January 19, 2018

I’ve been in sales most of my adult life. I’d argue we all are to one extent or another. After all, if you’ve ever asked someone out on a date or even just befriended someone, you likely put your best foot forward, hoping that person would say yes. But selling should never be about us. Sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer has said, “people don’t like to be sold, but they do love to buy.” So then, a good “salesman” should be confident that the product or service he is “selling” is something that will enhance the life of the person buying it. 

I’ve always believed this on some level and, whether by luck or by choice, I’ve never had to sell anything I didn’t wholeheartedly believe in. But just because I’ve believed in the things I’ve sold before now, be they newspaper or radio advertising, wine accessories, or political candidates, doesn’t mean they were the perfect fit. That’s why, when someone suggested I think about being a real estate agent some years ago, I gave it some thought. It took several months pondering it over, but eventually I took that step, left my job selling radio advertising, and now, instead of selling air, I sell dirt! There are many reasons I’m more passionate about this vocation than any other I’ve had before.

The number one reason is summed up in one of my personal mantras, “be the change you wish to see in the world.” (No, I didn’t come up with that phrase. No, it wasn’t Gandhi either, although he did say something similar.)  I’ve long believed that we are participants in our own lives. That may sound odd—after all, what else would we be—but we all know people and we’ve probably all been that person at one stage in our lives, who have had life steer their course instead of us steering life. It’s not an all or nothing adage either. None of us is perfect or all powerful, so to a large extent, every day we can improve toward the goal of steering our own lives, but we also all need help. 

A bit ironically, we actually need someone else to help us steer our lives every day. We all need mentors or guides. That’s what I see myself as, your guide. I’m here to help you with, quite likely, the biggest purchase and/or sale of your life. I also see it as so much more though. My mission statement is “being the change in our world by creating an ownership society one home at a time.” It’s my mission because I believe home ownership is key to steering our own course. It’s certainly not for everyone at every point in their life, but when you own your own home, while there are still some ongoing expenses, you own just a little bit more of your destiny, not being beholden to rent increases or other actions which you have no control over, like the sale of the place you’re renting.

In the time I’ve been an agent, I’ve sold a number of homes and each transaction has been rewarding in its own way, but perhaps the most rewarding was a home I sold to some first time buyers who desperately needed a house, but affording one wasn’t the easiest thing. It took a while to find something, but eventually we did and to see the happiness that brought their little family was a huge blessing.

My favorite movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. There are so many fantastic lessons to be learned by watching it, but since becoming a real estate agent, it’s taken on a whole new level. George Bailey, after all, runs a real estate firm of sorts and does it because of his passion to help others above all else. I take that same passion with me with each and every person I help in my business.

If you’re seeking help in “steering your own course” in the area of home ownership or know someone who is, please, give me a call and let’s find that course together.