Eyes Forward, Stand Up Straight Soldier..er I Mean REALTOR... Now Drop For 50 Double Time.

Thanks Steve and Jan. I would not get a root canal (never had one, hope never do) from a part time dentist or who plays one on TV.

Terri..it's like marriage. Compatibility is key and if you and your profession are not a good match, what you were meant to do and why you were put on the planet, the results are so so mediocre. The "that's good enough" or "when I get around to it" agents are likes cows on a freeway. Road kill for supper and driving around them is a time consuming slalom course that slows down the process and can end up making you look unprofessional when you are trying to work with them and they are part time, half there.

Thanks Michael...keep up the good work, posting the timely topics salt and peppered with the imagery to make them interesting, appealing to look at, digest, remember.

The men and woman of the armed services would disagree with you. My dad was a tail gunner in a B-24 and always credited boot camp, his drill sargeant in Brownsville TX for preparing his flight crew for survival, discipline, others depending on you in life and death situations. War, conflict is not pretty. But I am glad you popped in. Real estate is not a hand shake you're in either. You have a license, but running a business, going with out a weekly check, being in sales not for everyone and it is a learning process. Real estate is a serious job, buyers and sellers counting on you to guide them thru the mine field and want you to have the right stuff, be tough skinned but tender hearted. 

Tni ... you are so right. But you have to like, get along with people and have skills. A tough skin, tender heart helps too.

Perky & Jody ... If you live in an area where 9-5 means you can deliver the level of real estate service, great. I don't and to do all wearing the "R" at the level of quality service needed, I don't wait to get started at 9AM. Writing a blog underwater in the shower, editing that video shot this morning and getting it uploaded to youtube, realtor.com and embedding it in Active Rain, other blog posts means whistle does not sound like Fred Flintstone's slide off the dinosaur's back. Not like his beat feet for home neck and neck with Barney. Marblehead MA must be some kind of different real estate market. We work when other people don't, are available. Our sellers want that too.

If you compare other industries where professionals can do a 9-5 schedule, those are the industries you need to be working and hang up the "R", the hardest working letter in the alphabet. Two kinds of people. Vacation, vocation. I love what I do and don't consider it work, like being on an action packed vacation I guess. Farm upbringing has something to do with it and loving what I do "the rest of the story". We constantly over the last 31 years of listing, marketing, selling Maine real estate cruise the facilty looking for slack to be tip top efficient. Real videos, over 450 of them are one major kick in the pants in a good way to make the area, properties come alive. Real estate is a jealous master, and like love wants all of you.

P & J .... There is no way I could service my area and do all the real estate duties, showing, listings, video, blogging, community events, local board service just five days a week, 9-5. Real estate buyers and sellers not on a 9-5 real estate schedule and we have to work when they are able to provide the level of service needed. Marblehead MA must be a different area. Other real estate agents, brokers, REALTORS work 9-5 five day a week industry colleagues there make it one unique place. Must be a super economy in your area and an easier market. The lawyers and bankers that we work with to make multiple sales happen have the same year after year dedication, work ethic. 20% doing the 80% of the business dynamic I guess and thank you for your input, comments. The neat give and take in Active Rain's dialogue and respect for differing opinions. I find the fellow AR bloggers anything but dull and putting their clients first and highly service oriented. No bridges burned, come back anytime and let's follow each others blog posts.

Perky & Jody ... You can can me Andrew, Andy. Agree shutting it off, vacationing, other interests key. But 40 hours is not enough to do the level of business, the quality I want for real estate marketing where I live. Everyone decides how much is enough, too little where they list, market and sell. I guess the real key is if you "psychic bottom line" as you put it. If your work, your anything burns you out or if what you do energizes and just how you are built. I sense you can look at it that your customers could have you working 24/7 if you are not careful. A lot depends too on your personal situation. Are the kids grown, do you have sick parents, other businesses, etc that all compete for time. I am lucky in that department and after being full time single dad funneled that energy from growing up on a farm in to increasing sales to pay for expensive colleges from GW, Columbia, CC and Simmons. It is a choice on how hard, how much you work without interfering with family and the other life balls you juggle. All I know is I can not wait to get to the office with my 32 foot commute each morning and love what I do. Not everyone may feel that way about their career as they get older, especially if they have not reinvented real estate to make it 2011 up to snuff and they are just counting the days to retirement. Thanks for doubling back and see you around AR campus. 

Pamela... thank you!