stuff
Is this what one’s life amounts to in the end? A dear friend passed away 7 months ago and the process to clean out her house had been daunting on many levels. The range of emotions that I’ve gone through during the process is quite interesting when I look back on it, but then again I’m sure that it’s also the grieving process as well. I won’t deny that there has been so much anger while packing her things/belongings.
Seriously, what do your belongings become afterwards? Yes, we’ve had family and friends come in and go through her stuff to pick and choose what they may like. Some of it we did to keep as a reminder; other stuff we took because we may have liked it or thought that we could utilize it. As I’m writing, I’ve noticed that I’ve used the word ‘stuff’ – but that’s all it comes down to it – stuff! Stuff someone has accumulated and stuff someone else may want. Geez, almost sounds like we could go into a George Carlin routine here, but I digress.
So much has been gone through. Actually, every nook and cranny in this house. Now I’m here for the final packing and removal. Except for the furniture that’s left in the house, this is what’s left of her life - in the garage. I’m sorry, it appears to be a sad testament to one’s life, but I know the same will happen to mine at sometime in the future as well. And it’ll just be stuff that people will forage through to see what they may like and discard the rest.
You may wonder what is the point of this post? There really isn’t any, just basically my miscellaneous meanderings about our life or what happens afterwards. I apologize in advance if the tone here is somewhat somber, that is not my intention. But I guess when you speak of death, what else can it be?
more stuff
We surround ourselves with things. And obviously I’m referring to inanimate objects. We are masters of conspicuous consumption. Buy, buy, buy!!! Probably the majority of what we buy is not because we actually need it. I’m not going to blame this on our societal changes. But, if you look back, you will notice that we changed our lifestyles greatly with the advent of available credit. First it was with credit cards; then came the HELOC’s (Home Equity Lines of Credit); and, then the easy mortgage. Unfortunately, this has led us to really become what I’ll call a debtors society, where the majority of people have more debt than they do assets.
What happened to living within our means? What the heck is the big deal with “keeping up with the Joneses?” Seriously, are they putting food on your table? So going into debt and buying conspicuously will allow you to supposedly attain a certain social class or socio-economic status? But do we actually stop and look at the cost of such? Again, do you seriously believe that trying to buy your way up the ladder, will actually get you there?
I had an acquaintance once who felt that he had an inalienable right to things. That he was deserving and had a dutiful right whether he attained the goods or that he was owed it by others. It didn’t matter if he could afford such.
Do you think that our present economic situation is due to this kind of mentality? If you think not, than you are only deluding yourself. I apologize if that appears terse, but we need to reevaluate ourselves and what we are doing. First off, it’s only fair to the children. What kind of legacy are we leaving them? They deserve the same fair rights and choices that we’ve had, but not if we leave them a major debt ridden society.
Things need to change. They should have changed years ago, but that’s over and done with. Tomorrow will be too late. It needs to be done NOW!!
Till next time – Marc It Sold!
Recently read an article by Jeremy Conway in Orlando Realtor Magazine entitled, “Are you ready to deal with frugal?”(pg. 13) Personally, I think I lead a somewhat ‘frugal life.’ I generally don’t have an issue spending money, but don’t believe in throwing it away as well. On the other hand, I occasionally go through my house and donate things that I haven’t used in a while instead of just collecting more stuff. And that’s an interesting thing, because all it is – is just stuff!
This got me to thinking. For some frugality would be a deprivation of sorts; to others it is a way of life. For someone to make change like this, they’d need to reevaluate their life and what they are doing. This led me to wonder how often people do this. For some of us we probably do it fairly regularly; for others, I’m sure that they almost never wish to do this.
Yes, it’s called introspection. But what good is introspection if you don’t do anything with your so-called findings? This extends throughout not only our personal lives, but our business lives as well.
With our business model, we have to reevaluate consistently, or at least periodically, how we do things. Why we are doing those things? Are we getting the desired results out of what we are doing? These questions are pertinent to our success.
Today, I went to a mortgage market update class. My intention in going was to be up to date on what’s happening within our industries. I didn’t do this only for myself and my business, but feel that it is necessary for me to do this for my clients and my potential clients. Granted, the material that was served didn’t fulfill me in the least. But I did at least try to seek out more.
