of sales related business. Remember curbside qualifying in the car business? When I was 16, I learned not to do this while spin balancing tires on a 1952 Cady in the garage I worked at. Really nice older man watched and talked to me as I worked. Seemed like any other regular Joe. Jeans, shoe's without socks...Bought me a Coke as he left. Nobody ever did that! Turned out the man was Leonard Poole, the founder of Air Products. That taught me to treat everyone with the same curtosey and respect. The Coke was pretty tasty. The leason was well ingrained. Great Blog!

Janet I have tried to talk with him, while laughing histerically, but he won't even listen to his wife. She is embarassed to be seen with him sometimes. He loves the "sandels and socks guy" but when we tell him not to where black socks, he just states, "thats all I have".

At least when they travel, the socks are somewhat covered by the "RV one piece yellow jump suit"!

I learned to never judge a book by it's cover when I worked in the high end Baccarat room for a major casino. My first experience was when we had a guy walk in with sweats and a little scruffy looking with a bag that turned out to have a million dollars of cash in it.

Turns out he was a founder/owner of a major production company and was worth a couple of billion... Just one of many stories of people who looked like they had no money... and had a lot more money then people pretending to have money..

So... yes.. I would certainly sell a house to somebody in flops and jeans... some of my wealthiest clients dress like this every day... one was even called a Country Bumpkin by a new home sales agent that obviously did not realize the client was worth over $5 Million... until it was too late...

You are absolutely right, Janet.

Roxanne Schilling, Realtor at Lake Tulloch in California

JUN

2008

Janet, great post. But I will say that I have shown more homes to people in flip-flops and jeans than most, young...and old. People buying homes want to be comfortable. I can honestly say that I don't discriminate in sharing information with young couples, but I will say that if I am in mid-dialogue with a potential customer I don't break it when someone else walks in the door...but I do try to become free before they leave.

When my husband and I bought our first house we dressed in shorts and flip flops and had a rather small child. We have a very difficult time getting a realtor to show us houses in the price range we requested and with the amenitites we wanted. They only wanted to show us the low-end fixer upper type houses and we were looking for something in the higher end. We went thorugh 3 or 4 agents before finding one tht would work with us.

The same rang true with the mortgage professionals except they wanted to railroad us on fees and interest rate. This is what drove me into the business and helped me to create my mortgage model.

I am still rather young (27) and frequently meet with my clients in jeans (nice looking); or khakis. I very rarely wear suits or ties. I am based out of my home (fully licensed location) so, part of my service is that I go to where they are comfortable. Not one client has ever been offended with how I was dressed and most have commented on the fact that I do dress like a normal person and not some high powered banker. Its helps to break the ice and makes them feel more comfortable.

JUN

2008

People will say what they want about not judging people about their attire but in reality its just a normal thing in everyone's subconscious. If two people walk in the door and one is better dressed, chances are you're going to engage the person who is the best dressed first. I'm 22 years old and I know that you need to dress appropiately for the occasion. It never hurts to look professional. Dress for success.

Thanks Janet for the post. What great photos! I'm sure there are millions of similar stories out there, be aware people.

JUN

2008

Great Post. Affordability is key in real estate transaction. Thats all matters to me.

Earn Extra Income: Free List of Broker Price Opinion(BPO) Companies

JUN

2008

Half the time I have on FLIP-FLOPS when I am selling a house!

I have to tell you, if I am showing a number of bank owned homes, I will wear jeans to my appointment, as most of these homes are very dirty. And for flip flops, I love them......I have worn them on appointments on very hot days! (as long as they match my outfit) : )

Never judge a book by its cover...........

I witnessed an agent on duty once way back many years ago when a couple of guys who looked like bums walked in looking to buy a very expensive house. She didn't want to give them the time of day, so she gave them to a new agent. Turns out they were carrying a briefcase full of cash and bought a house that day. You never know.

I was so glad I opened your article and read it. I love to work with first time home buyers. They are the most refreshing group of people. They are fun, energetic and very excited about their 1st home. That enthusiasm is contagious. Most of the time, they are actually interested in what you have to say.

