Why is "bad" news so popular? And are you guilty of perpetuating it?
I was watching the news this morning and there was a short sound bite about how gas prices are going up again. Regular is now up to $1.48/gal. GASP!! Horrors! According to the reporter, who was trying to sound properly concerned, that's a whole 1 cent increase from last week. What will we do?
This is newsworthy? Didn't anything more important happen over the weekend? Seriously, I remember when gas was almost $4.00/gal. And I remember when gas prices were rising there was constantly something in the news about it. I remember in particular the reports of long lines and shortages in certain parts of the country. And people in my area (Hampton Roads, Virginia) panicking because there was a shortage in Georgia.
Hmm, sounds a little like the housing market crisis doesn't it? Now I'm not denying that the market is definitely having some problems, but you can't take what's happening in California and apply it to Kansas (right Dorothy?).
And where were all those reports when the gas prices were dropping?
The media tends to focus on negatives because that's what sells.
This brings me to my original question.... Why is "bad" news so popular? Why are people drawn to the negative stuff? Why do we have rubberneckers at every accident? Why do people come out of their homes in the middle of the night to watch their neighbor's house burn down? Yes, I know that some of them do so because they want to help in some way, but for most, it's just plain morbid curiosity. And let's face it; gossip isn't really any good unless it's juicy. But we do have moments when we are moved by good deeds as well. Otherwise that email about the kid with cancer wanting to collect as many emails as possible wouldn't still be making the rounds on the Ethernet.
Well when it comes to Real Estate I think that we as agents have a responsibility and obligation to our clients and the general public to be honest about the current market. Learn your local market trends. Know the average market time in your area now vs. last year or even the year before. Know how much the average home prices have dropped in recent months and years. And when you talk to people about the market, talk about the local market, not national. Don't perpetuate media generalizations.
I remember when gas dropped below $2.00/gal. I was thrilled! Sure it was more than what I had been paying before the gas prices started to escalate but it was a lot less than the $3.80 I was paying a few months ago.
Everything is relative, even real estate.
Comments(6)