But, let’s take this another step further. Do you generally reevaluate your personal & business lives? Are you doing the same old thing? Are you getting the results that you wish? Hasn’t it been stated that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.
It appears to me that we are victims of rote, repetition, redundancy. This appears to be human nature. Whether we do this because it is easier or we are within our so-called comfort zone – I don’t know. But it can be a hindrance to our advancement and achievements.
Do you seek out to learn possibly new ways of looking at something or doing something - even simple little things?
I read blog posts daily looking to glean information; trying to learn something new or different. And that’s part of it. It’s the learning process. Life is a learning process. You have to continue to be open to learn new things or maybe even a different way to do something. Otherwise – why? Is it not for naught then?
Fragility of life, or at the least our experience of such, urges introspection.
It’s interesting when we look at ourselves and our lives. We get angry or are upset about rather seemingly trivial things in the whole scheme of everything, when you really look at it.
Unfortunately, when tragedy strikes it puts so much into perspective. I should preface this by mentioning that a little over a week ago I lost a dear friend of well over 30 years. She was only in her mid 50’s. I’ve buried my parents, but this is the first time that I’ve had to bury such a close long-time friend.
We should frequently remind ourselves of the importance of keeping our problems in perspective. Sadly, life has a way of reminding us periodically of how petty most of our own inconveniences really are. The unimportance of the things that had upset us so much only a minute earlier become apparent when tragedy rears its ugly head.
All of us, every day, spend a great deal of time worrying about minor annoyances that ultimately mean nothing. Sometimes it takes this kind of tragedy to jolt us into the reality of that realization.
I’m sure I will soon be getting upset about trivial things again, human nature being what it is. But maybe I will find it within me, even in the midst of that distress, to maintain a better sense of perspective.
There is a psalm in the Old Testament that says to “Teach us to count our days wisely, that we may obtain a wise heart.” It’s interesting because of the phrase “wise heart.” Normally we associate wisdom with the mind, not the heart. Making our mind understand what’s really important in life is the easy part; it’s getting our heart to go along, that’s the real challenge.
We ask ourselves, “How could such a thing happen?” and “Why?” But we have to remember that at the end of the day we are only human.
What can we learn from this? That our grasp on life is tenuous at best. None of us knows when our time is up. We can take every conceivable precaution, but even such an approach does not negate the possibility of a sudden death at any time. This reinforces the fact that we must make optimal use of every moment of every day. We must approach every day as though it may be our last.
Life is so precious and beautiful. It is indeed a gift for it is here one day and generally taken for granted. Give someone you love a hug. Tell them you appreciate them. But don’t do it later or tomorrow - DO IT NOW! Later or tomorrow just may be too late!
My Dear Friend
I call you every morning at 10:30
But you did not answer
My Dear Friend
We’ve been friends for over 30 years
Yet you no longer talk to me
My Dear Friend
You are the smartest person that I’ve met in my whole life
And I miss you so much
My Dear Friend
We’ve helped each other over the years
Yet, you are no longer here
My Dear Friend
My heart aches for your voice
As acerbic as it may be at times (yet well deserved)
My Dear Friend
I’m sorry for the way that I found you today
I know that you would be horrified to know
My Dear Friend
Who will watch after me
And tell me that I’ve strayed
My Dear Friend
Rest in Peace
You will always be loved!
By definition
procrastination is the act of deferring tasks to a later time. According to Wikipedia, “The psychological causes of
procrastination vary greatly, but generally surround issues of
anxiety, low sense of
self-worth, and a
self-defeating mentality.” As true as this is, it is very disconcerting when you note that some forms of procrastination are self-destructive.
We all procrastinate in one way or another, even if you didn’t think that you did. Accordingly, there are both good and bad procrastination skills. As to the good ones, someone may delay doing a task to do something of more importance. In other words it is a form of prioritization. Even though this may be good, the fact of the matter is that you are going to have to tackle that other task anyway. Otherwise the situation will get worse (like putting off mowing the lawn) and in some cases out of hand.
