Back during his residency, my brother-in-law told us some pretty crazy stories of patients coming in with heinous ailments and injuries. And I know all those people didn’t migrate to just him, because we’ve all heard some strange things from other doctors as well. In fact, I just ran across a story on Facebook about the top 20 dumb patients to come to the ER.
One patient wanted to know if he could “catch” diabetes from a one night stand with a diabetic woman. Another was prescribed a medical patch every few days and she came in to complain that she had run out of room to put all the patches (not realizing you take the old one off and put the new one on…). Since my brother-in-law doesn’t tell us those stories anymore, I’m guessing it means that nothing really surprises him anymore, and he just goes about his day. Continue Reading →
Over the years, some of my clients have mentioned that I wear a lot of hats. Realtors are therapists, counselors, financial advisers, accountants, attorneys, relationship advisers, and life coaches. We don’t enter into our relationships with these thoughts, but it inevitably ends up that way. We don’t mind. It’s part of why we enjoy our job.
A little over a year ago I hired a personal trainer to help whip me into shape. I meet with him about four times a week, and it’s definitely a team effort to fit that time into my schedule when I work full-time, work a lot of evenings and weekends, have a husband that actually enjoys my company and have young kids that still like having their mom around. What I have found is that not only is he getting my body in shape, but everything else in my life has become better, too. Maybe it’s because when someone pushes you further than you think is ever possible, it opens your mind to what other things you are capable of. I read a quote once that said, “Your mind quits long before your body does.” So true. But if I want to relate this quote to real estate, then it should read, “Your client quits long before your Realtor does.” 
Years ago when I was a high school teacher, my principal sat me down for my annual review. He listed all the things I did well, but then gently told me that I didn’t seem to have a passion for teaching, that I didn’t appear comfortable or confident in front of the class, and therefore I wasn’t engaging my students. These comments hurt. I cried for days. But then I thought about it, and he was right. I’m sure it was hard for him to tell me 
My husband and I attended a surprise birthday party last night, and one of the guests was a fellow Realtor® from a different firm. We spent the evening talking about everything from soccer teams to office pranks when the conversation eventually turned to real estate. He mentioned one of his frustrations is when someone hires him to list a house, asks for his advice, and doesn’t follow it. Then, after six months or longer on the market, the seller decides to switch agents, and that new agent tells the seller the exact same thing, the sellers listen and the house sells instantly. The new agent gets paid, the old agent gets nothing. I can’t tell you how often that happens, and it isn’t fun. 
It’s 4:30 am and I just shot an email over to my buyer requesting more documentation for our offer. To my amazement, she responds immediately. Why are we both awake so early on a Friday morning? One word: Stress!! We are both anxious about the offer we wrote on their dream home last week. There is always anxiety during the negotiation process, but when you add the pressure of a multiple offer situation, it makes it 10 times worse. 
You’ve finally made the decision to buy a home, and you know what needs to be done. You need to get pre-approved and choose a Realtor. You probably aren’t sure what you are looking for specifically in an agent, but when you’ve made an expensive purchase in the past (cars, furniture, appliances), you’ve appreciated the salespeople who were knowledgable, personable, and available. These traits are magnified during the home buying process. Why? Because you are about to start a long-term relationship with someone, so you need to make sure you are compatible. It can mean the difference between cruising into the closing room with confidence or feeling like you just rode the Tilt-a-Whirl at the local fair. 
Common belief for years has been that the real estate market slows down in the wintertime, showings are sporadic, and no one wants to move in the wintertime.