It's a shame a lot of agents are fooled by first impressions. Buyers come in all types of clothing and lots of rich people dress down for entertainment or just because the are not materialists. When searching for our current house I would ride my beach cruiser bicycle to open houses. No one really took me seriously but that was part of the plan, my low offers weren't insulting because they figured that's all I had. Perception is reality.

Sam Walton used to send his son to scout properties for Walmart in the private prop plane and then direct him to unload his bike and ride around the "target" town on a ten speed bicycle while making inquiries. He said they got a lot of good deals that way.

This is a great post! Agents like me get the weird look from other agents because I wear shorts and sandals all the time. I work with my clients from day one showing homes, to getting agreements endorsed in my casual attire. It took a long time for the other Realtors and my broker to warm up to the idea, and that I am not going to change. Half my clients show up in shorts and sandals, so I figured why not......I'll do the same and it helps them feel less intimidated. So it just proves you can't judge, you have to understand and ask questions. As long as they qualify on paper who cares if they qualify with the fashion industry. I am here to sell homes, not worry about their wardrobe.

Michael Brenner

When I have been in the market for houses, as a buyer not an agent I found they never got that far. Usuallythe conversation went somting like this

Ring Ring

Them: "Home Town Realty can I help you"

Me: "Yes Im curious aboutthe house on main street"

Them:"Are you preapprroved?"

Me:"Huh"

Them:"Are yuo pre approved,.... here is a number for a guy I know , call him first."

End of Conversation every time

Great Story, And I must confess that as a mortgage professional I have sometimes done the same. Was it because I was not listening. Not again!

Hope al is well in California

Northern VA is coming back to life

I'd take one look at them and say to myself, "Yeah! I get to ditch the heels when I'm showing houses to these kids!"

I sell Real Estate in a Rural community, If I judged my perspective clients by their attire, age or anything else, I would never put together a deal. I'm always searching out the diamond in the rough, that I can find them their bit of heaven. Thanks for your insightful post.

It can be a serious (and expensive) mistake for anyone to judge people by appearance. I grew up near Jackson Hole, Wy. My brother in law managed a guest ranch in Jackson. There was a scruffy old man who was always hanging around the ranch in raged jeans and shoes that should have been burned years before. He drove to town in a rusty old Dodge Dart. People thought he was a laborer. The fact is, he owned the ranch, the private air strip and airplane, etc. He was a controlling stockholder in 3M company and, by today's standard, would have been a billionaire. This was in the early sixties.

A few years later, in the 70's I walked into a new car dealership in Salt Lake City to buy a new truck. I had done my research and knew exactly what I wanted, down to the pin-striping. I explained this to him. The salesman apparently judged me not capable of buying a new vehicle and brushed me off. I was so dismissed that I drove down the street 3 blocks and bought my new truck from a competing dealer. An hour or so later I went back to the first dealer with my new truck. I went in and asked for the manager. I showed him my new truck and told him what had happened and why I didn't buy it from his dealership. I don't know if there where any changes, but I felt great.

Never judge a book by its cover. If they are qualified I'll work with them to find the right home.

Have A Great day

Indeed I would,rather I have!!!

My last deal was to a young couple ( early 20's) who were in t-shirts,jeans and flip-flops. When we closed they were dressed the same way.

During the whole process we communicated via "texting" more than phone calls or email. Go figure. I tried to adapt to their needs. ( I am 52) so I had to work on my texting skills.( lol).

Hey if I could do real estate in flip-flops and jeans I would. ( I usually do at home in my office).wink,wink.!!!

Rick.

I am a commercial briker and often find that my clients with the most money and commercial property dress in jeans and sometime tee shirts.

Great post - well written. I can identify.

Great post, Janet! That was a great one to read!

Janet, lots of folks who don't care about dressing up, can be perfectly well qualified. I've heard lots of stories of car salespeople who lost a great sale because they wouldn't take a young woman seriously.

Even though it was "mom" making the observations, the piece was very insightful and well taken.

I am always heartened by the idea that there are actually human beings out there that see other human beings as opposed to dollar signs walking around on two legs...