One of the worst forms of procrastination besides not doing anything at all is the one where we’ll perform tasks of less importance. What we’ll do is say to ourselves that we’ve accomplished a lot that day, whether it be errands or whatever. We’ll even reward ourselves for completing these tasks. But we leave behind the task of more importance that is still waiting there and not getting done. What makes this so detrimental to us is that it doesn’t feel like we are procrastinating.
You may even wonder if I’m procrastinating from doing something by writing this post.
Actually, I’m writing this for two purposes - one to relay my thoughts on this subject and also for myself on a personal level. I came to a realization last evening, which really has nothing to do with procrastination, and needed an outlet.
One of the questions that we should be asking ourself is ‘What’s the best thing that I could be working on?‘ And then follow that up with, ‘Why aren’t I?’ This is probably not easy for some to ask themselves because we have to be introspective to answer it properly.
Several reasons for our procrastination could be fear, whether it be the fear of failure or success; perfectionism, because we may expect too much of ourselves and are therefore afraid of not attaining that level or goal; or, we’re too busy to perform those tasks. Many times we’ll find that we’ll perform a lesser task because of the instant gratification as opposed to a more intense or larger task that will usually give use greater satisfaction down the road in the foreseeable future.
Procrastination tends to reinforce itself and that can only become a vicious cycle. Part of the problem is that we are too intelligent and will rationalize behavior such as this.
So, what are you going to do now?
For information on Central Florida, Orange County and Seminole County real estate and Central Florida, Orange County and Seminole County homes for sale in addition to Central Florida, Orange County and Seminole County relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Central Florida, Orange County and Seminole County Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.
To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his
profile &
website.
This is a great business. There is nothing really simple with buying and selling real estate because of all of the complexities involved in what many of us may feel is a simple transaction.
The rewards that we acquire are bringing all of these individual facets together successfully for all of those involved. To me that is the rush that I get out of my vocation.
Are there some aspects of real estate sales that I am not wholly in love with - absolutely. Are there some tasks that I’d rather not do, or at least to a lesser extent than others - for sure. But as with anything else it is the total package.
It’s what we bring to the business of real estate that will determine where we are going and how we will get there. For some, it may just happen. But there isn’t enough longevity to that - waiting for things to just happen. It’s what we bring in and of ourselves that will determine our longevity and profitability in this business.
OK, so I’ve written four paragraphs here and while most of this is just philosophical, I’ve not given you anything solid to grasp. A lot of things are intrinsic and not tangible. You can’t touch someone’s attitude, yet you may be able to feel it, be it their aura, etc.
It’s like the old story, and I just found out that Abraham Lincoln stated this, but “you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.” It’s just not going to happen, no matter how good of an actor that you think you are.
We’ve talked so much about developing a business plan and many do not do this even in their heads. I think that part of that problem, procrastination, whatever, is that too many feel this to be a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be. Yes, it should hold several components, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a dollars and figures spreadsheet. Some do like taking it to that extent. Some of us are the engineers.
Let me just state that there is no right or wrong, I am only espousing my feelings about such.
I think we need to be introspective. Some like doing this more often than others. Some like to do this on an ongoing basis, while others may only do this occasionally. You have to know where you’ve been to possibly understand where you are going. You have to have learned the lessons of the past, otherwise all is for naught. You will only be repeating the same things over and over and unfortunately in many instances be expecting different returns. Chances of that happening are basically slim to nil. You’d only be kidding yourself and unfortunately this is done only too often by many.
The energies that you exude and surround yourself with will either make or break you. Some will unfortunately think that I’m just blowing this out my rear. But think of it, what do you want others to see and feel? What do you want to evince?
We talk and hear people say about all the negativities in the world and our businesses at present. And if you feel this way, then that is what people will see coming from you. How about all of the
positives? There are pros and cons with almost everything. It is how you wish to look at it. Is the so to speak glass half full or half empty? These are your choices. Many will say that the industry is in turmoil and will be for years, our society is in turmoil. But homes are being sold every day. Where do you fit in with this picture? Where do you want to fit in with this picture?
