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The Two Most Famous "Real Estate" People in America

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Industry Observer

As an industry observer since my retirement from real estate last year, I have transitioned from real estate as career to real estate as a source of entertainment.  Never lacking in its entertainment value, it comes as little surprise that the two best known real estate personalities in America are primarily entertainers.

First, we have the fictional real estate agent, Phil Dunphy, bumbling stereotype of the Modern Family series.  Phil's writer seems to find new ways to support the poor image of real estate professionals almost weekly.  For the last seven years, it has been the public's pleasure to gleefully observe the lack of professionalism, and sometimes unethical and illegal escapades, of Phil the functional moron.  If only there were a professional association that could defend the proliferation of bad real estate guy publicity....

Then there's the other most famous real estate guy in America, Donald Trump.  Unfortunately, Trump is not an entirely fictional character, and he often brags about his prowess in outsmarting his less astute real estate victims.  He attributes his sometimes underhanded tactics to the allegation that he is a "Bussinessman" and has to follow what he considers prevailing tactics. 

There is a legion of Trumpees who feel that he is a self-made success story, that he is intelligent and ethical, and that his birth right has little to do with his success.  This is not the place to argue the validity of their beliefs, but it does seem that Trump's real estate reputation does little to improve the public's opinion of the industry and the image of those involved in it.  If only there were an association of real estate professionals that would actively defend the reputation of the profession...

 

Posted by

 Mike Carlier  Lakeville, MN

 

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Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Mike - but at the same token, Trump is one of the more intelligent and smart people, so he can't hurt the image.

The real image is so low, that all we need to do is to beg him call himself not a developer, but a Real Estate Broker, and we would dramatically increase the popularity and trustworthiness.

I am looking at the election campaign and I shug at the thought that some dealer wheeler even of the highest caliber may become our president, but no, he is not hurting the image of real estate.

he might be hurting the image of the nation, though, here I would agree with you

Apr 19, 2016 02:33 AM
Mike Carlier
Lakeville, MN
More opinions than you want to hear about.

Jon, as i said, this is not the place to argue Trump's intelligence and ethics.  I do not however believe that real estate broker trustworthiness would be significantly increased by tying Trump's name to brokers.  Polls that are readily available indicate that the public's lack of trust percentages are lower for Trump than real estate brokers, but by only a slight edge, about 67.5% to 59%.  

Apr 19, 2016 03:49 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster REALTORS®, Gainesville, VA - Bristow, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Trump is not one of my favorite people in the world, but I will say this, he is the only one running a campaign that truly challenges the political status quo.  Like him or not, if he doesn't make it through and win, we are doomed to suffer at the hands of this dysfunctional, pay to play, system of government because the political insiders will rig their systems so it NEVER happens again.  His campaign is the only chance we have at real change, and it's because he has more money than he knows what to do with.  He can't screw up the country any more than those before him that are career politicians.  It would however, send a major message to those more interested in lining their own pockets and constantly running for re-election and doing nothing.  We deserve where we are in this election for voting for incumbents over and over.

 

Apr 19, 2016 05:52 AM
Mike Carlier
Lakeville, MN
More opinions than you want to hear about.

I would argue that the system of checks and balances is what impedes much of the activity that some call real change.  Trump's distinguishing characteristic is that he has no real governmental philosophy, and he is more interested in a deal than any  accomplishment.  We do not know which way he will lean to get an issue resolved, just that he values resolutions more than the direction they may take us.  If the big guy gets elected, it will be interesting to see how he deals with 535 people he can't fire when they disobey him, not to mention a hundred or so sovereign states. 

In the meantime, the great "Real estate mogul" will continue to imprint the image of his demeanor and his character on the profession. 

Apr 19, 2016 06:13 AM
Mike Wong
Keller Williams Realty Southwest - Sugar Land, TX
Realtor: Commercial, Residential, Leasing, Invest

Mike you probably had plenty of entertainment while you were active as an agent observing others. I rant about them weekly on social media as I observe them in my day to day practice. 

Apr 19, 2016 07:25 AM
John Pusa
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Crest - Glendale, CA
Your All Time Realtor With Exceptional Service

Mike Carlier Thanks for the very interesting and entertaining report.

Apr 19, 2016 07:40 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I think that if as a Profession we would stop soupporting the 3 rd party non-professional real estate sites our image would also improve

Apr 19, 2016 09:38 AM
Mike Carlier
Lakeville, MN
More opinions than you want to hear about.

That may help, but there are third party sites for medical, legal, accounting, etc., and they seem to have minimal effect on the reputations of those professions. 

Perhaps there could be some pressure on state licensing boards to raise the bar a little.  Right now, it's barely a bar, more like a chalk line drawn on the floor.  Unfortunately, the higher the number of licensees, the more financial success for certain associations, so there will be little done until that changes.

Apr 20, 2016 01:50 AM
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