Peeved is a great word when trying to avoid cursing, isn't it?
I recently commented on a couple of blogs and returned to see what others had to say. One blogger had a lengthy negative response to my comment, but fortunately there was another commenter coming to my defense, sort of. I am also curious as to why a Florida realtor cares about a politician in Minneapolis - points? The rest of the comments struck me as ambiguous so I didn't really know what they were saying. Poop or get off the pot! (Another curse avoidance, I am afraid.) So it was bad, then good. I commented again so it is probably really bad now. It was a political blog and at this point in election time things are really critical, lines being drawn in the sand.
That old axiom about never talking about religion, sex, or politics - it is all over now.
Religion is a no-go issue since tolerance is in. Sex is a non-issue since it is everywhere. Politics? Now that is where the mud-slinging is still perfectly appropriate. Apparently money earned is now also a talking point. Are we allowed no privacy at all?
The second blog I revisited was about investors and the timelines for re-selling a property. I have a lot of investors. Yes they make money when "flipping", but this is Ann Arbor, Michigan not California. What they are doing is almost community service. They are taking blighted properties, sometimes the only blighted property in a neighborhood and sometimes a bunch of properties in a neighborhood, and making ALL of the properties there more saleable by their efforts. Ask the neighbors what they think. Michigan has over 7000 HUD foreclosure homes alone, in a declared declining market and an exodus state . Someone has to do something. Three cheers for intrepid investors!
Investors are buying properties so bad that when I show them I need to cover my nose from the stench and wipe my shoes on the hopefully damp grass, if there is grass, when we leave. They are buying properties far past what the generic buyer looks at. Needs a roof, new mechanicals, new kitchen and bath, new floors, walls, landscaping - no problem. Of course, they are getting it "for a song." Most buyers cannot get past the fact that the third bedroom is painted blue, and they do not like blue. Good for investors! Why should they be limited? One of my investors is a mostly retired contractor with connections and can turn around the worst property in about a month. He freely admits he has lost lots of money on some deals. Is he in the black? Yes, but not on every deal. Risk needs reward.
Yes, I make commission on selling these properties if I list them when they have been renovated. But greed is not a part of the picture. A recent sale of mine was for $20,000. I paid my office bill for the month with that commission, nothing more. When it relists as a renovated property at $130,000 or so, I will not be cruising in the Caribbean; I will be paying orthodontia, utilities, GASOLINE, etc. I DO NOT MAKE AS MUCH AS YOU THINK I MAKE. I'll detail it all for you, compensation, less company dollar, less expenses, then net, if YOU will do the same with YOUR salary. I thought not....
Now that I have talked about politics, religion, and money, I think I will cruise my TV channels and find a movie with sex. It is the only subject that is innocuous it seems. Maybe I will get lucky. :)
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"Helping you find your way home." Ann Arbor area real estate consultant. Never stop learning, never stop listening; it's easy to travel the road that leads home.
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Hi Susan - You packed a lot of issues and personality into this post! We definitely face some challenging times today in business and in life. I remember Anthony Robbins talking about "peeved." He said it was strong enough to convey agitation and frustration, but disarming enough that it added a bit of humor no matter how tough the situation was.
I have a home inspection on a property Tuesday that was a forclosure, and the seller bought it, fixed it up and put it up for sale. We have to go beyond a 30 day close date because of the 90 day rule. Both parties are winners:
The seller for taking one home in the neighborhood of well kept homes and turning it back into something to be proud of.
The buyers for being able to purchase a home in an area that they desired that is apparently move-in ready.
Oh..let's not forget about the neighbors. One bad home on their street was an eyesore for far too long. Because of this "flipper" the entire street now looks neat and clean.
Great post Susan.
Sorry you had a bad experience. Most people on AR are positive .Good luck.
Susan, I rarely comment on all the political posts. It is no win situation. I am not here to express my political views, or religious ones. Even on posts I agree with, I am just not getting into it. That includes the ones on sex. Silence and moveing on are how I operate in cyberspace. I'll argue my points all day, I think you know that but not here in front of the world. Opps comment, not argue.