If you happen to be able to make a living while utilizing your humanity, more power to you and what a wonderful world we could create!

Thanks for reminding me...

Great post. I, too, have several prospects that I have been working with for 1+ years. They are on automated searches and I periodically send them a personal e-mail to make sure they still want to get e-mail from me. One said he was getting e-mail from another agent with the exact same properties but that agent stopped sending them and I'm the only one doing so now. It will still be 6 months before he's ready to buy, but since I stuck by him, he's sticking by me. Another one called and asked me if I minded that he gets an FHA loan. I told him I don't care what kind of loan he gets if it helps him buy and guess what? He also had been talking to some other agents and they refused to deal with him unless he went with a conventional loan and a lender of their choice. He said once he finds what he's looking for, it will definitely be thru me! Automatic searches take up no time for me and they usually drive by the houses they think look good. I don't spend any more time with them, other than an occasional e-mail but I'm the one that will be cashing the check! Some of these prospects have been just thru e-mail so I have no clue what they look like, but I really don't care - as long as they can qualify for a mortgage with a reputable mortgage company and use me to buy!

So true, you can not base someones financial situation on thier appearance. I worked with a man that drove a old beat up pickup and wore old jeans everyday. Wanted to buy a smaller house after he sold his land, little did I know he had 350 acres just north of Ft Worth, off I35 that Dallas developers were scarambling to buy at $11,500 per acre. So selling him a new house was no problem at all...

You know what they look like is not as important as do they understand what the process is. I have worked with some not so savy looking people. They turned out the be the BEST clients I have ever had. Greatful,respectul and easy going. I know we are judged by our covers. I used to think I had to be "fancy" I now know I just have to know what they want, and how to deliver it !!!

Good post !

Alison Creamer
REMAX Allegiance
www.alisoncreamer.com

Most likely someone with no shirt, and flip flops will have a down payment, and can qualify for a loan much easier than someone in a $500 suit, and 3 kids.

About 5 years ago, I had someone drive up to my office in a toyota truck that looked like someone took a bat to it. Rusted throughout and barely looked street legal. A farmers truck most definately.

This older gentlemen stepped out of his truck with a white t-shirt and overalls, and muddy boots. Oh... and a straw cowboy hat. Definately a sight to see.

He stepped into my office, and asked directly for me. Wow! There I was making my initial first impressions, and this guy asks for me. "Come into my office" I said. He then explained to me that he had been looking at my Condo for sale for the past month, and was interested in purchasing it. Well, the Condo was in a gated community with strict CC&R's and $150 per month HOA fee. The list price was $449,000. Now in Utah this is considered a fairly high end Condo. I decided now would be the best time to pull out the restrictive covenants, and ask if he had been pre-approved yet. No words... No emotions... He just pulled out is checkbook, and asked... "Who do I write the check to?" I was licensed in 1996, and this happened in 1999, so I had very little experience with a cash buyer. After stumbling around a bit, I told him to hold on for a second as I needed to talk with my Broker.

My Broker told me to call the title company to get the settlement costs for a cash sale on the property, and have him write the check directly to the title company that included the closing costs.

Long story short... We closed on this property the next day. He was buying it for his daughter.

All the best!

Paul Tippets/Owner, Broker
Real Estate for 2 Franchise, Inc.
www.RE42.com

Many of my clients wear shorts and flip flops or khakis and flip flops since we are in S FL and it is HOT and humid here for a majority of the year. One of the contracts I am in right now is for a single guy, 26 years old and he wears jeans and flip flops every time we meet. This is great for me as I wear flip flops a lot - 3rd generation FL native so it goes with the territory. Hey, we are in S. FL and I am 33 so the "younger" buyers enjoy working with me because we can relate and I am relaxed - not pressuring. It is proper dress here and kind of a requirement to sell the FL lifestyle. So it was great working with him. He is qualified, a professional and relaxed and it made for an easy transaction. We will be closing in the next couple of weeks and he has already invited me to his BBQ for his new home party! His quote - "Make sure you and your wife wear shorts and flops to the party. It will be a luau!" Love it!! I have people like this I work with all the time. You just never know who you are talking to regardless of their dress. Here in Palm Beach, West Palm, Jupiter, Wellington - you will see people who look like "the help" but they are actually the property owners!! Big $$$ so you just never know. Just listed a 47 unit duplex community here in West Palm Beach yesterday from 3 brothers who all wear shorts and flip flops all the time (contact me for details :-)). $4.2MM listing so again, you never know!!! They take me fishing too since I have helped them with past deals. Keep an open mind!!!!

