When I was several years younger I rode a motorcycle for recreation with a bunch of friends on weekends. One weekend we were returning home from a ‘run', coming down I45 towards Galveston Island. There before me about 40 yards ahead appeared the carcass of a dead dog in my traffic lane. Not a really big one, but big enough that I sure didn't want to hit it. All I had to do was swerve to the right or to the left just a little bit to miss it completely. I had plenty of time. So with a laser focus on the carcass looming just ahead, my mind told my body to move over just a tad so I would miss it, and avoid possibly going air born. But no matter how hard I tried; no matter how much I wanted to lean a little to left or a little to the right I COULD NOT DO IT! And so I ran over the carcass just as smooth and clean as you please. I did not go air born thankfully. I didn't wipe out as I feared. But the adrenaline was really pumping, I can tell you that. And when we all reached our destination I was in for some teasing. One of my friends asked me, ‘So I guess you figured that dog wasn't dead enough?' I thought about this incident for a while, wondering why couldn't I have avoided hitting that carcass? I really wanted to! I finally came to the conclusion that the reason my body would not respond to my demands to move over was because I had a laser focus on that object. I'll bet I didn't even blink! I mean my eyes were riveted on that dead dog in the road ahead. And with such focus and intensity, my body ignored my verbal demands and followed my visual focus. Right over that dead dog in the road. Now when I think of some goal I really, really want, I know exactly what I have to do to get it or achieve it. I just have to put a laser focus on it. Keep my eyes on it and don't blink. That way every little decision I make throughout my day brings me one step closer to my goal. If you have a laser focus on your goal, there is no way on earth you cannot NOT be successful in reaching that goal. That focus will carry you to your goal as surely as it carried me right up and over that poor dead dog! I have a laser focus on my goals in real estate. There is no doubt in my mind I will arrive at my goals and be successful. I have defined specific milestones and continue to learn and hone the tools of my trade. I read a blog here on ActiveRain yesterday about one of the members and how he ‘eats, drinks and sleeps' real estate (proclaimed by his wife). Now that's what I'm talking about!
Galveston has at least one connection to the Shuttle Mission that will be landing in just about one hour from now. Mission Specialist Christopher Cassidy is one of the astronauts on the current mission. And his father, Jack Cassidy, my friend and neighbor and real estate investment enthusiast owns multi-family property on the island, just down the street from me!
We are all so very proud of our astronauts, for the pioneering work they do to further our understanding of the universe we live in.
Thank you Mission Specialist Christopher Cassidy and welcome back to earth! And thank you Jack for being a great neighbor and friend, especially during the trying times during the aftermath of hurricane IKE.
Jerri Schick, e-PRO Realtor, CDPE
Galveston Island, near Texas
It Was Just Like HGTV!
A young couple attending university called me one day to see a duplex we have for lease. So I met them there and showed them a sad and neglected apartment. Such is the state of the market where I live and work, having gone through the hurricane last year, many residences are just not what they used to be. And that is not a good situation in a community of university students looking for a place to live near the school.
So I asked them if they had thought about buying a place instead of renting and that it might actually be easier and more financially sound in the long run. I told them about the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers. I think that is what sold them on the idea.
We sat down at the office and I explained to them how buying a home worked, from getting pre-qualified for a mortgage, the search, the offer, negotiations, the acceptance, appraisals, inspections, closing and filing for their tax credit. They had lots of questions and did lots of research on their own. And off we went to find a condo that was walking distance to school and in their price range.
The only bump in the road came when my first time buyers went off on their own and found a FSBO condo that they just fell in love with. I knew something had happened because I didn't hear from them for a week. Little did I know that the FSBO sellers were trying to convince my buyers that they didn't NEED a Realtor and that they would be able to buy this condo with the seller's guidance.
OMG. I could feel my heart start racing with the shot of adrenaline coursing through me when my buyers came to me for advice. Thankfully, they had talked it over and had come to the conclusion that yes, they probably could do this on their own, but they would feel so much more comfortable and confident having someone trained (and trusted) in real estate sales on their side!
We worked out how the commission would be paid in a FSBO situation, crafted an offer and I called the sellers to present it. I told my buyers that it would be best if they left the room while I talked to the sellers. (My buyers were very nervous!)
Well, it was not pretty! Neither buyers nor sellers were on the same page about anything even though they had talked together amicably and smiled at one another as they talked over the particulars of the sale. (That's why you need representation). Thankfully I had sent my buyers out of the room while I presented the offer to the seller. So they weren't there when the seller, exasperated, asked to speak to them (so she could harangue a commitment from them). I simply said they aren't here. After the phone call, I sent the sellers an email expressing my apologies for any misunderstandings and inviting them to make a counter offer.
Needless to say the FSBO deal didn't work. But that's okay because I quickly took my young buyers back out and showed them a Bigger, less expensive condo (it didn't have all the pretty things in it) and they were able to see the value even in the empty spaces!
We made the offer on the bigger unit and by now my newbie buyers felt like veterans of the process.
The closing was last Friday. They brought me cookies and I ate them all. They tried to read every word of the closing documents and the closer gently nudged them on. And afterward we hugged and took pictures.
And it was, Just Like On HGTV!
HomesGalveston.com, Jerri Schick, Realtor, e-Pro, is part of Deem Realty. I am a local Realtor from Galveston Island, Texas with 10 plus years in Real Estate Investing, buying and selling and Pr Mgmt
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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