It all comes down to choices and which road we wish to take. I guess that I’ve used several adages here, but they do show a point hopefully.
We all have issues. Sometimes we all have doubts. But it’s up to you if you wish to befall into the crevice. Do you have a plan or something to utilize when you are feeling down or unsure? Or do you just fall into it and let it envelope you and just wait for it to pass?
It comes down to do you wish to take action or react to something. You will definitely get different results by both of these. An action is something that thought has been given to, whereas a reaction is something that is automatic.
Maybe I should retitle this post to read “A Philosophical Discourse - Where do you stand?” I enjoy writing and sometimes it helps me. I enjoy sharing my feelings and personal insights. But as I previously stated there is no wrong or right, it is just a matter of what works for YOU!
Till next time - Marc It Sold!
For information on Central Florida and Orlando real estate and Central Florida and Orlando homes for sale in addition to Central Florida and Orlando relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Central Florida Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.
To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his
profile &
website.
What do you want out of life and real estate?
This is not meant to be a personal blah, blah, blah, but it’s also the only way I know how to relate the way I see things. Call it Marc’s semi-educated outlook, if you wish. I’ve been mulling this over in my head for a while since commenting on
WooHoo Sally’s post
Business Plan 2008? The Art of Handling Life’s Curve Balls ….First. She told me not to hide the real me under the jokes, etc. But it must be said that I do like the jokes and I do not think I’m hiding. I truly believe that laughter is one of the best medicines and especially laughter at ourselves.
Anyway, this one doesn’t include much laughter or maybe even my normal caustic sarcasm that many of you have come to know. OK, so already I’m rambling. Let’s see if I make this somewhat cohesive. With it being the New Year, there have been many, many posts in regard to predictions, business plans, changes that we are going to make in our lives, etc.
Yes, I have a
business plan, it is basically a numbers plan, but it probably isn’t specific enough for many in that it’s not broken down into # of calls, # of hours calling, etc. Read
Margaret Woda’s post
If You Don’t Yet Have a Business Plan, This May Help You Get Started for a very simplistic
business plan. We’ve all read that for you to succeed you need a
business plan. Yes, you can have success without a
business plan, but you will never come close to your potential. For some this is fine; and yes, I’ve also had a ‘secret business plan’ in the past; one that I kept in my head. Again, writing it down on paper is one of the easiest things to do. And, the benefit that you will derive from that simple task is innumerable.
Writing is a very good thing, at least for me. When I’d been through some troubling times in the past I would start a journal. To me it was very cathartic getting it out. It was a release of sorts.
There are a couple of things that I’d like to touch on. We are in business, but one of the things that I see holding too many back is that they don’t believe in themselves. Let me put it another way. How else can any of us expect anyone else to believe in us and our abilities, if we do not fully believe in ourselves? There is no way.
Yes, the old adage is true that you can fool some of the people all of the time, but not all of the people some of the time. Not too many of us have the ability to be that good of an actor as we might like to think we are. We wear our emotions on our sleeves. Even when we think we can hide them, they are more easily read than you may think and you are only kidding yourself, otherwise.
To be an integral part of this business; and, well forget about that, just in life in general - you need to believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, anything is possible. Additionally, no one - not one damn person has the right to belittle you or make you feel inadequate. NO ONE!! None of us is perfect and anyone who thinks that he/she is - is a fool!
This of course, leads to a topic that we know and have read about quite a bit as well. There are many negative forces out there that will serve you no purpose whatsoever. Part of being in this business and part of selling ourselves is being positive. I, myself, limit the amount of negativity in my life - whether it be friends, acquaintances, situations, etc. Negativity will bring you down.
Think of it this way. When you’ve been around a negative person for a little while, how have you felt afterwards? I know that for myself, these situations and people are like energy vampires. They sap you of your energy and tire you if you fall into the trap and allow them to. You know the saying ‘misery loves company.’ Yes, there are many adages, cliches and old wives tales. The fact is many of these are so very true.
Think of the people around you. Do you surround yourself with
positive people and
positive situations? The market is, period! (OK, so an exclamation point in this case.)