Great post! thanks for sharing.

I've was put in that situation when I was an agent in El Paso, Texas and failed miserably. A family walked into our office at 4:55 PM. All were wearing such attire as cutoff jeans, t-shirts, flip flops, etc.. The husband was downright shaggy. I was on the last shift of floor duty, ending at 5:00. Judging the walk-ins by their appearance and determining that I would rather go home, I asked another agent to handle them, which she gladly did. The next day I apologized to her and asked if they wasted much of her time. She said, "No, they only wanted to see one house which they made a full price cash offer on. ($329,000--a high end house in El Paso in the early 90's). She got her commission in less than a week. I got a good lesson about judging a book by its cover.

Jean:

First, GO BEARS!!! I'm also a Cal grad. What a great story about a very special agent. I think really exceptional agents always look at the unspoken intangibles that will appeal buyer. Thank you for sharing that great story.

You cant judge people. Most agents have not learn their lesson with that yet. Treat everyone as a potential client.

When I first started out, I received a phone call from a very young couple. They said that they had to google me (they had the spelling wrong) so they can ask me to help them buy a house.

Turns out that they were at one of my first open houses several months back (which I held for a big agent who could not do open houses) and they remembered that I was very nice to them. At the time, they were working with anohter agent in Southern Marin so they did not talk to me much. However, after they spent much time with that agent and felt that he was really not intereted in them and was handling other business when showing houses to them. They decided to look me up and finally found me.

They looked young, bright eyes and sweet, not tons of money, but solid jobs and very responsible.

Well, by that time, they already spotted a house they liked. I set them up with a mortgae broker, had them pre-approved, dragged them to see other houses (just in case they missed something - but they still decided to buy that house), and made the offer for them. Multiple offer siuation, but they got the house - all done in one day.

They now have a 3 years old and a one year old, and we are still great friends. Just the sweetest couple :-)

Sylvia

When I first started out, I received a phone call from a very young couple. They said that they had to google me (they had the spelling wrong) so they can ask me to help them buy a house.

They looked young, bright eyes and sweet, not tons of money, but solid jobs and very responsible.

They now have a 3 years old and a one year old, and we are still great friends. Just the sweetest couple :-)

Sylvia

A few years back I watched from my fishbowl (office) as a "shaggy" couple walked from our office, after being shunned by two agents, to the office across the street. I learned a couple days later from a fellow Realtor/friend at the other office that they made a cash offer on a $469,000 home. You should have seen the faces of the two "shunners" at our office meeting the following week when I gave the "don't judge a book by its cover" and this is why speech. You should treat everyone like they're your one and only special client.

Flip flops are mandatory foot wear in Hawaii

It is unfortunate that our society judges people based on what they wear and drive. Perhaps this is in and of itself part of debt and foreclosure crisis. Too many people are peer pressured into buying things that they can't afford.

I think that it would be interesting to make this part of the real estate sales training. Every agent should spend one weekend visiting open houses dressed "down" in flip flops and holey jeans. The next weekend should be spent visiting open houses dressed for the part - driving an expensive car etc. I would love the see the logs of these visits and the observations of how differently they were treated. Could be an interesting lesson.

Thanks for the post Janet.

Janet, it's the money not the wardrobe that buys the home. I learned that a long time ago. I have many stories I could share.

Looks CAN be deceiving! You never know who has money and it's always wise to give everyone the same amount of respect. Great post!

Here in Los Angeles, you'd be quite foolish to make any assumptions based on age or clothing! I have worked with children to young adults QUITE financially capable of purchasing homes. Also, quite capable of QUICKLY choosing a home.

