After another crazy Monday I am amazed with the amount of work there is out there if you just keep positive and striving forward.

I am an average guy who came from a lawn care background that took a very big risk and this past fall(07) I decided I was not going to go back to my full time job in early 08. I will try my hand at this real estate game full time.

If I wanted to keep my hopes in not going back to my secure job I had to work very hard and quickly. I had a mentor with EXIT Realty who showed me that knocking on doors could be a great way to get leads in a down market.....the road less traveled, right? Well, my mentor ended up leaving to try something different and I was left out to dry. He left some of his listings that I was know in charge of selling.  I was super excited! The one that turned up the heat on my business was a little ranch home in a transitional neighborhood that was going into foreclosure.

This is the first time I had heard the term short sale and thought, "This seems like a lot of work." I ended up closing it rather quickly! "Could they all be this easy?" UH NOOO :) Nevertheless, the term short sale became a big part of my vocab. From that moment I started my education in short sales and how to find them. In a short amount of time I have helped many families avoid foreclosure and work myself into the 10% of all agents in our board through May!

I am now getting the calls from the lenders and banks to list their REO's! Man, getting listings without marketing to them......this is awesome! What other business could a 24 year old guy get so much respect so quickly?

I think if anyone is having a hard time with this market, I would just say hang on and be positive. I am having quite a bit of success in the "normal" market as well, so it's not like I am ONLY selling foreclosures and short sales. I wake up everyday thankful for my family and the ability to go to work and do something I truely enjoy doing.

Have a great Day and Happy Selling!!

Matt Hodges