A Day In My (Real Estate) Life - Best Laid Plans

A Day In My (Real Estate) Life - Best Laid

Plans

When I read the November Challenge by Donna Foerster asking us to write about a day (or week) of our real estate life, I had to laugh. An average day? Oh dear....no such thing. No matter how organized I am, how simple the plans I make are, or how disciplined I intend to be.....my day rarely goes exactly as planned. 

And that's ok!

In fact, that's one of the things I love the most about my career...and sometimes the least. There's nothing dull about what I do each day, even though some of the actual activities repeat themselves. One specific example comes to mind from a month or so ago.

The Plan

I planned to meet one of my investment clients at a home near the beach in Laguna. She found a tear-down in the canyon that sat on a huge lot that seemed to be buildable. We were going to see it, then have a nice lunch near the water. 

The Day

The actual day was much different. She called me from the side of the road on her cell...she had been in a small accident on the freeway. "Could you pick me up"? 

She lives in Santa Barbara and was driving down for the day to see this property. 

Of course I headed up to Los Angeles immediately (reschedule the showing until later that afternoon). I found her at a small neighborhood-type garage near the freeway standing out front with her arms crossed, thinking. 

"What do you think they want for that duplex?"

Wait...what? What complex?

Yes, there was a small compound of a duplex and single house across the street with a For Sale sign out front. We were in Torrance and while the homes are older, they tend to be maintained and the area is popular for rentals since it's so close to the City. 

Long story short? 

We ended up viewing and writing an offer on the compound and never made it to Laguna. Lunch was still on the water..in Marina Del Rey. 

Real estate is a fluid business, the most important piece of advice I can offer to newbies is to go with the flow. That's not to say you don't plan or stay organized, but when the unexpected happens...and it does....go with it!