Richard B. Lombari Jr.
CRS, GRI, WCR
Broker/Associate (CA & Fl)
Keller Williams Realty
Los Angeles, California
Rich@PremierLAHomes.com
www.PremierLAHomes.com

800 693-7990

I will sell to anyone. I've learned that the clothes and car don't give a truthful indication of a person's ability to get financing or to buy a home. NEver judge a book by it's cover they say.

We work with first time homebuyers all the time and many of them do look very young and you wonder if they even graduated from high school yet! LOL Of course I've always looked young as well. I have worked with more "polished" looking people driving expensive cars and had them not be able to get a mortgage because of living beyond their means. You can't tell by how people look on the outside and certainly shouldn't judge!

Aloha Janet,

Your story reminds me of when I worked for a haute couturier, and the new head designer flew in for a tour. Every one was expecting an elegant suit. Instead we found an unshaven, threadbear, hooded sweatshirt and torn jeans wearing dude older and balder than my father. The point being if we had passed him on the street would we have taken any interest in him? Thanks for the post and the importance of non-judgement.

Peace,

I'll be the ripe age of 31 on Saturday. When I was 18, I contacted an agent about purchasing a condo. Believe it or not, I had a downpayment saved up and always hated the idea of rent. I looked on the internet and found a friendly man who looked like he might know what he's doing. I ended up skipping out because of fear and I wish I had a better coach to help me through that time because I do believe I would have purchased. By the time I was 24, that condo had almost doubled in value.

I bought my 1st house when I was 24 and put down every penny I had for an FHA loan. I'm not sure what my agent thought of me then. I guess it'd be interesting to ask but she sure was excited in 1.5 years when I called her back to purchase my first investment property. That being said, I can honestly say I've never turned down business, flip flops or no flip flops. It's important to remember that Y Generation is a large part of the buyers out there. Their money is green and bank don't lend money on looks. :)

Great Article.

I've been in real estate for 11 years. During my first year, I helped a young couple find a home. They said I was the only agent who would give them the time of day.

Since that time, I've sold their first home, found them a lot to build on, sold the house that they built, and sold them another home. I also have her parents home listed.

I'm glad I was the one who gave them the time of day!

Very good article. I pride myself on being this kind of agent. I prefer to work with a young couple and discover a great find for them. I find by doing so that I can be their realtor for life. They love me because first, they realized I valued their opinions, but also I took the time to really dig and figure out what might be the best fit for them. I respected them as a young professional and understood how valuable a client that they could be. Just recently I helped a young couple re-list and sell very quickly a condo that they had had on the market for sometime. They were so indebted to me. The first agent that they had evidently talked down to them as if she were their mother. She gave the lower-priced listing very little attention and did not understand some of the cool updates that they put in their place or the value of them. I sold it the first week I had it on the market, and they think I am the best. It makes me feel as if I am making a difference in the city where I live, and to me that is the best reward of all.

Great Post-- Some of my favorite past cients were "kids" who had also gotten the same treatment as yours did. No one would give them the time of day. One young man, when having trouble getting the seller to accept his offer contingent on a loan, said, "Fine, tell them I'll pay cash and close in 2 weeks!" He did. When he came into the office after the close, he hugged me with tears in his eyes. His fiance told me "you have no idea how much this meant to him! To be treated with the respect and care you showed him."

I can definitely tell you that you should never judge a book by its cover. I had an incident happen to me many years ago that taught me just that. I was out putting a sign up on a new home that was under construction. While installing the sign, a little old man in overalls pulled up in an old truck. He asked me if I'd sold the house. I told him that we were marketing it to sell. I had assumed that he was a nosy neighbor. And by looking at his clothing and truck, I had assumed that he couldn't buy the house if he wanted to. When I went to introduce myself, and ask him if he lived in the area, he introduced himself, and was actually one of the richest property owners in our County.

NEVER judge a buyer by their appearance. And NEVER assume well-dressed people actually have money, either.