Bob did I say that correctly? You can’t do anything about it. But you can change how you look at it and take actions accordingly. You see that I did not say
react. A reaction is just a knee jerk action without a plan and no direction. This again is another reason that you need a plan.
A plan leads to action.We have to keep ourselves positive even in the face of adversity. Almost all of us have so much to be thankful for. Yes, we’ve heard the statement that there are so many less fortunate than ourselves. Sometimes it’s hard to see this because as the complicated human beings we are, we do just that - complicate matters. Everything and I mean everything can be broken down into its most simplistic form. When you do break things down to such, only then can you see the underlying cause of what’s going on. What you are doing to yourself. Why you may or may not be succeeding.
But to do this you have to be introspective. It’s hard for some people to look at their life from the outside looking in or to see themself in the third person. If you can’t do this yourself then maybe you should speak with a respected person in your life or possibly even a psychologist. Now a proper therapist will not give you the answers, or at least they shouldn’t. But they should ask you the questions to make you think and see for yourself what’s going on in your life.
Once you get down to the basis or root, only then can you see what needs to be done to possibly make the proper changes, if need be. If you expect someone to give you the answers then you are only doomed to fail. No one can give you the answer, for you won’t believe them in the long run. It has to come from within. Then and only then can you make a plan and take the proper actions that need be.
Now many people have a difficult time with change. Unfortunately, you are in the wrong business then. To be a successful realtor, mortgage broker, etc.
you have to be adaptable to the times, situations, etc. Do not get me wrong, I am not telling anyone to get out of the business or what they are doing is wrong. I have no right to do that. Only you can make that final determination for yourself.
We will all run into so-called negative situations in this business. It doesn’t always go easy. It is how you handle these adversities that will lead to your success. When you fall down, what do you generally do? You pick yourself up and brush yourself off and are a little more careful of your next step or so.
Don’t look back on how it was. That’s over and done with. You are in the here and today - not the yesterday and not even the tomorrow yet. You can’t do a damn thing to change the past, but you can take action steps today to make for a better tomorrow for yourself.
All in all you have to remember that only you have control over yourself. You have the control to make things happen. You have the power to control your life and your destiny. Yes, they are clichés, but are they not true? Take action! Take control! Be who you want to be and be the best at it that you can be!
For more information on Central Florida real estate and Central Florida homes for sale in addition to Central Florida relocation contact Marc Grossman, your Central Florida Realtor @ 407-463-1034. Additional information is available for Seminole County real estate, Orange County real estate, West Volusia County and South Lake County.
To learn more about Marc and the services he has to offer, visit his
profile &
website.
What happened to good old fashioned common courtesy? Even if we are in a fast paced environment with so much so readily available, why should that have been the one simple thing to be thrown out - something that takes almost no time at all?
The definition of courtesy according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary is the “excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior; respectful or considerate act or expression; help or generosity.” We are in a social atmosphere and a social discipline. What else can real estate be considered? Unless you are totally isolated, then you will have interactions on one level or another with others.
I know that many will blame the change on the familial environment and make-up. Yes, that may be partially true, but it has to go much further than that into the fabric of our society.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I must admit that there are times that I may be lacking in such myself, especially with telemarketers. Usually, I try to say ‘no thanks’ and ‘goodbye,’ but I won’t deny that I’ve also just hung up the phone. Yes, they are annoying and shouldn’t be calling you since you are on the DNC list. OK, so we know that’s a joke - neither here nor there.
Do you say ‘thank you’ to others? Now I won’t deny that when I feel someone is rude, I may say ‘you’re welcome’ if they sometimes do not say ‘thank you’. And, maybe, that’s rude on my part. Granted, I don’t do things to be acknowledged, but…
Here are some questions to peruse:
Do you hold the door open for the next person or do you even look to see if there is someone behind you?
Do you allow pedestrians to cross in a parking lot or do you feel that they should wait for you? (You do understand that pedestrians do have the right of way most of the time.)
Talking about driving, are you courteous on the road? Do you make room for traffic to merge? Do you use your turn signal all of the time, not some of the time? Do you allow people to move into your lane when they have a turn signal on?
