Make $ Off Male Menopause

Sounds bizzare I know.  But in these challenging economic times a REALTOR has to do what a REALTOR has to do.  And that is take advantage of every opportunity to work your business.

There are actually BOOKS about this

Now, how does Male Menopause fit into this?  Other than sounding catchy and trendy and perhaps luring you into clicking on a link?

According to my seller he IS going through a change.  He has gone so far as to approved my disclosure of that personal information too.   Disclose it to FUTURE BUYERS!  Now this is a progressive man.  He embraces challenge and is confidant he can forge ahead in spite of this unavoidable change.

He was a relocation buyer a mere 18 mos ago.  Incoming in a mad fervor to have his new wife and three step-children happily installed in their new home prior to the beginning of the new school year!

EVERYTHING a family wants! 

It was stressful to say the least - find something in the right school district where the children could all be happy as well as a home that fit their lifestyle.  WE FOUND IT!  There was really only ONE that would fit.  A lovely brick home, landscaped front, back and sides.  In-ground pool, party house, workshop, hardwood floors - and all on FOUR ACRES!  Throw in a home office, four bedrooms, large laundry room, eat-in kitchen, formal living room.  What more could you want?  The man even bought a four wheeler as a little house warming surprise for the kids.

Alas, three months later - the wife and her three children packed it up and headed back up North.  What can you do?  Life goes on.  My client is in a new relationship with a lovely lady and they are very happy.  The house however, no longer meets THEIR needs.   No need for those extra bedrooms, they would rather live on the beach (just the 2 of them) than mow four acres.  See how that works?  The change?

My seller wanted to assure buyers there was nothing wrong with his home.  He loved it when it worked for his family.  He is selling because of a change.

So long as people are born, die, get married, divorce, there will still be real estate deals to be made.  So, if  YOU are looking for that ONE home in Edisto School District Four that offers it ALL...check this one out - the pool is awesome!

If you need to, you can always hide that middle age spread behind the privacy fence! 

Using the WEB as a NET

Automatic feed to these sites!

Personal websites are a good thing.  I have one myself.  I bought it/started the site when a developer dumped me for another agent BECAUSE of a personal website.  Or rather, my lack of one. The reasoning was that Mr. So and So REALTOR had a 'far reaching website'.

Now, in all fairness, I didn't actually have his development listed yet.  He was responding to some agressive materials I sent him trying to solicit his future business. He LIKED that.  The call came within days after he had extended his listing.  He was soooo sorry he hadn't called me sooner.  Assured me the development and listing would be mine when the current list ran out again.  I was ecstatic!  We talked about it 3 times over the following months.

I sent Mr. So and So Developer the note while enrolled in a program called TOP GUN Academy. We were given tools and assignments to help us aggressively grow our business and improve our skills.  We met weekly - divided into teams with 'team leaders'.  I was so PROUD of my accomplishment, we all rejoiced in my pro-active activities and the positive results (I had been a REALTOR about 6 mos)!  Can you imagine!

Some time later Mr. So and So team leader mentioned he ran into Mr. So and So Developer in the post office.  How lovely, I felt a chill wind begin to blow.  Trust your instincts.

The week the listing expired - Mr. So and So team leader informed me the developer would be listing with him. Mr. So and So Developer felt he needed that special 'web' exposure that his PERSONAL website offered.  I won't go into the details, matters not a whit.  I decided in exactly 5 minutes that pile of  poo would NEVER be used again.  I called the very same website developer and started one of my own.

It was easily countered if I had been given the chance.  Truth is, a personal website has one goal.  And it is summed up in the word PERSONAL.  It is not about the seller - it is for the REALTOR.  Promoting the REALTOR and attracting buyers to the REALTOR.   Capture the buyers and sell them a property,  ANY property.

Additional download feed-newspapers

You see that Listing Network visual at the top left side of the BLOG?  Those are the sites automatically fed by our office, on ALL of our listings - one of the sites alone feeds further to 130 newspapers!  See how that works?  I know and understand the tools my company offers, I USE them and track the results myself. Mr. So and So Developer had no clue about that.  I was not offered the opportunity to share that info.

No worries, they made an excellent team. It only took 2 years to sell at 1/2 the original list price - with somewhere around 22 inspection item repairs on a new construction.  What did I really lose?  Nothing.  I gained a whole lotta wisdom. In this business as in most other areas of the world verbal means nothing.  The measure of a man is not in 'his word' in business, learn it.  KNOW IT!

