Happy New Year! Good riddance to last year. I hope 2011 shows us an expanding economy, lots of new jobs and a real estate rebound. Personally, I have many resolutions to make and keep. Sound familiar? How about I am going to lose weight, eat healthier, work harder, be nicer, be more accountable, and on and on and on.
This is our nature. We all have good intentions, but as my minister said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” That sounds very cynical so I am going to stick with this: If you see it, believe it, you can be it.
I may want to lose a bit more weight, but more important, I want to maintain my weight, keep my blood numbers in check and just be healthier. I want to build my residential business and help those who work for me become more successful in 2011. Wow, that is a tall order, considering that 2010 was one of the most challenging years in my 26 years of experience in real estate.
I want to keep providing the best service possible for clients and surpass all competition. We’re doing ok, given the fact that we already provide Ritz Carlton service. Emory Hill Residential has established itself as a boutique company that offers individualized services designed to help clients realize HIS or HER goals. I want to be involved with people who do good things for others.
In 2010, we helped many people either purchase or sell their properties, allowing them to realize their goals. More important, we counseled as many clients to wait to list their home or purchase a home because it was not in their best interest based on their goals or financial situations. It is my hope that many more companies adopt a philosophy of putting the client’s interest in front of the company’s profits.
True, it takes profits to exist, but doing the right thing for the client will always ensure longevity in this ever-so-volatile industry. Mortgage companies have gone under, real estate companies have closed, and banks and large financial houses are a thing of the past—all due to greed. It’s time to focus on doing the right thing.
If selling the home is the right thing, do everything you can to make it happen. In our case, we do an initial assessment not just on price, but on condition, absorption rates and, most important, probability of a successful sale. If purchasing a property is the goal, we will analyze your financial capabilities and again focus on your long-term goal. If it is one to three years, we may advise renting. It’s not just about the sale, but doing the right thing for the client. My hope in 2011 is that others follow this model so that sellers feel right about their decisions and buyers are excited about their purchases. This philosophy is true outside real estate as well.
Just this week, our company had the opportunity to help several people who were going to be evicted. They would receive $1,000 cash for keys in order for them to be able to relocate. Their current residence is uninhabitable, and they have no lease to offer them protection. January is not the time to put people on the street. Hopefully this money will provide them the opportunity to have a fresh start.
A group of very caring people from my former company organized an event for a Realtor who has been selling real estate for 25 years who suffered a stroke. As a sign of our times, her health insurance was coming up short. So these folks organized an event with two bands, a silent auction, great food and camaraderie.
Much money was raised and everyone had a great time. The Realtor’s prognosis is positive, and the strides she has made are worthy of kudos. The best thing about this story is that many attended from competing real estate companies, law firms, mortgage companies and friends just to show support. This makes your heart feel good, since the new year is starting on a positive note. Together they made a difference.
These are just two examples of people joining together to help others. This is a great New Year’s resolution to have on your list. It is rewarding to see your actions bring hope to people who need it.
In our world of housing, we are slowly climbing out of a very deep hole, the likes of which we have never experienced and hopefully will never repeat. It may take awhile until there is a market where buyers can buy and sellers can sell without the bank holding up both sides. It’s far past the time to point fingers at the banks and time to all work together to make these transactions come together, reduce the inventories and help people move. Working together will make all the difference in the world.
It’s only the second week of the New Year, and already I am feeling good about my keeping my resolutions and the economy resolving its issues, allowing us to forge ahead. It is going to be a great year. Make it happen!
Let’s all try to make 2011 about the people whom we serve. It will keep us moving in The Right Direction.