Do you thank a realtor for showing your property?
If a realtor calls you for feedback, do you return their call? Unfortunately, I find that most don’t.
But more importantly, are you courteous with your clients - whether they be buyers or sellers?
A major part of being courteous is to take the time to listen and not to interrupt. Too many people, and I’m guilty here as well at times, just hear part of what is being said and then interject because they may feel they know what the other person is getting at. Listen completely, it’s not only courteous but makes the other person feel important. Actually, by not doing so, you are indirectly telling that person that they are not worth your time. And, that is just downright rude, everyone has a value and none of us has the right to take that away from anyone.
How much effort does it really take to be courteous to others? We are entering the major shopping season with all the hustle and bustle. A little kindness to the next person goes a long way - and for both of you. They’ll appreciate it and you should feel good about yourself. It’s all about the aura that you project.
Being courteous in life and business is not something that takes a lot of effort or even a lot of thought. But the rewards, personally and otherwise, are just so great. People do remember the little things.
So, maybe, take a little extra time and send that thank you note. It’s interesting, I have a listing and there appeared to be an issue with an upstairs bathroom. Neither here nor there, but I sent a short note to the owner and thanked him for being helpful, etc. The day he got the note he called me. It was obvious that he was taken aback and quite pleased that I thought enough to do this. Will you get a call every time? No! But is the effort worth it? It depends on what you want out of life and your real estate career.
Thank You & You’re Welcome!
Till next time - Marc It Sold!
On this day in history…
Jews who survived a massacre in Constance Germany are burned to death in 1349.
George Washington asked for a spy volunteer, Nathan Hale volunteered in 1776.
The rickshaw was invented in Japan in 1846.
The sewing machine is patented by Elias Howe in 1846.
Lincoln Highway opened as 1st paved coast-to-coast highway in 1913.
Canada declared war on Germany in 1939.
Swanson sold it’s 1st “TV dinner” in 1953.
U. S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps was incorporated in 1962.
Today is also Suicide Prevention Day. According to the National Mental Health Information Center, “Every 17 minutes someone in America commits suicide, and for every completed suicide, there are approximately 25 attempts. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, suicide is currently the eighth leading cause of death in the United States.”
I apologize if I’ve upset anyone by this, but this is unfortunately something that we ignore until it is usually unfortunately too late. Interestingly enough, it also ties in with my blog item today. Please read on…
So You Don’t Think It Matters!
Yes, the title is a little obscure and what brought me to write this little story is an experience that has occurred to me recently and I wanted to share that with you, my readers.
Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with a situation and have been in Memphis more than my home in the Orlando area. A lot of my time here is spent in the hospital. Each day I need to go to the information desk and get a Visitor’s Pass for the day. Now, my first visit here was on 8/11 and I would do this for the next 10 days.
What’s interesting and quite amazing to me still, is that when I returned 9 days later, several of the people at the front desk remembered either my name and/or the patient’s name. I was amazed at this. How could this person who greets, at the least, hundreds of people a day remember me? And it was more than one person too. I do not consider myself a striking individual. Yes, I was always kind to these people and wished them a nice day as I was leaving their desk.
So, I had to wonder, what kind of impression we leave on people. It’s obvious that we leave an impression on people when we least expect it or at least unwittingly. It just amazed me the power that we have in altering someone’s day.
A simple smile generally makes the other person seeing that smile do the same. Kindness and courteousness also go a very long way. I was just thinking about what I’m going to write and it rang through my head that I’ve stated this before. Please do not get me wrong, I am not looking to turn back time. Wait, I take that back, in my brother’s case I would love to, so therefore he might not be in a trauma unit.
But again, we tend to forget the little things because we are so busy. Too many people find themselves rushing from one place to another. Yes, I know that we all have so much to accomplish, but we do need to take a moment to reflect and remember the little things. For they all make up the greater of all. The little things are just as powerful if not moreso in many ways. I recently published my newsletter, but unfortunately do not have the article on disk that I wrote. It’s about remembering. I will post that again when I return home. I didn’t think of it as a post at that time, but I think it is something that is pertinent to our lives and living.
