grit and gratitude: Unbelieveable Quick Close of 5 Acres In Dolan Springs, AZ
- 08/22/26 09:50 AM
This 5 acre off gird parcel with great mountain views went pending before I even had a chance to place a sign on this vacant land horse friendly parcel located in Dolan Springs, AZ. The seller is beyond ecstatic and hopefully the buyers are equally happy. As the listing agent, I was also happy as I saved myself 2 – 2 hour trips to the property. I guess here at Dirt Road Real Estate we do things differently.
Contact me directly at 219.508.2859 MST if you'd like to learn more about this listing or the Dolan Springs property market.
P.S. Please consider checking … (9 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Juggling Many Hats Is My Daily Routine
- 08/20/26 11:51 AM
Funny thing about the real estate industry, I don’t believe the general public, consumers, customer, clients or those NGOs that protect consumers completely understand the expansive role of real estate agents and all the hats that they wear.
Baby Sitter Negotiator Counselor Advisor Contract Specialist Local Zoning Resource Cartographer Liaison Arborist Photographer Accountant Researcher Student Lately for me, the Babysitter’s hat has been quite present. Having a nervous residential listing seller who does have some justification due to the buyer’s agent and the buyers has required lots of babysitting infused with incredible patience. Not only have I had to babysit the … (8 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Earn or Close the Real Estate Sale, What Works For You?
- 06/22/26 07:32 AM
Years ago I internally balked at this phrase “Close the sale.” I immediately thought of a door closing. Since sales is 100% about relationships as people buy from people they know and trust, the thought of closing was inconsistent with building and maintaining relationships IMHO.
Words power our internal thoughts. For me, I write my goals with a verb first. As a verb earn is far more powerful than close as it encompasses my core values and focuses not on me but rather on the client.
When we earn a sale, we know we have built trust. When we close a sale, there … (2 comments)
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grit and gratitude: You’ve Got A Friend Here on Active Rain
- 06/08/26 07:36 AM
As we begin a new week and with the current year almost half over, let us remember “you’ve got a friend.” Now that friend will “come runnin’ to see you again." Whether it is “winter, spring, summer or fall, All you have to do is call” and your friend will be there.
Here in Active Rain, you have many friends who may be “knockin’ at your door” via phone calls, emails to even a handwritten card. And “now, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend, when people can be so cold?”
Those cold people can be demanding real estate clients, … (9 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Remembering Those Who Never Left the Ardennes Forest
- 05/24/26 09:50 AM
Memorial is a day to honor our fallen military heroes. Some may not know that the deadliest combat engagement by the US Army was fought in the Ardennes Forest.
The Ardennes Forest that extends from Belgium into Luxembourg and ending in France. During this military engagement also known as the Battle of the Bulge, an estimated 19,000 to 20,000 US Army soldiers died with 70,000 additional casualties. The Germans suffered up to 100,000 casualties.
The Background
On December 16, 1944, the Germans initiated a massive offensive in the Ardennes Forest. The topography was rough terrain, rolling hills and dense woodlands. The Battle of the … (12 comments)
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grit and gratitude: First Impressions Do Matter
- 05/13/26 06:17 AM
Human beings are pretty consistent when it comes to their behaviors. Years ago, I read a book by Lillian Bjorseth entitled Breakthrough Networking. In this book Bjorseth stated “people decide ten things about you within the first ten seconds of meeting you.” Then she provide this simple equation:
Image = Appearance + Behavior
When potential residential home buyers walk up to a house, they see an image called curb appeal. Then almost instantaneously, these buyers make either conscious or subconscious thoughts about the appearance and the behavior of the sellers. Research suggests this interaction takes around seven seconds, much similar to what Bjorseth … (4 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Discovering the Silver Lining in the Clouds of Our Lives
- 05/11/26 07:25 AM
Some may remember the movie Pollyanna with Haley Mills who portrayed a child who appeared never to be unhappy and she inspired a town. The author was Elanor H. Porter who wrote these words in the actual novel
“There is something about everything to be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.”
Of course sometimes, as in the movie, in our lives there is difficulty to keep hunting for that gladness, that joy, that inspiration.
