John's Blog: April 2009

 I doubt I am the only REALTOR®  who creates their own narrative every time they show a home, especially a foreclosure or short sale property. As I approach the house I observe the attention to detail reflected in the maintenance or lack of maintenance visible from a distance. As I fumble with the lockbox I notice the little things, the polished doorknob or the broken screen on the front of the house.

Opening the door I am immediately hit with an assault on my olfactory sense and find the musty smell of mold a tell-tale sign that the former owners reached a point of desperation before moving out and either deliberately or inadvertently allowed the commodes to overflow or the shower to overspray onto the bathroom floor and soak through the floor and into the drywall ceiling below.

As I lead the wary buyers down the stairs to the partially finished basement I am overwhelmed by the stack of building materials waiting for the owners to finish what they have started and I realize that they had good intentions. They had dreams of a home for their family when they realized that the sky really was falling and they would be forced to retreat to a small decrepit rental unit or single-wide perhaps never to dare dreaming again.

As I share the excitement of the young first-time buyers who tell me how they are going to finish the basement, mitigate the mold, trim the lawn and create their own American Dream, I can't help shedding a tear for the family that a year or so earlier had similar dreams.

Our business is not about numbers and square feet and interest rates and short sales. It is about people, about families, about dreams and shattered dreams. Unless you are willing to let the narratives of the families you serve connect with your emotional inner being, you will miss the greatest reward of being a REALTOR®.  If we are afraid of being hurt when we share the broken dreams of one family, we will not have the joy of sharing the budding dreams of another.

It has been more than half a century since I was an undergraduate in Opal Cole's Speech Class in which she required everyone in her class to prepare and present a speech on the same topic: Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude! I don't remember what I said but I will never forget the topic. There is no doubt in my mind that our attitudes are a major determinant of our success.

Of course skill and knowledge are essential if we are to perform well but competence alone is insufficient as a springboard for successful sustained performance. And the more challenging the business environment becomes, the greater the importance of attitude becomes. Listening to some agents talk, you would think that there is no alternative but for all of us to throw in the towel and close up shop. 

Why would anyone want to do business with a REALTOR® who exudes pessimism and defeatism?  How's the Real Estate Business? Terrible! Sound familiar? If that is our attitude we have already lost the battle. Are some niches and markets for real estate in shambles. Of course they are. But that does not mean that all niches and markets are in shambles.

With record low interest rates and real estate prices the lowest in recent memory, this may be the best opportunity first-time home buyers will  every see. Add to the mix, an $8,000 tax credit and what is a surprise to me is that there is not a stampede among eligible buyers to take advantage of these highly favorable conditions. How's the real estate market? It has never been better! There are some incredible opportunities in the market! Those are the messages we should be sending in these troubled times.

Yes, our attitude may well determine our altitude! 

Whether the present programs intended to help embattled home owners get control of mortgage payments and keep their homes go far enough is debatable. What is not debatable is that millions of Americans are still facing difficult odds with more expenses than income. And one of the biggest, in most cases THE biggest, expense items is the monthly mortgage payment.

Hearing the good news that programs are in place to assist you with loan modification, i.e., restructuring your mortgage so as to bring your payments down to where you can more easily pay them without neglecting other bills or daily expenses, may sound enticingly simple. But the reality is that there is still a distance between the promise and the reality. It is not a simple matter to qualify for and achieve modification of your mortgage. It is possible, but it will take some determination and patience. The demand clearly exceeds the human capacity of the system to respond in a timely fashion.

One of the first places to look for him is a special government website found at <http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov> . Be sure to follow the links on this site. There is a wealth of useful information here.

Additional help can be found by reading the Bankrate.com article, Tips for Buyers: Mortgage Application 101. This article provides help for homeowners and/or buyers whose first attempt at a mortgage loan has been rejected. You can read this article by clicking on this link:


As I have previously noted, if you or someone you know, are among those who are concerned about the possibility of losing your home, take advantage of the above sources. If you need additional help, give me a call at 913-709-4423 or send me an email. I can't guarantee that I can help, but I will be glad to help whenever and wherever I can.


 
   John

John E Cleek, Ph.D., e-PRO,
Realtor® and Marketing Consultant
The CrownPlatinum Team
Crown Realty of Kansas
Miami County - Linn County - Johnson County
1005 W. Amity • Louisburg, KS 66053
Licensed in Kansas and Missouri
johncleek@crownplatinum.com
www.crownplatinum.com
Pho: 913-709-4423 • Fax: 913-837-2549               
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