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Simple Things In Life

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408

Let me introduce my client and a good man - Bob Leard.

Bob LeardWe know each other for good 4 years. He walked into our office and immediately filled it with his personality. He asked how much money he could make if he buys a few units int he condo-hotel and rents them out. I told him "Nothing, none, zero, zilch". He left and I forgot about the whole thing, and then 3 weeks later he called me and asked me whether I still remembered him. Well, forgetting Bob Leard was out of the question, so yes, I remembered him very well.

He told me that he wanted me to help him find an apartment building. Why me? He was out there for 3 weeks talking to agents, so why he came back to me?

In Bob's philosophy it was simple. He said that I was the only one who said "no". He met a few agents, but he did not trust this "everything will work" thing, so he figured that he had a better chance to hear the truth from someone who said "no".

It was few years ago, and somehow our  relationship developed. We are very different in our life experiences, and it is never boring. I enjoy listening to him and I learn a lot.

Linguistically he is on a more equal footing with my wife. She understands only half of what he is saying. Bob graciously listens to her and, I think, understands only half of what she is saying. Makes it fun.

We do not get together as often as we would love to. He lives in Palm Coast, and we are 45 miles south, but we sure enjoy it when we do.

He and his lovely wife Caroline are great cooks, and we, in turn, are exposing them to some Russian food. Here he is with the fruit basket that they brought. That edible beauty was a hit on our table. It looks good, and it tastes great.

Our early Sunday dinner was nothing out of the ordinary, A good time with good friends with food, wine and this edible basket, Simple things in life is what we enjoy the most. 

Comments(6)

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William J. Archambault, Jr.
The Real Estate Investment Institute - Houston, TX

Jon,

Well done!

That's very similar to how I got my first large investor back in 1973. "No" is powerful sales tool when it obviously protects the client!

Bill

May 04, 2009 11:02 PM
Renee Marrs Caperton
Marrs & Associates - Corsicana, TX
Realtor - Corsicana Texas Real Estate

Nice post-it's great to connect with people in this business.   

May 04, 2009 11:42 PM
Jenny Kotulak
RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON
Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Hi Jon,

What a great photo.  I have received one of those fruit baskets before and they are amazing.  Good friends & good food.  What more could you ask for??  Oh yah, the wine!!!

May 05, 2009 12:54 PM
Kathleen Frawley
Keller Williams 916 730-4404 Elk Grove, Wilton, Folsom, Sacramento - Wilton, CA
South County Sacramento, 916 730 4404

Another reason why honesty is always the best policy...fruit baskets!

May 05, 2009 01:17 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Bill - Thanks. It is not a strategy or tactics. I am not calculative and politically correct, and I do not "read" them to try to predict what they want, and play accordingly. It turns some people away, but I do not regret. I know that I will not be good for every customer, so if someone walks away, I think that this was not my customer.

But when it is my customer, I enjoy every minute of it. Sometimes they enjoy it, too.

If people come to me now and ask whether this is a good time to sell, I do not tell them optimistic stories about the great market. I ask them whether they have to sell, or just want to sell, and them sit with them with a pencil and try to put their situation into numbers. It is still their decision, but at least they can choose between renting for x number of months (years) or selling now. If they figure that they better wait, then I do not get a listing today.

But I am not retiring yet.

May 06, 2009 07:22 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Renee- thanks

May 06, 2009 07:36 PM