“Hello. My name is Erin and I am a Realtor. Please, please, no need to make the sign of the cross, throw Holy Water at me, or wear a necklace of garlic. I am not asking for a kidney, nor your first born. I am simply here to assist you in any and all of your real estate needs.”
That is going on my business card.
Believe it or not, that is how many of us Realtors are treated. Don’t get me wrong, there are some pretty shiesty creatures out there, but for every bad egg, there’s at least a dozen waiting to hatch. (dumbest analogy I think I’ve ever written…moving on)
We are in a treacherous market, hell going to put gas in your car warrants a few choice words, so when I watch shows like Million Dollar Listing LA or Selling New York, I’m not going to lie, those men and women ignite a white hot fire through my veins. They give true Realtors a bad name.
I would just, for once, love to put one of those clowns in a situation that is common here. Let’s see them deal with a family who is losing their home, not just an investment property. Let’s see how they would handle taking a couple to 20 or more properties, putting numerous offers in and still walking away empty handed. Let’s see how they would negotiate with a bank that agreed to one price, and then have them change their minds 10 days before settlement, leaving your clients without a home. In other words, I would love to see how ANY of them would handle the true, raw emotions that go hand in hand when selling or buying a house.
I know that those shows are “reality TV,” edited for entertainment purposes. But even if the footage is altered, their commissions are not. We all have to make a living, and I chose the field of helping new families find their first starter home, assisting them as their family grows, and watching them move on as they become empty nesters. So I guess what I am hoping is that when I introduce myself as a Realtor, they don’t automatically think that I answer my phone in a silk robe wearing slippers that cost more than their current car payment. It’s more like yoga pants and a tank top.
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