This is a follow-up to my earlier post about my first days as a real estate agent - way back in 1985.
I thought I'd continue on and tell you about my first two listings - so new agents who are feeling frustrated will see that someday they'll look back and laugh...
After a couple of months sitting around the office, I did finally get two listings. Not because I knew anything about marketing at that point, but because I was the one there on floor day when the people called.
I'll never forget that first listing appointment.
It was for a log cabin about 21 miles north of town. Eighteen miles of good road, and 3 miles of potholes and bumps.
I arrived at the scheduled time, and I knocked on the door. Nothing. But I could hear a piano playing inside. I knocked again. Nothing. Not knowing what else to do, and not having the nerve to walk away, I stood there in the cold November wind and waited.
Finally, about 15 minutes later, the door opened. The gentleman who answered politely explained to me that he was practicing the piano, and he never interrupted his practice for any reason. It wasn't an apology, just an explanation.
I didn't ask why he had scheduled my visit during his practice time.
My second listing was for an elderly couple with a newer house overlooking the river. A nice, ordinary, solid house.
I went in, got the tour of the house and sat down to visit with them. After they signed the listing I found out that this couple's son - who had done much of the construction on the house - was a competing real estate agent who worked at one of the other firms in town.
So there I was, in the middle of a family feud.
As I said, very little was selling in those days, so both of those listings expired off the market.
The elderly couple decided to forgive their son for whatever he had done and they listed the house with him. As I recall they were sorry for that later, but some families are like that.
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