As we anxiously await the decision of the week 3 Community Info posts, it is time to move on to this week’s category – best and worst stories. I originally conceived this category to be an internal contest, but you may find that your story is worth sharing with the world… it’s up to you. In order to submit to the contest and to the public, just let me know in your title and I will duplicate the post.
This week really moves us into the “writing” realm – so all of you fabulous story tellers – here is your opportunity. Remember your audience, who may not know about some of the more technical terms of our business if you are going to take your post public. Please change names to protect the innocent.
As for the blog itself… we are growing by the day. Last week we crossed the 400 visitor a day mark. Below is a map of our last 500 visitors – you can see that people from all over the world are finding the site througheht search engines. Many of you have already contributed your individual success stories of leads and rankings. I can’t wait to see what will happen when we get our PR and advertising machine going. 
This week I will be heading out to the offices again to meet with all of the blog groups. My purpose is to go a bit “higher level” and talk about RSS feeds, blog marketing and some of the strategy of blogging. Since I am going a bit beyond the basics, I would ask that only people that have posted at least 1 blog attend this weeks class.
This week you all will start receiving your RSS feed of the internal blog – so look for those emails in your box soon. Thanks again for all of your support – it looks to me like you all are having fun too!
Just for a little inspiration…here is my Best and Worst Story….
When I was first licensed and practicing real estate, much of what came my way in the very beginning was commercial. Although I never really planned it that way, commercial seemed a good fit for my new career.
My daughter was entering preschool that year and I attended a welcome function to meet all of the other “new” parents. Small talk typical leads to that “What do you do?” kind of conversation. I, of course, proud of my new venture replied “I am in real estate”. The mom I was speaking to said… “that’s great… we are looking for a house.” With those new tuition bills to pay I was sufficiently motivated to and ask for my new client’s phone number with the promise to stay in touch.
At that time, there was no MLS computer – only the books so I scoured the MLS books and found almost nothing in her price range. The following Sunday, I checked the paper and found a perfect property that was open that day. I called and asked if she had seen it – and she hadn’t… off we went. The house was perfect for them… the only touchy party of the showing was that the owner was lying in his bed watching TV during the open house… it was a bit awkward but off we went and then came back for a second showing with the rest of the family. All systems go – I rushed back to the office and picked up a contract – we filled it out- and I went that evening to the seller’s house to present the offer. It was accepted and I thought… this is the easiest money I will ever make!
Little did I know… the buyer had relocated from another city and had owned a house there. Since the market was a bit challenging, they ended up leasing out that house and the tenant skipped – they finally gave up and let the bank foreclose. Like now, financing was a bit harder to get and the buyer’s only had 10% down. Don’t ask me how that mortgage broker got them a loan, but after many anxious months ( in those days loan even easy loan commitments took 60 days to get) – a loan package arrived and we were ready to close. (Lesson number 1 – get those customers prequalified).
So off we go to the closing. I was quite excited to attend my very first closing. I had a gift for the buyers and put on my best suit – I was ready. When I got to the closing I noticed that there was a man there with a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist– he was humorless. The closing did not take very long but when the closing agent brought out the proceeds check – the man with the briefcase took the check – put it in his briefcase and then other officers came in and took the seller away in his very own set of handcuffs. It was like watching a Miami Vice episode happen before our eyes. (Lesson number 2- always ask why the seller is selling)
Turns out, the seller was an attorney who had profited from some insider information about the future location of the new Joe Robbie Stadium. He had purchased up some of the surrounding property and then resold for a quick profit once the announcement of where the stadium would be came out. The man with the briefcase was an IRS agent – as the seller failed to pay taxes on his unreported profits and the seller was disbarred, prosecuted and served time – right from that closing table to jail. My clients were wide eyed with the real life 80’s kind of Miami stories… I was too.
That was over 20 years ago now… it seems to me like only yesterday. The clients still live in the house – a nice old Spanish on Granada Blvd in Coral Gables that they bought for $165,000. It was the sale that began my journey into the realm of residential real estate – I was hooked on the plot twists that seemed to lurk at every turn. What other career can give you such great stories? Tell me yours…
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