Interestingly enough, I couldn’t finish this post before it was time to go to the hospital. The young lady giving out passes questioned me about my brother’s room since he had to go back to the ICU from the Step-Down unit and she remembered that.
It just goes to show that the mind is such a powerful thing & the impressions that we leave upon others is very powerful in itself.
Wishing all a safe & kind day.
Til next time…Marc It Sold!
Did you know that on this date in history…
Chop Suey was invented in 1896.
First Scout Camp Opened in 1934.
The Goodyear Tire Company was founded in 1898.
The Beatles performed their last public concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, 1966.
Ingrid Bergman was born on this date in 1915 & died on this day in 1982 from breast cancer.
Cancellation Fees
Now to cancellation fees. I have never charged a client a cancellation fee, nor have I ever entered it on a listing agreement. I’ve always felt that if the client and myself are not a good fit, than I am not going to hold them and their property hostage, nor will I be held at that same time if that may be the case.
Yes, I know the arguments that a Realtor should be compensated for their work and costs. I can agree with this partially, but have to disagree on the whole. This is a part of the business. This is a part of being an independent contractor and salesperson. If you have a problem with this, than you might wish to reevaluate your decision to be a Realtor. I know that a lot of people will totally disagree with me and feel that I am too harsh. But, I really feel that this is the reality of the business.
I could even possibly deal with a cancellation fee if was at least reasonable. But the new manager of the office in which I work and some higher management personnel are obviously on another planet. We are told to institute a $1500 cancellation fee. Let’s be realistic, who the heck is going to sign a listing agreement with that policy? I’ll tell you right now, that I surely wouldn’t. This is whacked! I’ll get back to my new manager shortly. Oh, by the way, did I mention the fact that when I spoke with my regional manager about this, because I did not think that this was the company’s philosophy, I was informed that they never checked with the competition to see what they were doing and how much they were charging. I was totally blown away by this response. This is just a basic business principle - know who & what your competition is and what they are doing. Duh!!
One of my main reasons for never even thinking of instituting a cancellation policy, is that I feel that there has to be a matter of trust between my seller & myself. This is what I build. We have a relationship. To me being a Realtor is basically that of building trust between my clients & myself. I am there to educate and lead them through the process to make sure that they make the right decisions for themselves. Aren’t I supposed to be the professional?
Many of my sellers have become friends. In fact recently, I had a home that was just not selling and we took this home off of the market. These people have become such very dear friends. I care for them so very much as I know that they do for me.
So my new manager comes into the office. She is a very effervescent person. I do believe that she has a lot to offer. It appears that she does not have a lot of management experience, but sometimes that is a plus. Well, unfortunately, she also has two bad habits. Let me preface this by stating that she seems to be genuinely interested in helping. But, then again, her salary is surely correlated to the business that the office produces.
When she told us about the cancellation policy, it was just that. Not that it was talked about and this is the decision that her bosses came up with and that we will have to implement this. No, we were TOLD! Great management style - think we might just need a little bit of work here. Her other habit, which I understand drove her boss crazy during the interview process, is it is always ‘I, I, I, or me, me, me.’ Can you imagine how infuriating it is to hear this consistently.
Granted, I can only come the conclusion that she is probably egotistical to some degree and most likely also very insecure. Unfortunately, at present, I am dealing with a brother in the trauma center due to a motorcycle accident and twice in conversations with her, I came away with the feeling that she had to ‘one-up’ me with tales of woe that she has encountered.
Even through most of this and the fibs that we’ve encountered I have tried to just let it rest and go on, but this cancellation policy is so totally against my grain. I can’t do this to people. I really do believe in the common good of all people. Yes, we know that there are others out there. But, let me ask you, why should the general good out there pay for that? I can’t go through life looking for the evil in others and watching my back & being wary. I will give almost anyone a chance - a chance until they prove me wrong, then they won’t get another chance.
I am not saying this is right or wrong, for it isn’t. It is just the way that I tend to live my life. I would love to right more at this time, but am running late for I have to catch a plane.
See you here tomorrow again, when we’ll do a little more on this date in history.
Till then - Marc It Sold!
