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My Crystal Ball

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties

Crystal BallI love my crystal ball.  It's what tells me that a new buyer client is great or is not, and what tells me if a listing will sell or languish on the market for months on end, and it's what tells me what groceries to buy each week.

Yeah, as if!  I do not... I repeat DO NOT have a crystal ball, ESP or any other psychic powers.  That's why when you ask me about certain things, all I can do is guess.  I don't know for sure if the water in the basement will be a big problem or not, and I certainly don't know how long it's been there.  I'm not sure if the roof is okay or not, but the water spots on the ceiling might know.

You and I can be a great team, but I can't tell you what to do.  If you are a buyer, I'll:

  • open the doors to as many houses as you want to see before you take the plunge.
  •  commiserate when the right one doesn't come along right away.
  • jump up and down with you when we find the one that makes you feel "that feeling."

If you are a seller, I'll:

  •  be happy to help you rearrange your furniture.
  •  advise you on paint colors and changes that need to or don't need to be made. 
  • give you some little tips that will help get your house sold.
  • market your house in all the right ways.

But I don't know when the buyer will come, and I won't know how solid they are then they get here.  And I also won't be able to figure out what the home inspector will say ahead of time.

I love this job and I really love all that I've learned and all that I now know about homes, prices, markets and neighborhoods.  I am a more well- rounded person because of this.  BUT, I really can't promise you certain things.  I can use the clues in a home to tell me what MIGHT be going on, or the cues in a purchase offer to figure out something about the buyer's true intentions, but people are... well, people.  There will always be sellers that conceal the truth and buyers that get such cold feet that they never buy a house.  And there will always be homes that only get better with age and buyers who bend over backwards to make the sellers happy.  I find, more often than not, that people are really good.  They all want the same thing- happiness.

Home

And to me, truly, happiness is a new home.  I love painting, fixing, customizing.  I love placing furniture and everything else.  I even kind of love the little change of address forms at the post office!  Why?  Because they are all part of this great phenomenon of real estate, and of life.  Change is good.

So, call me if you want a real person to work with to buy or sell your home.  Call me if you're not sure yet, but you want some more information.  Call me if you want a positive outlook and someone who will really try to get you where you want to be, when you want to be there.  But don't call me if you're looking for a crystal ball.

Stephanie Edwards-Musa
thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX
knitwit at thred UP
Awesome Post Christina! Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!  Great job!
Jun 24, 2007 11:22 AM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
Christina, I tell people all the time, if I ONLY had a crystal ball, what there house would sell for, when it would sell.
Jun 24, 2007 11:25 AM
Christina Lackey
Coldwell Banker Prime Properties - North Syracuse, NY
Syracuse Central New York Real Estate

Stephanie- Thank you very much!  Now if only everyone that I have ever or will ever work with would read it...

Missy- Yes, me too.  I really wish I could give people the answers they want and expect from me, but I can't!

Jun 24, 2007 11:48 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital
Nice post, Christina! By the way, ouija boards work pretty well.  Just kidding!
Jun 24, 2007 03:35 PM
Mana Tulberg
805 County Real Estate - Camarillo, CA
Real Estate Agent - Camarillo CA
Christina, I just gave your post a 5. I know there was a reason I liked you so much!! We share the same interests and think alike. I love your post and the ways you expressed your feelings about your job and what real estate is all about are fantastic.
Jun 24, 2007 03:52 PM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

And I most likely will not tell you what you want to hear...I was thinking while typing.

I love the way you write as well..I sure love to see people coming alive through their writing...you are one of them. You make it interesting and I always read to the end...just to see that punch line. Woo Hoo!

Jun 24, 2007 06:05 PM
Susie Roscoe
Signature Realty Associates - Brandon, FL
Real Estate Specialist | Brandon, FL

Don't we all WiSH we had the crytal ball?!?!  Let's see which agents are wonderful to work with and how others are TOTALLY NOT!!  :-)  That would be nice too...

Jun 24, 2007 09:52 PM
Karen Hurst
RICOASTALLIVING.COM - Warwick, RI
Rhode Island Waterfront!

Christina,

I think you "do" have a Crystal Ball! You already know what people want!  A Real person to work with. It's obvious you love what you do and I think thats wonderful:)

Jun 24, 2007 10:50 PM
Suzanne Sands
Pavao Real Estate - Somerset, MA
Somerset MA Real Estate

Christina,

Very good post! I thought you knew you were suppose to get one when you started on this business! :)

Jun 24, 2007 10:56 PM
Christina Lackey
Coldwell Banker Prime Properties - North Syracuse, NY
Syracuse Central New York Real Estate

Patricia-  LOL maybe I'll put one in my truck and add the ouija board to the home buying procedure.

Mana- Thank you very much.  I love to write and I love to sell houses, so this is my perfect thing to be doing!

Sally- Thank you very much!  I think it's amazing how much you can get to know people just through their blogs and not only how they write, but WHAT they choose to write.

Susie-  Oohh... forgot that one, but that would be great.  Will this agent return my calls?  Be fair?

Karen- Thank you.  I hope people like what they see on my blog.

Suzanne- I guess I missed that day of training!  Another reason to never miss a class, right?

Jun 25, 2007 12:23 AM
Steven Shewell
Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. - Ephrata, PA
The Mortgage Maverick
Good analogy.  Too many people are looking for the "certain" answers when they may not exist.  Thanks for putting it in perspective for everyone.
Jun 25, 2007 12:26 AM
Christina Lackey
Coldwell Banker Prime Properties - North Syracuse, NY
Syracuse Central New York Real Estate
Steven- Thanks.  I know some people think we do know everything and while that is very flattering, it makes for some difficult transactions.
Jun 25, 2007 01:31 AM
Dan Homan
Coldwell Banker Ellison Realty, Inc - Ocala, FL
Good points, and since we can't predict how any transaction will work out, I guess we should just make the buying or selling process as enjoyable for our clients and customers.  Sure sounds like you have the sense of humor to do that.  Thanks for a fun post!
Jun 25, 2007 02:28 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
Thanks Christina. It's the blogs that have meaning and the ones that write often enough to keep me interested in their writing is when i will learn more about them through their writing. Woohoo!~
Jun 25, 2007 04:10 AM
Jennifer Steck
Rocky Mountain Homescapes, Keller Williams, Denver Colorado - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate
The crystal ball...don't we wish we all had one? When is the market going to improve? Have we hit bottom yet? If I had all those answers, I'd be sitting on a beach with an umbrella drink. I work hard to give my clients the best, but unfortunately, there is no guarantee. Thanks for the great post.
Jun 25, 2007 04:41 AM
Christina Lackey
Coldwell Banker Prime Properties - North Syracuse, NY
Syracuse Central New York Real Estate

Dan- This is true.  At least if we can have some fun and laugh along the way, we are prepared to handle what comes at us.

Sally- Yes, writing often is key.  There are a couple I used to watch for, but they don't write often and I lost interest.

Jennifer- You're welcome and thanks to you for taking the time to comment.  As long as you know you are giving the best you've got, I'm sure you will get along just fine.

Jun 25, 2007 07:01 AM