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CLUELESS REALTOR; Need a good laugh...read on!

By
Real Estate Agent with Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life!

 

FUNNY TRUE STORY; CLUELESS REALTOR IN KATY (Houston) TX.

I got my real estate license in 1976 and was very excited about my new career.  I was given a desk complete old phonewith a phone (they were rotary back in the old days) and told good luck...that was the extent of my training.  After about a week of sitting at my desk and staring at my phone expecting something to happen I got bored (and more brook), so I went to my manager and ask if there was something I should be doing?  He told me, "Well why don't you go knock on some doors".  Actually good advice however I did not know it at the time plus that's all he said, he didn't tell me what to say or offer any other insightful ideals. 

With nothing to loose except my dignity I got in my car armed with some brand new business cards (any one out there remember the franchise Red Carpet Realty?), and off I went in search of some doors to knock on.  After driving around until my gas gage indicated I would have to stop soon or else.  I gathered up my courage and business cards and got out of the car in a neighborhood that was fairly close to my office in the SPRING BRANCH area of HOUSTON.  I went to the first house on the block I had stopped on and went to my first door and "knocked"....THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HOME :), what a relief!  Arriving at my 5th home, there was a man on a ladder painting his house.  I called out, "Hi my name is Liz Carter, (my first brilliant word of the day), and I'm with Red Carpet real estate".  Fortunately he was a nice man and came down of the ladder and shook my hand.  I see you are doing some painting...DUH, my next brilliant statement, he responded with yes since he had just found out he was being transferred was fixing up his home to sell.  Remember this was 31+ years ago and I still remember the conversation vividly.  Well I just stood there, and he finally said, "Would you like to see the house?"  Yes of course, triple DUH, and in we went.  Not having a clue what to do next, thank God my office was close by and after several trips back and forth from his house to my office and back, he and his wife signed a listing agreement with me. The whole time spent from start to finish was around 6 hours; this might be the longest listing appointment of recorded history!

In about a week the seller called me and said that one of his co-workers wanted to see his home and could I meet them there?  Is there another word for Duh???, so off I went and low and behold after viewing the home featherthey said to me, "We would like to buy this house".  The saying, you could have knocked me over with a feather comes to mind, and I managed to say let's go back to my office.  I promptly and of course barely able to hide my excitement went in search of someone to help me, since I was still CLUELESS.  Thank goodness my manager was there and went in and explained everything to the buyers and wrote the contract. Then wallah in about four weeks I got a check, and thought boy have I found the right "job"!  The transaction went smoothly and no one got hurt, surly there was divine intervention.  This is a funny and scary at the same time true story of my fist real estate transaction.  Now looking back, with thousands of closing later I of course realize how disastrous this could have turned out. 

It's sad but the consumer today faces the same problems many years later, getting stuck with a clueless agent who is totally untrained, under educated, and has no ideal of what they are doing. Most agents do not get proper training even today, they are told to take floor time, hold open houses, run print ads, and hope someone calls them.  When I was licensed it only took 30 hours of classes, pass the state test, join the MLS, and you became a HOUSTON Realtor.  Thank God we have increased that and there have been other good things, but still sadly we have too many people who hold a license who should not.

I just finished writing on active rain my TOP TEN REAL ESTATE THINGS TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT IN 2008 .Positive for 2008; Represents a golden window for buyers to find excellent deals on homes with excellent financing, by Liz Carter .  One of top 10them was we will have less competition since when the business gets tougher agents leave the business and they have been doing so in record breaking numbers.  That is a great thing for us and for the consumer; it is a purge of the real estate industry.  Let's all keep growing, learning, and doing the best job we can for our clients.  Helping new agents with a mentor program when they first start is a great way to help them, and our industury.  Give some of your time, knowdlege, and expericance when a new agent comes on board.  I even go out of my way to help agents who work for another company, it's just the right thing to do.

Would love to hear from you on the strange and funny things that have happened to you also, maybe we should write a book?  It's good to laugh, especially at yourself.  My post of things to be positive for in 2008 has been posted on active rain in case you would like to read it.

Wishing everyone the best year of your life in 2008!  Liz Carter, owner/broker Liz Carter & Team Realty.  Serving the greater Houston, Katy and Sugar Land areas of Texas.  http://www.lizcarter.com/, 281-391-SOLD (7653.

Liz Carter picture underwater

Yes this is me under water, back in the olden days of FILM, it took Bill (my better half, sometimes), many shots to get this picture I use in all my advertising.  A fish would swim by, I would have to take a breath, so bubbles were all over the picture, a current with come up and I'ld loose my position, the list goes on and on, but we finally got it.  We had a blast.  I've used this in my ads for 20+ years, with the tag "Before you dive into buying or selling a home...talk to someone who knows the waters"  I get strange calls, like, "I need to talk to that lady with the goggles", or "Can I talk to that lady in the water".