I have gotten over all that - it was almost 5 years ago (well, maybe not quite over it) that would be foolish.   Mr. So and So Developer, Mr. So and So REALTOR with the inclusion of Mr. So and So Builder are teaming up to add some additional properties to the development!

I know, like I know, like I know, that I WILL sell one of those properties.

Fortunately for my future buyers - I know and understand the 'team' that will be sitting on the other side of those negotiations.

God doesn't like ugly.

Here I sit, broken hearted...

Can you finish that line?

I spent many Saturdays 'downtown' in Barre, Vermont  with my mother as a child.  At the laundromat, Green Mountain Diner and inevitably making a pit stop at the 'Pay a Dime' restroom in Fishmans Dime Store.  We'd go in together - and she would spout out 'here I sit, broken hearted, paid a dime and only farted'!  I would laugh every time like I had never heard it before.

Don't pretend this offends your sensibilities.  With all the garbage  on FACEBOOK, youtube, television, on and on and on.  A fart is NOTHING.  And frankly - that about sums up how many REALTORS feel on any given day. Here I sit... It has played through my mind many times and I know if my mother were alive today to listen to my rants at the end of the day she would laugh and recite it again!

Wednesdays are my longest day.  I wake up pretty early, usually between 5-5:30 a.m.   DO NOT imagine that I am ready to face anyone personally, but I am drinking coffee in bed, checking the web and stuff. Social media is fine at 5 a.m. - being sociable is another thing entirely. I am focusing on business in one form or another, it's always with you.

At 8:48 a.m.  I sit at the office...waiting on a  buyer to call (since 8:00) to go over the offer he wants to write.  We already have spent 3 hours 
discussing said paperwork over a week ago.  He needed to go home overnight and think about it.  Of course I understood.  He knows I have to leave to meet another client at 9:00.  Is he going to write, will it be today, next week, ever?  Minutes are ticking, I have to go meet with the seller, get back to meet my BIC (broker-in-charge) at 10:20 for a conference on how things are going.

The seller for the 9:00 appt asked me to call at 8:50 a.m. before I head to  meet him at the property in case he forgets.  We played phone tag for a week to establish that connection so I am a bit apprehensive.    He ANSWERS!!!   'Is it that time already' (oh no) he asks. Yes, I tell him.  'Are we good to meet?'  He says he is fine and as I grab my keys guess who calls?

Former said buyer has only a few questions, I stop and go over them with him.  He will call later when he gets in town so we can get the 'paperwork' done.    Off I go.

Lovely meeting at 9 with super nice elderly gentleman who may or may not list.  It depends on what the market indicates he can expect for the property.  I take my info - shake his hand and off I go.  I'll call back and we will go over the market analysis next week - see what can or cannot be done.

At precisely 10:20 I meet with my broker to discuss my activity.  Yes, I have been showing houses.  Yes, they can probably buy.  No, they haven't done anything.  I said this, they said that.  Good stuff, just nothing on PAPER!  Nothing on PAPER means no $$$$.  We discuss strategy and make encouraging noises.  All in all - not bad.

Mandatory call time.  The agent on duty handles incoming calls and questions.   I get an exciting call on one of my listings.  Oh yes, I WILL show my own listings -  regardless.  If nothing else - I owe it to my seller to get in front of all potential buyers, get feedback at the very least.  See if they CAN put something on PAPER.   It's a cool house - great showing! As we talk and walk they are all over the house.  Financing, what can and can't be done. Sounds sooooo good!  Then he writes down his email address and I recognize the name. They have been around looking and looking for years.  To rent.  Can't buy squat.  Won't buy squat.  I say nothing.  I will go back and email the additional info they asked for, it's really warm (almost 80) but something may have frozen over somewhere.  It could happen.

I don't believe I have mentioned the referral I am chasing, the seller I called earlier for our weekly update (the one that I was hoping to write an offer on-thankfully I never mentioned it to her), a commercial agent from out of town is driving around, wants info on 2 properties she saw with signs (for her clients).  I can't find them in MLS.  I'll email her later too.  It goes on and on.

The phone could ring at any time.  WHO KNOWS WHAT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES will present themselves.  I am not so enthused by the end of the day.

By 5:00 p.m. I hope not to be sitting here broken hearted ...I still haven't heard from the buyer who was going to bring in the paperwork.