Get out of your way. Please.

All Realtors have heard these two lines:

1.  Everything happens for a reason
2.  It must have been meant to be.

Let's start with zinger number 1.  "Everything happens for a reason."  YOU are part of that reason, home seller or buyer.  The reason could either be that you've been flexible and adapted to the changing market winds or that you've decided listening to reason is better left to someone else.  The reason your home has not sold might just be that you wouldn't accept the advice of your Realtor!  The reason your purchase did not go through might just be that you wouldn't accept the advice of your Realtor!  In other words....everything that's not happening as dreamed could simply be that you are standing in your own way!

You know the difference between the seller who let their home go for 10,000 less than they had in mind and the seller who held fast to their bottom line?  The one that let go has moved ahead with their dreams and plans!!  They have already purchased their new place and are getting ready to enjoy the great outdoor season of summer in the Okanagan!  The one that stubbornly held on has likely soured on Realtors, tried a budget company, is tired of having their home always ready to show and likely lost the chance to buy the home they really wanted.

Do you think that while on the boat with their cold beverage in hand, soaking in the Okanagan sun, the one who let go is sorry they didn't hold out?  Of course not!  They are smiling and happy.

Moving on to number 2.  "It must have been meant to be."  Recently I worked very hard selling a place in a difficult area to sell.  Due to some very good strategy and marketing I successfully sold this property.  The client said, "it must have been meant to be."  I wanted to say, "it was meant to be because you hired a great Realtor!"

Putting homes on mls alone doesn't sell them (contrary to the whining that gets sent to the competition bureau!).  Great Realtors sell homes!  We market and strategize and network and do open houses and realtor tours and flyers and lunches....we do price adjustments and showing follow through and communicate regularly.  In short, until you're happy, we're stressing!

I love being a Realtor!  And, now you know what I'm sometimes thinking.  "Get out of your way.  Please."  I'd really like to see you smiling on the lake!

Best economy fix? Quit hearing "the news"

It should come as no surprise that I've come to the conclusion that the best thing for our economy and real estate transactions would be if all news stations went silent for a month or so!  Good grief, its a wonder people get out of bed in the morning with all the fear mongering that goes on.  And, what of proportion?  If one real estate transaction goes awry it will make the local and national news -- with no mention of the 75,000 that went swimmingly!

Last night Global's lead story was of the impending bubble burst in real estate due to the extreme sellers market in Canada!  Only once they weighed into their "slow news night" broadcast did they say Toronto is in a sellers market.  Apparently Toronto is now all of Canada and we're about to have a burst bubble.  Ridiculous and stupid reporting.

If there is any good news to report it is then blanketed with caution, fear and doomsayers forecasting darker times ahead.  "Employment rates are up!  BUT for how long?"  After all there was a trend reversal back in 1948!

Interest rates are low...BUT remember in the 80's when they topped 20%!?  Really?  That's where you want to take it?

Who doesn't remember the news shadowing and foretelling of frightening days to come?  Its really gotten quite disgusting and will continue along the lines its going until we all tune out.

Real Estate has always proven to be a wonderful way to build wealth.  Oh, I know what you're thinking...."what about the travesty in the U.S.!?"  Right?  I know, you watch the U.S. news too because Canadian news isn't depressing enough!  We are not in the U.S.!  Canadian banks were noted to be number 1 in the world for lending practices on mortgages.  Shout that out!

Lets step out of "this tangle of fear thinking" as Rumi would say.

Do you want to sell your home?  Do you need a new home?  Guess what?  Its a great time to do that!  Simple, right?