This past October, about a year ago, I hit my 25th anniversary of being a Realtor. I’m reflecting on how things were really different in October 1988, not only in Real Estate, but in life. THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED.
At the time I received my real estate license, Ronald Reagan was President of the United States. The Washington Redskins were Super Bowl Champions. Rain Man had just received an Oscar for best film.“A Groovy Kind of Love” by Phil Collins was at the top of the music charts.
Boy, do I feel old now.
As a baby-faced Realtor right out of college, I was raring to go. My first manager told me that the best way to get clients was to host open houses (still a good way to meet potential clients) and by “cold calling”. She gave me a special phone book called a reverse directory. It had names of residents by street in each city, with their phone numbers. I’d open the book, cold call a resident, and ask if they wanted to sell their house. That didn’t work as well as I thought it would (big surprise there). So, I had to figure out other ways to meet people, but that’s another story for another day.
Offices back then were just a bunch of desks in cubicles, with only the manager in a separate office. We called this office configuration a “bull pen”.
There were only land lines for the most part, although I knew one agent who had a mobile phone. The battery pack was huge, and weighed about 30 pounds. He carried it like a suitcase. Another difference is that back then, people smoked in the office. That seems unbelievable now, but back then it was normal.
Technology was different as well. Computers were relatively new to business, so we didn’t use them.
Instead, every two weeks we’d receive a paper bound multiple listing book with the active listings. Soon after 1988, we began using simple computers with very, very, very slow dial up modems. In case you’ve forgotten how dial up modems sounded, here’s a link to refresh your memory: http://www.dialupsound.com.
Printers used paper rolls instead of individual paper sheets. So, paper would print out curled up, and I’d have to cut off each listing & counter roll each paper.
When I listed a home, I would design the flyer using a ruler & a machine called a “Merlin” where I’d type black letters onto clear tape which I’d tape to the master copy. I’d then bring the master copy to a printing company to have copies made. Finally, I’d take my photos to a photo place, copy the photos, and glue the photos to the printed copies I had made. Low tech for sure.
I could say much more about the dinosaur days, but I need to get back to today’s internet-based real estate world. If you have any fun “old school” stories, please email me as I’d love to hear them.
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