Buyer Frustration - try an agents

I am on, and contribute to various social networking, real estate and professional sites. Some times its great to read the various comments people post on life, work and real estate. It amazes me how angry some people are at real estate agents. I wish I knew who these agents were that are ruining so many people's lives. The anger is real and very strong in some folks. It is sad.

I don't often read about the other side, the angry agent. I hear it a lot behind closed doors, seminars and quiet lunches. But we are not really supposed to talk about the buying/selling public with anything but great respect and patience.

The other day I read someone remarking on "the rich real estate agent." Do consumers not really know how little money real estate agents make and how great the expenses are for gas money, advertising, sprucing up a place for sale. This is not a complaint by any means, I love what I am doing. I get to help people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. I use what I know and what I can learn to guide them through an avalanche of reports, data, inspections, applications, contingencies, etc.

What upsets agents is when things go wrong for their client. The angriest I ever see a fellow agent is when their client isn't being treated right, or a deal falls through. Does the public see that? Every time something goes wrong, the agent is the first one staying up at night dealing with it. The cell phone at the ear, the lap top open frantically searching for some document or miracle that will make things all right.

In the short time I have been an agent I have already been there, am there. Sometimes it is your client creating the havoc which actually makes things worse. You don't have access to the other party so all you can do offer abject apologies, try to solve the problem.

So from us agents who love what we do, for very little money, I want anyone to know that we get angry too.

Blogging the Flood

A week later and now maybe it is time to talk about the flood. So many folks lost so much. Just a drive around town and the terraces display the devastation of the backed up storm drains, overflowing pipes and 10 inches of rain.

I spent Friday morning with worried and some times scared buyers. "Did my new house get water ... how much water?" What should come next? Do I proceed, do I cancel closing?

As I drove around all areas of town one thing struck me, no "side" of town was spared. This was a shared experience. People were trapped by the flooded streets in every neighborhood. Basements were overrun on Villa Park, 4th Ave and Washington. Foundations collapsed on 8th ave and Doemel.

We were lucky in my house, not a drop of water. Why? I have no idea. Three doors down they were talking feet of water in their basement and next door a few inches.

Real Estate ads on Sunday were already advertising homes that didn't flood. Is this our new marketing campaign, tomorrow's selling advantage?

Maybe a little more time should pass before we use this community tragedy as a new ad tag line.

When to buy

Is there one special moment when you know it is time to commit? Not just when the pros out way the cons, but the moment when you realize the risk of homeownership is worth it?

Doubts can erode all the preparation and work you have put into finding the house. A buyer can talk themselves out of a decision pretty easily. Two words usually work: what if? I can guarantee you, buying a house will cost you money. It will cost you money the day you close, two weeks after you close, two months and two years. Some, if not most, will be because you decide to do something, but some will be a repair. It comes with homeownership, responsibility.

Are you ready?

I can't answer that question for you. Why did you start looking for a home? Why did you go on line and click through to learn more about a house? Why did you set your sights on that particular one? Why did you start arranging your furniture in your head when you saw it? Why did you fantasize about that sparkling new appliance on sale that will fit just perfectly?

Remember that feeling and let go of the what if.

You did your due diligence. Respect your decision and move in.

Peabodys Closing

How sad. I have been at Peabody's almost every Friday night since it opened. Our group tested out many places before landing at Peabody's and now we have no idea where we will end up.

The great thing about Peabody's was the eclectic crowd. There was a great group of regulars and always some new folks would wander in for the music or just the fabulous beer.

The new owners are promising a different place with a new clientel. I guess they are right. We are looking for a new place. Any suggestions.