 

Comments (34)

Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)
Hey Chirs, 30-50 transactions per year is somthing to be proud of...you must be a geat agnet!  Remeber the average agent only sells 2-3 homes a year, now that is sad.  Join my new group I'm going to form, we all have somethin to share and learn from each other.  Liz
Jan 04, 2008 02:54 PM
Lucky Lang
Premiere Plus Realty Marco Island - Marco Island, FL
Marco Island & Naples Florida Real Estate

Liz,

I followed your comment here from your listing post.  Give me a call later on my cell phone.  I have a couple ideas for you.  If you're at your computer, it will work better.

Take care,

Lucky :)       563-676-9031

Jan 05, 2008 08:50 PM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)
Hi, just tried to call you, I'm at my lake house and the # is 254-359-4340.  Can always use some help :)  Liz
Jan 06, 2008 03:36 AM
Marlene Bridges
Village Real Estate Services, Inc. - Laguna Hills, CA
Laguna Homes|Laguna Condos|Laguna Real Estate
Liz - Your story was wonderful.  And, it was good to see that you gave credit where credit was due.  It truly sounds like divine intervention.  By getting that first sale so easily, you received confirmation that you were called to this profession.  Wishing you an incredible 2008.
Jan 08, 2008 11:48 AM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)
Hi Marlene, yes that's all it could have been, but now I believe that "all" things in life are.  I was very fortunate enough too have found this crazy world of real estate.  The longer I'm around the more I learn and the more I can give back.  I'll be in San Diego Jan 19-25 for the Mike Ferry one-on-one training, are you involved with MFO?  Would love to meet you, Liz
Jan 09, 2008 03:05 PM
Deb Brooks
Brooks Prime Properties Wichita Falls Texas - Wichita Falls, TX

Awwwwe, this is so wonderful. It was just meant to be. There still is today no reason why we don't all knock on a few doors! The personal touch is what is needed at this techy time of life.

We make a call and get a machine, we drive up to a gas station and have to pump gas ourselves and we stop to get food and serve ourselves.

How nice is it to have that "Personal touch" back in the picture. Thanks for the great post and a walk down memory lane!

Later in the rain~Deb

Apr 26, 2008 01:05 PM
Ricki Eichler McCallum
CastNet Realty - Corpus Christi, TX
Broker,GRI,ABR, e-Pro, TAHS
Liz,  Sometimes I still get "Stage fright" when knocking on doors but thankfully not very often.  I remember last year, I had a new agent in the car with me and was helping train him when we passed a FSBO.  I quickly stopped the car and started to get out and he grabbed my arm and franticly said "WHat are you doing?"   I said "Come on!"   He hesitantly walked behind me and was stiff as a board but we met the people and he learned how to be instantaneous.  It was funny watching him.  We still joke about it today. 
Apr 26, 2008 05:03 PM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

Deb,thank you kind lady, it was fun taking that walk down memory lane, 32 years ago :).  I knocked on doors for 15 years, then I started telephone prospecting.  Either is effective, you just have to do it daily on a consistent basis.  It works I'm living proof, but most agents will not do either.  Too bad, it sure beats sitting around waiting for the phone to right.  Thanks again for all your help tonight...I owe you dinner, maybe several.  Love Ya, Liz

Hi Ricki,you found it...this is one of my first blogs, and I wish I have saved the first one, it would have been a great before and after one year + in the rain.  That fist door or that first phone call is always the hardest...just remember, "It's Showtime".  And what is the worst thing than can happen, they tell you no or shut the door in your face, but they are a total stranger, so why would anyone let a total stranger decide how your cay is going to go, or how your career is going to go?  See you soon, Love You too, Liz

Apr 26, 2008 08:42 PM
Christina Williams. REALTOR® TN property search & local insights
First Realty Company - Crossville, TN
Liz. Loved reading about your first experience. So great that it was and easy one to follow. I'll share mine in the future... A little more crazy!  I think you photo is brilliant. 'Something" very outside of the box that gets attention. ;)
Apr 27, 2008 12:10 AM
Christina Williams. REALTOR® TN property search & local insights
First Realty Company - Crossville, TN
I tried to click on "top ten things to be positive about" and there is no link? I'm searching your blogs. ; )
Apr 27, 2008 12:11 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA
Liz:  What a great story!  I have felt myself feeling clueless in the first year of this job as well.  I am happy to say now, it takes a lot to get me feeling that way again.  I also believe strongly in mentoring in new agents.  My mentors were terrible.  They were the  types that did everything FOR me, instead of explaining what I needed to do, why I needed to do it and how to do it. 
Apr 27, 2008 03:52 AM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