John, Peeved is a great word! Clearly I was peeved when I wrote this post - I was procrastinating in clearing up a lot of paper in my office.
Christine, I am always surprised when people find out that our company does not cover our travel expenses, printing, and that we have not even a teeny salary. I only get into it if it comes up.
Thanks Kris, I know from your posts that you are doing a lot of foreclosure/investor work too. Sometimes the rules get completely in the way, for the sole sake of the few who would abuse them.
Gita, Thanks for the sympathy. I am usually very positive but sometimes....
Missy, I am famous for opening my mouth and sticking foot in. Will I never learn? :)
Susan -- I took a look at the link about Jesse Ventura. I particularly enjoyed the comment from the other Florida guy, the expert on Minnesota politics who can't spell "ridiculous".
Eric, I am a bit afraid to go back there given my big mouth. Perhaps I will do it tomorrow, on Memorial Day, in memory of the time when our rights were really protected!
Susan, Don't worry about the jerks in life there are enough that every town in America has more than they need. I am a Christian and do not even try to hide it, I am proud of who I am in Christ. Sometimes I am not proud of who I Am in the world.
The high price of fuel etc only makes it worse causing people to move to the South where it is not so expensive to live. Cheers for the people that remodel homes in your area. They are doing a service far above making money, some are really called to do this. God Bless Them and You for your work in the real estate business. I hope that you have a best year yet.
Susan, you have touched on the hot three topics to stay away from. Sometimes even a political joke offends people. Those three can get you a lot of comments though. I just get tired of people ranting though when it is just their opinion.
Thanks Don, it is shaping up to be a decent year though I jokingly say that most of my deals are "in denial" since they refuse to close. Such is life in the foreclosure and short sale arena.
Gary, Not sure if your comment is a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down since ranting comes easily to me, particularly via this post. :) Yes, those are the hot topics but sometimes it is good to throw caution to the wind. I suspect that is why I am a realtor - apparently I like to live dangerously, particularly financially. :/
SUSAN - One of the nice parts about working with investors is that it is all a numbers game with them. Sometimes, they actually enjoy seeing houses that are destroyed because it gives them a blank canvas to work with. Hope that you were successful in your movie search. ;-)
Adam, that is the BEST part about working with investors! One, two, three, purchase, and often with cash.
Hot topic ... but I just want to know: Susan ... Did you get lucky? :)))))
Don't feel like you have to justify how much you make or what you use it for.
Anyone can get their license and see just how expensive it is to run this business we're in.
Have a great year, Susan.
Silvie, I got TOO lucky! I cruised the channels and found a movie I thought my husband and I would like, about five NYC people and their love/sex lives. Well...it started out with some intense nudity, full frontal male - that's when my husband said no thanks and left. I watched for a little bit more and it got even more extreme! I had to shut if off. I thought I was going to get an Americanized "Love Actually", which I adore (because of Colin Firth), but I pretty much got porn! I cannot believe it was on one of the regular premium channels, Showtime or something. Don't remember the name. I played Tetris instead and went to bed! :)
Too funny. I also played tetris yesterday, but it wasn't a choice between that and getting lucky. LOL
I 'see' you're in a better mood anyway. Stay that way. Don't let 'them' get you down. :)
Susan, very interesting. Thanks for the info, that's good news on Ann Arbor. I work in commercial and most of my lenders won't touch a Michigan deal for reasons cited in your post. I agree and applaud the flippers who come in and turn a property around. It's better than letting it rot, causing more blight on the community. Regards, Monica Brown Real Capital Loans.com
Monica, If the industry wants to really see Michigan turn around, they should follow the simple advice offered by Kris Wales in one of her recent blogs - 1) turn on the utilites, and 2) hire unemployed contractors. Sometimes the answers are so obvious - thanks Kris!
Susan,
I love what you had to say about what we actualy earn and what it costs to run our business. If the only knew. Just keep on trucking along with your posts and let the chips fall. You certainly are not boring!!!!
steve