~Michelle Fradella, Broker - Pinnacle Real Estate Services, Picayune MS

Yes I would be all over any buyer that was qualified, I bought my first house when I was 20, and I learned to never judge a book by it's cover.

Great post, Janet! And yes, I would and have sold homes to flip-flop wearers!

Great story! Sort of like the old-fashioned one about the guy that goes into the Cadillac dealership wearing overalls and not one salesman wanted to wait on him -- but he paid cash for a brand new, big Cadillac! You never know what you might uncover when you stop judging people by their exteriors.

I have plenty of examples of realtors who would not take "ups" because they were only going to spend "x"number of dollars. When I first started in the business, I took all those "ups" and made a lot of money and met a ton of terrific, interesting people.

The business is rewarding in more ways than just monetarily...and we should not forget that.

Carol Wilsey

Broker-Owner,

Exceptional Properties of SW FL

JUN

2008

This is very good. I, myself, have not taken potential clients serious enough only to find out they go to another realtor to buy. We should never discount anyone that is inquirying. There has to be some interest there or they wouldn't be wasting their time.

I learned that lesson while waitressing in high school!

Never assume you can tell who is the most qualified, just give the same great service to everyone.

Also, here in the midwest it is not uncommon for our wealthiest people to live a simple county lifestyle while those with fancy cars and clothes have nothing left after paying for their eye candy.

I never judge a book by it's cover!! I know a lady who earned $1.9 million last year and she always wears flip flops and a beach type dress and doesn't drive a flashy car. You never know who you are dealing with. Everybody's money spends and I am happy to help them spend it UNLESS they are rude, obnoxious jerks and then I send them on their not so merry way!!! Life's too short and no amount of money is worth working with miserable jerks!! :0(

My day is much more satisfying when I don't have visions of pushing someone out of my car along the highway without slowing down!!!LOL!!( I of course would never do that but the vision is somehow soothing!!) Cmon, you've had this vision too if you've been in the business for a while!!!!! LOL!!!!

Have a great Friday the 13th!! Make everyday a great day!!

Appearances mean nothing. I can't tell you how many times I've met investors who dress like a regular joe but purchase 20-30 houses a year. We all know what assuming does...

An agent in my office once had this "guy" walk in and he really looked quite rough. Unshaven, dirty and drove a rather beat up ol' pickup. No one went up to him but Kris and when she did she got the best client anyone could have asked for. He owned so much property on the coast of Ca. and yachts and such that his portfolio would make any agents mouth drool. He is a very wealthy to say the least but looked like a beggar off the street. To judge a book by it's cover would have been a horrible mistake and one she didn't make. He's a great guy, really friendly and will be a client to her forever because she said How can I help you? We all learned a lesson that day, one that will not be forgotten by me for the rest of my career!

I always make it a point to talk to everyone. You never know especially seeing as how when ever I can get away with it, you will see me in shorts and flip flops and no make up and a pony tail. Not only that but every one deserves the time of day.

My boss one time went in to buy a Porsche with CASH. He walked around in shorts and flip flops with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. no one would give him the of day. I never forgot the story.

Never judge a book... blah blah blah. Especially in my market, you just never know. We get a lot of trust funders here, and sometimes they look like beach bums... because they are!

JUN

2008

I say--never assume---I got a listing and sold to a client who came to the office on his bike, with cut-off jeans, and yep filp flops.

JUN

2008

Sell to a couple of kids in flipflops and jeans? Heck, half the time I am wearing flip flops, and sometimes jeans as well!! It was 100 degrees here today- I caravaned in flip flops.

JUN

2008

Janet - I learned not to judge a book by its cover very early on when I worked in the beach cities in Southern California, where shirtless and barefoot were the norm. Great reminder!

JUN

2008

Some of my most interesting, unpretentious prospects have turned into loyal, reliable clients. Doesn't this kind of go back to simple "Equal Opportunity"?

JUL

2008

I prefer FSBO. There is much time to have and pay your house. And I like FSBO sites too. And I found really great site!!!!! It was called Fizber. I think the best service was real estate forms at http://www.fizber.com/real-estate-forms.htm.

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