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Correcting A Bad Hair Color....Cheaper Than Correcting A Bad Real Estate Deal

By
Real Estate Agent with Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 BRE# 01494165

 

 

I got my hair done yesterday. At my age, and with my amount of hair, this is a long process. Base color to hide my roots, highlights to pretend it's sun-streaked, trim, style...you get the idea.

I do enjoy it though...the salon I go to is filled with friends of mine. These are women that my kids have gone to school with and clients and personel all have a great time.

Yesterday, however, one poor woman was having major color correction done. She had been "impatient" (her word not mine) and a bit "cheap" and had tried a box of color on her hair. Nothing wrong with this....we've all used boxes for our color during tight times....tight on money or tight on time. This, however, was her first effort and she decided to spice it up even more by going lighter....ie, it had a lot of bleach in it.

Yes, it was a mess!

Orange in some places, still gray in others, dark underneath....pure disaster. To top it off, this was an expensive correction. We were all laughing about it....including her...but doing it right the first time would have made a lot more sense.

Later that afternoon (remember I told you how long my hair takes?) we were talking about real estate and how things were going. I said "great" which is true. One lady said that she knew people who just weren't paying for the commissions and listing on Craig's List and just "doing it on their own."

I couldn't resist reminding them that earlier they were dismayed that someone would try and color their own hair....but selling their own home? The paperwork, the disclosures, the title, the lending, the appraisals? Allowing unknown people (from a Craig's List Ad) into your home? Really?

A "do-it-yourself" real estate mess is a lot harder and a lot harder to correct than a bad hairdo.

Comments(48)

Barbara Altieri
Better Homes and Gardens RE Shore and Country Properties - Shelton, CT
REALTOR-Fairfield County CT Homes/Condos For Sale

Great point, Karen. Those who go down that road themselves without using a realtor have no clue as to how involved the 'process' is and if done incorrectly at any step along the way, what a problem it creates.  Do it right the first time!

Jan 31, 2012 01:35 PM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Hi Karen,  What a great analogy!  Also remember the old saying, you get what you pay for.   I hope she heeded your advice!

Jan 31, 2012 01:57 PM
Kathryn Acciari
Central One Federal Credit Union - Shrewsbury, MA
Mortgage Loan Originator

Good for you, Karen.  Sometimes DIY works...sometimes it is disastrous.  How nicely that played out for you.

Jan 31, 2012 01:59 PM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

Love, love, love the analogy Karen.  This is so true...hair color is way easier and less costly to fix than a Real Estate mess!

Jan 31, 2012 02:49 PM
Laurie Clark CRB Angel Realty LLC Your Monument Realtor 719-502-6572
CRB-CCSS-ASD-HBS-RSD-Denver Short Sale Agents - Monument, CO
Angel Realty, LLC

Congrats on the feature! Excellent analogy. I have been called in to assist many a FSBO and  Craigs List has so many risks that can lead to uninformed real estate decisions that are incredibly difficult to fix. Thanks for sharing and have a great week.

Jan 31, 2012 03:07 PM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Karen, this is an absolutely wonderful analogy. This is a point you should make over and over again.

Jan 31, 2012 03:52 PM
David Shamansky
US Mortgages - David Shamansky - Highlands Ranch, CO
Creative, Aggressive & 560 FICO - OK, Colorado Mtg

LOL if you choose price as your basis for decisions you ALWAYS pay twice

Jan 31, 2012 04:44 PM
Marti Steele Kilby, CRS
Steele Group Realty - La Mesa, CA
Broker/Owner, San Diego, CA

So worth a chuckle!  I remember the ONE time I decided to save money and do it myself.....same story, the correction (and repeated brow-beating by my stylist) made it a stupid and costly mistake.  When someone now tells me that they think they'll sell their own home or buy from a FSBO, unrepresented I ask them when they last tried DIY dentistry or plumbing? 

The problem I believe, is that because people can search for homes online they think that is where the job of the Realtor ends....as we all know, that is just the beginning.

Jan 31, 2012 05:28 PM
Constina M. Baylor
REMAX Gold Coast Realtors Oxnard - Oxnard, CA
Broker Associate - Oxnard Homes, Oxnard Beach and Marina

I'll never forget my orange hair experience.  I paid so much more trying to fix it than if I had just gone to an expert.  And I remember when I tried to sell my home without an agent...it was the very reason I got my license.  I realized it wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be and that I wasn't as savy as I thought I was.  There are so many reasons why it's important to work with an agent.  Great story and tie in to real estate!

