It’s April, as I sit on a train heading east toward Chicago, I reflect on so much…the crazy times, so many great people I have met, even the aspect of writing here seems like a distant memory.
Today, I sit and talk about the good times, the fun moments, and today’s challenges. Agents and loan officers alike I have surrounded myself have always been top notch professionals. What made them fall into this category? Their drive and commitment. Yea, sure they are loyal, have brains to think on their feet, and all this wonderful qualities in a service pro, but the drive and commitment is a part of their character that came from them being naturally Good People. Ones that had a vision, and desire to network and work for people as well as with people…to provide service levels that outdone the competition and kept them moving through the tough times. Well….this time is o different, except….
Except the forces of Economy that has limited the types of loans, hug restrictions on the ability for buyers to purchase, Realtors who show home after home with the uncertainty if the buyer will drop off due to some unforeseen condition no one thought would ever affect a home purchase, but it does - deal after deal. And what about the People!? The home wishers, the wishing sellers that sit, and wait, and count, and wait, and grow in frustration, in the lack of motivation to wake up - prep the house - be ready, as the showing may come today, or maybe not for another 3 months.
Tough times are upon us.
As I reflect on how simple things seemed back then, and they were not simple I get a flash of hope that doesn’t permit me to give up, to give in, to quit. I, like many o my peers and colleagues have an internal mechanism that says, we started with nothing, and we grew, now we need to reinvent, pace ourselves, and not forget the people we service. We also cannot forget out families, kids, and spouses who supported our every late showing, our early frantic MLS searches, the middle of dinner negotiations.
To balance is to succeed. If greed was our cup of tea, we would not be us. Greed is a factor you deal with in this and may other businesses, but greed has never been a factor in my relationships, or the relationship is over. To balance is to succeed. Balance work with income, income with expenses, expenses with fun spending, spending to survive, survive to enjoy life, enjoy life with your close ones, family or friends. It all returns to them…so the challenge is making enough to spending enough time with family without working to make enough. (does that make any sense?)