Here is where our own attitudes must persevere.
“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to … (6 comments)
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grit and gratitude: In Real Estate There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
- 05/05/26 11:27 AM
How often do real estate sellers, buyers, agents and those other parties involved in real estate among other industries sometime fail to realize that everything has a cost.
Believe it or not, there is an actual acronym for this saying “TANSTAAFL.”
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
All of our choices especially when we hear the word "FREE" have hidden costs, opportunities costs to even tradeoffs. Sometimes those tradeoffs might be our own internal moral code or code of ethics.
Of course, some believe that we as professional real estate agents are overpaid and our work is quite simple in that anyone … (16 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Yes You Are Important, But…
- 05/03/26 02:37 PM
Often we have real estate sellers or buyers who are in a hurry rather to list or buy. Here is my most recent example of what I call “Hurry Up, Wait and Hurry-Up Now!”
On April 14 of this year a potential vacant land listing client contacted me about listing a vacant land parcel. My standard of practice is to visit any parcel before I accept the listing. The seller agreed to meet me 4 days later to show me how to get to the property as the seller knew access was an issue. Due to some unexpected issues, the seller could … (10 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Being Directionally Challenged Is Common in Real Estate
- 04/23/26 11:09 AM
In rural areas, the general public aka as consumers, customers or clients are often directionally challenged. These individuals have a poor to actually no sense of direction. GPS is often their goal to navigational tool and often in rural areas GPS is in error.
Imagine receiving a call from a potential vacant land listing client who wants you to list a parcel. The directions all contain left, right, left, etc. Oh, yes and when you come to the next dirt road, no name given, turn left.
Not only is the general public directionally challenged so are many real estate agents. These agents also … (5 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Are You Ignoring This Asset?
- 04/23/26 10:22 AM
Marshal Field said:
“Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.”
What would happen if in our real estate practices we replaced “Goodwill” with “TRUST”?
“TRUST is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.”
Furthermore, TRUST is an often ignored asset. TRUST like goodwill does not directly show up on any balance sheet or income statement.
However, TRUST can be identified by:
Returning clients Referrals Relationships with other professional real estate agents and vendors such as home inspectors, lenders, etc. Initial conversations with potential clients be they sellers or buyers Usually, professional real estate agents, especially those with decades of sales … (4 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Goodwill Is Good No Matter the Outcome
- 04/18/26 08:06 AM
Many professional real estate agents engage in goodwill behaviors on a regular basis. Their actions are voluntary, kind, friendly and empathetic. For those who are truly authentic, there are no expectations of receiving anything in return. Of course, when something is received in return, this action is most appreciated.
My standard of practice before I commit to listing a property is to physically visit each potential vacant land listing as well as residential though those residential properties are far fewer. What this means is I am voluntarily giving of my time and time is money. Yes, if the vacant land parcel is … (7 comments)
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grit and gratitude: New Vacant Land Listing Close to Boulder Dam and Horse Friendly
- 04/17/26 07:50 AM
Imagine having the ability to explore miles of open land without running into fences or other traffic outside of open range cattle or even wild horses. This nearly 10 acre off grid vacant land listing in White Hills, AZ sits directly across the road from hundreds of acres of BLM land. Boulder Dam and Boulder City are about 30 minutes away depending upon traffic. For those seeking the excitement of Las Vegas, NV the drive is around 45 minutes away.
Hwy 93 that eventually will be I-11 can be seen from the west property line. Additionally, the Entrata project is also anticipated … (3 comments)
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grit and gratitude: The Little Things in Life May Bring Big Costs
- 04/13/26 07:54 AM
Benjamin Franklin understood life in so many different ways. For example, he observed ad shared:
Beware of little expenses.
A small leak will sink a great ship.
How often in life and business do we allow those little expenses into our lives without thinking about the end result?
