What's good about today...?

So people keep telling you the "real estate market is terrible" and "oh, you're in real estate? that's too bad...." or "wow, it must be so tough these days."

How do you respond?

Well, I get the negative energy a lot from clients and other agents alike, not to mention my own family! And I'll admit, it gets to me sometimes.  True, I'm not making the deals that I thought I'd be making, and not earning the money that I think is true of my potential.  I'm not going to lie, it's harder these days.

However, I focus on the positives.  What I really enjoy is the fact that in today's market, people CAN buy.  There are government grants helping first time buyers, housing prices have dropped, allowing the qualified buyer to get a great deal on their dream home.  Mortgage companies are being smarter about their loans, so that the uneducated buyer doesn't get "stuck" with something they can't afford.  We're now actually doing our job as agents! We have to work for the customer, and educate them and really give them what they need, not just cram the most we can give them down their throats, and then marvel at the commission check.

I feel better about whatever business I'm doing right now, because I have no choice but to do what's in the best interest of my client.  Whether this means advising them on a short sale, or finding them a smaller home that they can truly afford over a standard, 30 year mortgage period, I'm a problem solver.  You just need to work with the right people.  There's still plenty of business to be had out there!