Just before WW II ended My parents loaded everything they had on an old model T truck, departed from their childhood homes in Eastern New Mexico and West Texas and headed to Alaskan planning to take the ALCAN Highway and begin homesteading. They ran out of money in North Idaho, found a job and 80 acres they could buy. The land had an old barn my dad converted to a home. My parents worked hard to raise their five children in a community of small farmers who mostly also needed to hold down a part time blue collar job as a logger or miner. My nephew and his family are the third generation to live on the farm in Idaho where I was raised which is pictured below.
I joined the community of realtors a couple of years ago as I was getting ready to retire from 31 years of teaching. I have learned much and have much more to learn but one thing that I am intrigued about is the whole purpose for buying a home in our culture here in Western Washington. As we are preparing to move to Lexington Kentucky I wonder if the purpose for owning a home there is similar?
My parents bought their land for the purpose of raising their children in a healthy environment and were very intentional about being active in their local church, local schools and local organizations such as 4-H for us children. Recently at our family reunion I asked my mother and aunts and uncles why they bought their first home. All of them bought their homes in order to purposefully raise their children and participate in their perspective communities.
Most of my buyers and almost everyone I talk with seem to be more concerned about buying property as an investment. Have we become a nation so consumed with "making money" that we have lost sight of the real purpose for living? It seems there are few people buying homes today that don't worry about what the value of the property will be next month, next year, or ten years from now.
Are there things we as realtors can do to help this thinking? Have we realtors contributed to this mentality in any way? I think we have. During the days of the frantic surge in house prices I expect we often used the "good investment" argument to try to sway buyers. Don't get me wrong I believe with all my heart buying a home is a great investment. But I believe even if the price goes down owning a home is a great investment. Home ownership is investing in the lives of our children, the neighbors children and the greater community as a whole.
Five things I propose we as Realtors should do to help people see clearly what real investment in a home can mean.
1) Examine our own lives and make sure we are modeling what it means to build value in a community. Do we live in the community where we help sellers and buyers or do we run all over the county hoping to make the most money? What really is our motive? To serve our neighbors or to make as much money as possible?
2) Make a commitment to be accountable to a small group of Realtors that will help each other be accountable to use language and tell stories that foster a healthy dialog about the value of people and community. When we hear talk about something being a good investment be ready to ask provocative questions to find out what is meant by investment.
3) Be purposeful about writing all our listings and advertisements so that opportunities to contribute to the community are highlighted. What if we interviewed the neighbors in a community before writing a listing to find out what is happening to foster community spirit and health. Does the community play together? Do they encourage work parties together? Are the seniors in the community encouraged to work with the schools or libraries? Do the younger families do any service projects for the seniors? Do the schools invite citizens of all ages to participate in forums?
4) Hold seminars for the public that are all about serving the community in which we live. There are thousands of seminars held each year by Realtors but how many of them are truly community oriented? What is the real purpose of the seminar? Is it solely to get leads so that you can eventually make money or is it to help people first?
5) Refuse to take listings for people who are primarily interested in selling their homes to make as much profit as possible. Yes, I mean this with all my heart. We have way too many Realtors willing to take a listing for an overpriced home. What would happen if all realtors were willing to tell the sellers the truth about their homes value? We would then have homes that would sell instead of just being listed. Having masses of overpriced homes on the market just add to the mentality of "making money on a home." And I will argue that this "money mentality" ironically adds to the slipping of home prices. The glut of overpriced homes on the market only serves to lower the monetary value of all our homes. So when we willingly take a listing knowing it will not sell we contribute to the devaluing of that home.
Paul Campbell,
Moving from Woodinville to Kentucky as soon as our home closes. August 28th we hope
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