I remember as an employee before electronic calculators and copy machines, we would recycle carbon paper as well as print on the other side of adding machine tape. The purpose was not as much as recycling, but to save costs. Used paper 8.5x11 paper on one side would be cut into smaller pieces as notes (scrap) … (7 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Action Is Required to Go the Extra Mile Scenarios 1-3
- 04/11/26 07:38 AM
Often, we hear this phrase among salespeople, “to go the extra mile.” Yet what does that mean? Is it just words or actions?
For me, this phrase “to go the extra mile” or “going the extra mile” is not just words but actual actions. In the last couple of days, I lived those words due to unexpected situations.
SCENARIO #1 - Loan Denial
One of the now 3 homes I have listed was under contract. Everything was going relatively smooth except for a delay in approving the loan from the lender's underwriting department. An initial loan approval was received, but the loan had not … (3 comments)
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grit and gratitude: A Seller Shares His Appreciation About Selling a Difficult Property
- 04/09/26 01:00 PM
Sometimes real estate agents sell properties that have issues. Out here in Golden Valley, AZ washes, flood plains and road access are always issues facing sellers especially those wanting to sell vacant land.
This particular seller publicly shared his appreciation with my efforts:
"I recently worked with Leanne to sell a difficult piece of land with a challenging access road, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. Leanne's communication was always timely and clear. She promptly notified me of all offers and prepared counteroffers efficiently. Her advice throughout the process was invaluable. Leanne truly went the extra mile, taking excellent photos of … (5 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Model T and OLD CAR
- 04/09/26 11:43 AM
Many professional real estate agents recognize this acronym of OLD CAR. Lately I come to realize that our fiduciary duties are directly tied to time, the clicking of minutes, hours and days. Yet, time is not included in this acronym or other similar acronyms.
As my husband recently purchased a 1917 Model T Ford in pristine condition and it runs, my brain made a connection to the OLD CAR acronym and OLD "T" CAR was born.
Obedience Loyalty Disclosure Timely Confidentiality Accounting Reasonable Care By the way, some have heard this quote by Henry Ford “Any customer can have a car painted … (6 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Time to Sell the Sizzle in Real Estate
- 04/08/26 02:37 PM
Years ago I read a book The Wizard of Ads: Turning Words into Magic and Dreamers into Millionaires by Roy H Williams. What I remember about this book is the goal of marketing is “To Sell the Sizzle.” The book had a lot of Ah Ha moments in each of its 100 chapters.
Williams explains the “sizzle” as “enticing the customer with a thought more interesting than the thought she’s thinking.”
I have been thinking a lot about this book given much of what I read specific to public remarks lacks the sizzle. Also, I must admit much of my past words also … (7 comments)
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grit and gratitude: A New Listing and Appreciating a Dirt Road in Mohave County
- 04/08/26 02:04 PM
For those vacant land buyers who want to be off grid, with privacy, plenty of elbow room, a higher elevation (nearly 4,000 ft) and rolling hills, this new listing of vacant land for $59,700, located on Outlaw Canyon Road in the Cedar Hills subdivision is definitely worth a visit. With over 40 acres of land, one can see rolling hills, mountains as well as I40 way in the distance. Zoned agricultural means cattle and horse friendly.
What is interesting about this parcel in Cedar Hills is one can ride by an old recreated western town. Cedar Hills is a vast area located … (5 comments)
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grit and gratitude: Yes We Can Still Be Surprised!
- 04/06/26 09:58 AM
One of the primary reasons I love selling dirt is I don’t have to work with or deal with lenders. Vacant land sales are usually cash and sometimes owner carry.
Of the two houses I have listed, the house in Golden Valley, AZ is now under contract. The particular national lender for this house has in the past presented some challenges. So I was already mentally (negatively) prepared for some challenges.
Imagine my surprise when I received the AZ Loan Status Update an entire day early WOW! The lending officer also presented some additional timelines specific to underwriting approval of the loan. Another … (2 comments)
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This 5 acre off gird parcel with great mountain views went pending before I even had a chance to place a sign on this vacant land horse friendly parcel located in Dolan Springs, AZ. The seller is beyond ecstatic and hopefully the buyers are equally happy. As the listing agent, I was also happy as I saved myself 2 – 2 hour trips to the property. I guess here at Dirt Road Real Estate we do things differently. 
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