“IF”: Kipling on Real Estate
“IF”….. Kipling was writing about real estate.
The real estate listing sheet said:
All Showings Begin February 4, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. All Offers Presented AT 5PM February 4, 2018.
“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….”
Real estate agents use all sorts of ploys to create panic among home buyers. It’s an agent’s job to sell a home for the highest price and as quickly as possible. If an agent is doing her job, and the consumer is gullible and open to panic, who’s really at fault? Our job is to have you keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.
“If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too.”
With the proliferation of real estate pornography sites (television and internet real estate sites that are really just advertising platforms) and family and friends who follow these sites – or have owned a home once or twice in their life – willing to provide advice, can you trust yourself to follow the Homebuyer Associate’s process when all doubt you?
If you make allowance for their doubting and follow process (see the end of this tale) you position yourself to not spend stupid money. (See last news note on my website.)
“If you can wait and not be tired by waiting or being lied about, don’t deal in lies.”
Returning to the home noted in my opening, the asking price was $425,000. The marketing implication was you better act quickly and pay asking price or above. Our client was willing to pay $425,000. As with all of our clients, we said: “Let’s see what our market value analysis says.” Our analysis showed a value of $400,000.
Our client viewed the home on Sunday with a Homebuyer Associates agent, and put an offer in on Monday – If you can wait and not be tired by waiting. Our client’s Offer was accepted, at $400,000.
I have the Zen symbol for truth tattooed on my calf. It might be a marketing ploy or I may actually believe in truth. You can test me anytime, just ask a question.
I note because in real estate out-right lies don’t often occur (liability issues) but the absence of truth does. One example? A client of Homebuyer Associates had an Offer accepted on a home. The inspection noted the roof had structural flaws. Because of this our client walked away. When the home went back on market no mention was made of the structural roof issues in the seller’s property condition report. Absence of truth.
It is not often our clients have to walk away from a home, but in the past 3 years with the few clients who had to walk away – involving electrical and siding issues – the issues were not noted in the seller’s condition report when the home came back on market. Absence of truth. Don’t deal in lies.
“And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.”
We speak our truth to clients based on the data and facts we know about the real estate market. There is no point in looking too good, nor talking too wise. In the end we just want to win quietly for our clients.
So there you have it folks, sage real estate advice from the poet Rudyard Kipling:
1. Don’t panic;
2. Trust yourself and the data as opposed to real estate advertising sites masquerading as informational sights;
3. Make allowance for family and friends who doubt you;
4. Be patient;
5. Win quietly.
If you’d like to discuss your real estate questions, wants and needs with someone who’s not a poet, feel free to contact me, Seamus or Mike and we’ll sit and talk over coffee.
Thanks for reading,
Michael D. Holloway
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