Jan 31, 2012 06:53 PM
Charlie Dresen
The Group, Inc - Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs, CO e-Pro

Sometimes great analogies just present themselves at the most opportune times! I'm quite sure no one in the salon will give credibility to anyone's suggestion to turn to Craig's List to sell their home with the hair coloring analogy now embedded to memory. Good job...let's hope that salon discussion gets re-told over and over again...that's word of mouth "advertising" at its best!

Jan 31, 2012 09:50 PM
Amanda Christiansen
Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN
Christiansen Group Realty

I always love your analogies Karen.                                                                                                           

Feb 01, 2012 12:53 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Karen, 

My daughter has been watching extreme couponing on TV and has set up a great system of collecting coupons - now in an organized book we take to the store.  

However, when she first started she would cut any and all coupons - one was for a dye job kit.  I shared with her that although that was a great coupon, it wasn't for me and we only needed the coupons for items we use or might want to try.  

Lindsay, my hairdresser will be on the budget for a long time in the foreseeable future!

Love how you segway all topics back to real estate.  Yes, you can do real estate yourself, BUT will you REALLY BE SAVING ANY MONEY?  (I know in a large number of cases, it hasn't worked out that way.)

All the best, Michelle

Feb 01, 2012 01:03 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Peggy: Yes we are

Anna: For some reason we are not understood, and the shows on TV and ads do nothing to help.

Nancy: That's right, we never outgrow a bad financial decision, do we?

Joy: Thanks...I know, but it's lack of understanding as to what we do for them

Jim: Thanks :)

Charlie: Or try and pay just the buyer's agent and get all the professional help anyway

Steven: Why of course :)

Kristi: Oh I tried black once also....when I was young. You only need to do that once, right?

Alan: Why thank you sir...learned my lesson

Rob: No it does not

Greg: Lucky man....wish I could ignore my gray. sigh

Kim: That box is the devil :)

Kathy: Oh  me too...and don't you feel better when you do?

Janis: Hair color NO....lol

Karen: That's true....strange, right?

Philip: Or maybe a model airplane

 

Feb 01, 2012 01:20 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Karen, an excellent analogy! A homeowner doing a real estate transaction themselves can be a more costly situation.

Feb 01, 2012 01:21 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Carla: You need to think on your feet at hair salons, right?

Judi: These ladies do....it was "friends" trying to save money who didn't :) I only go to smart hairdressers. lol

Myrl: I did some of my own sales also, as an investor...that's why I got my license to begin with. But I also knew it wasn't easy, just couldn't find an agent I thought handled things better than I did.

Gretchen: Oh so true...no ex husbands, no bad business decisions. lol

Feb 01, 2012 01:23 AM
Erv Fleishman
Realty Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Luxury Prop Specialist Realty Associates

So, the tortoise always wins becaus he does not have bad Hare days.

Feb 01, 2012 02:26 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Ed: I like that...wrong is going to stay with you longer, so do it right.

Ellie: Of course...saves time and money, right? lol

Barbara: I think that's the point, and it would be great if NAR would spend some time/money telling them that

Elyse: It wan't my friends, it was people they know. And probably not

Kathryn: It really did...made my point to be sure

Brenda: Yes it is...we can wear hats

Laurie: That's interesting...trying to fix things once they start?

Tammie: Oh, I do....

David: and over and over again....right?

Marti: I'm glad it made you laugh, me too. And you're right....they do think that's what we do

Constina: I remember orange legs by trying to get a tan overnight too....no short cuts

Charlie: I hope not...really it's "word of hair" :)

Jared: Thanks

Michelle: I am fixing a bad transaction right now...and now it's a short sale

 

Feb 01, 2012 02:33 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Erv: Ouch....very good :)

 

Feb 01, 2012 02:34 AM
Norma J. Elkins
Elite Realty Group - Morristown, TN
Realtor - Elkins Home Selling Team
Thanks for sharing - I can relate to the hair story and I agree so much with the real state also ---- can make quite a mess sometimes. Have a great day.
Feb 02, 2012 10:48 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Karen, came over here from Karen Steed's re-blog and glad I didn't miss this post! LOL visualizing the lady who tried to do it herself, and that's a wonderful analogy for what happens to some folks who try to sell on their own.

Sharon

Mar 31, 2012 03:12 PM