Christina, thanks...wish I would have saved the way it looked before I fixed it and revived the old post, that was really funny.  Looking forward to reading yours.  I'll look for that post and send it to you, the title was more than what is says here, I guess, so need to fix that too.  The more I learn, the more work I have to do to fix all the mistakes I've made over the last year on the rain :).  L

Chris,I think most of us have had our share of those people, but there are a few that have had some good one, just not as many!  I'm doing my part in sharing as much as I can to help new and old agents to do a better job in this business of ours, hopefully you are also...we can make a difference.  L

Apr 27, 2008 10:57 AM
Geoff Scowcroft
Coldwell Banker - Studio City, CA

Great story! What is funny is that these things still happen, all of a sudden bam your reworking your schedule. A couple of years ago I had recieved an email at about 5pm that appeared to be junk, "I want to buy this house I saw, Call Me.", of course no phone number was left. I returned the email and ended up getting a call. I was in contract the next morning on a $1.5 million vacation home. The client is great and it was a fun transaction.

My partner and I took over management of three real estate offices a few years ago. As we were cleaning through old files and found old marketing materials from Red Carpet, they were great! It was like traveling back in time.

Apr 27, 2008 04:18 PM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

Geoff,wow...hindsight is a wonderful thing :).  Sure wish I had hung on to more memorabilia.  Some of that "junk" is worth-some $ now :).  I ran across a Xerox copy of when I got real estate diploma for completing 30 class room hours, and sent it to my mom and dad.  They hung on to it all those years, an when the passed away 15 years ago I had stuck it away and ran across it.  On the top it said Mom & Dad and at the bottom I wrote, "Wish me luck", Elizabeth Ann.  I framed it and put in my office just last week.  L

Apr 27, 2008 04:51 PM
Melissa Grant
A Serendipity World - Greenbackville, VA
The Law of Attraction In Life & Business
Funny story Liz ! My Real Estate Adventure was like yours. Here's your desk now sell some Real Estate ! Yikes !
Apr 28, 2008 12:51 AM
Lucky Lang
Premiere Plus Realty Marco Island - Marco Island, FL
Marco Island & Naples Florida Real Estate

Liz,

You are becoming quite the accomplished blogger!!!  Now I need to learn a few things from you!

Take care,

Lucky :)

Apr 28, 2008 11:34 PM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

Melissa - That's what I need to learn now brevity, you just told my long blog in 1/2 line :).  That's why AR takes so much of my time, even my comments are long..."I will be brief"...that's my new affirmation!  Liz

Hi Lucky - Glad you got by...thanks for all your help, L

Apr 29, 2008 06:22 AM
Greg Hampton
Re/Max Around The Mountains - Blue Ridge, GA
North Georgia Mountain Property,Blue Rid
Liz, I enjoyed reading your blog. I am glad today that RE/MAX offers traing to new realtors to help them get started. Glad you made it through!
Apr 29, 2008 07:55 AM
Deb Brooks
Brooks Prime Properties Wichita Falls Texas - Wichita Falls, TX
Hi Darlin', I sure am glad your blog site is back up and running. See! It wasn't my fault that the firemen through the margins off. You can load them on my site! In fact, please do! Later in the rain~Deb
Apr 29, 2008 02:35 PM
Liz Carter
Liz Carter & Team Realty-Your Real Estate Resource For Life! - Katy, TX
Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

Greg, all the franchises and independents have training that is certainly much better than, "here's your desk good luck" :).  Unfortunately most is worthless, in my humble opinion.  I have sod 200+ homes a year for many years now, so do know something about what I talking about.  I do not see any big difference in Remax, C/B, C-21, etc. none of them have the right training, and that's why the average agent only sells 2-3 homes a year...sad but true.  A "top producer" is selling 30-50 homes a year.  So the proof is in the #S, and Mike Ferry, (does not matter if you like his style or not) system, coaching works.  The average MFO agent sells 75 homes a year, and I know one agent that sells 1,500 homes.  Froy is a remarkable person, not just in real estate, he is also a big believer in giving back, as I am and so is Mike.  Froy builds 20 homes a year and gives them to underprivileged people in his home country of El Salvador.  Is that cool or what?  L

Hey sweetness & light, you are turning into a little sexy driven thing here in the rain :).  I'll do you one better, every Oct. they are he guest at my club in Cinco Ranch, the Cinco Ranch Ladies Club.  So next Oct. come over and I'll take you to meet all the calendar firemen...OK.  L

Apr 29, 2008 06:19 PM