I’m young. I am new to real estate, even newer to the RE.net. Inexperienced, blind, deaf, dumb, starving, full, big headed, blah blah blah. These are all adjectives that described me in my first months on the job. Heck, they probably still describe me.
As Greg recently talked about, I was one of those people lead vendors looked at as a buzzard looks at a dead possum on the interstate. (Do y’all have possums where you are? If not, substitute road kill of choice.) I bought some. I attended seminars. I admit, I learned and at least mad my money back from the seminars I went to, however, the services, advertisements, etc I bought, I didn’t make any money, just spent time with unqualified people wanting to rent a house I had for sale.
I was the most beautiful, graceful, largest uddered cow you’ve ever seen. I put out good milk as well. They called, I answered. Now I am afraid to answer a single out of area phone call. All day long, they call.
I am at a point where I am kissing dating goodbye. Forget flirting and foreplay with these companies. I want a commitment. I want a marriage. To death do us part. And if you are worth it, I will wear the ring.
However, I am monogamous. I don’t want to marry each and every ‘good’, ‘solid’, ‘worth it’, vendor that comes my way. Very few people will drink my milk, however those that do will be worth every pint.
I believe that there are vendors out there that are worth it. If you make my life easier, help me enjoy more of my valuable time, help me put more bread on the table, I invite you to have a sip.
However, if you are a worthless, trashy, mange infested buzzard remember this: I have kissed dating goodbye.
Thomas Johnson says:
I am afraid to answer a single out of area phone call. All day long, they call.
Hunter: You, too, huh? I really hate being pecked by those vultures. I have learned that the out of area calls are not that long awaited relo deal that has a company buy out and needs a house in ERAHouston right away. I now play the odds: out of area from CA, WA and FL calls go to voice mail. Seems the vultures hang out in bubble markets.
It seems as if today was anti-vendor spontaneous combustion across BHB- Greg this one’s for you.
ANTI VENDOR POSTS GROW EXPONENTIALLY!!!!
July 21, 2008 — 7:40 pm
Greg Swann says:
> ANTI VENDOR POSTS GROW EXPONENTIALLY!!!!
Thank you, sir. Clearly you can read my mind. Were any of the fearless genii willing to point out what exponentiation means?
July 21, 2008 — 7:53 pm
Hunter Jackson says:
Thomas,
I don’t consider myself truly anti-vendor. I am anti spam, anti idiot. I treat vendors just like friends: if you are worthless, get out of my life.
Vendors have their place, imo.
July 21, 2008 — 7:53 pm
The Harriman Team says:
Hunter, I don’t think a vendor relationship can ever be monogamous. No sooner have you pledged undying loyalty to one, another will come and catch your eye, teasing, making promises, whispering “we’re different”. Soon you start to wonder, “What if…?” and before you know it you’re hooked, and the relationship has suddenly become a ménage à trois. You’ll make excuses, rationalize that it’s OK, it doesn’t mean anything, but the damage is done, you’re lost. No, better to have an open marriage: you have each other, but it’s OK for you to see other vendors. too. Just be careful who you get in bed with…
July 21, 2008 — 9:40 pm
Eric Blackwell says:
Hunter;
Like you, I am not anti-vendor. I am anti moronic, blood sucking, value free leeches that prey on the real estate market and I am frustrated with the fact that 80-90% of the vendors out there fall into that category.
I am totally anti folks who (in an industry where we preach ownership and asset growth) insist that it is totally cool to “rent” website presence…whilst they are competitors who are totally benefiting from the REALTORS listings and content.
and I get hugely frustrated that NAR has become (read: is) a promotional facilitator of snake oil salesfolks worldwide…hell, they’ve licensed the distribution rights! (grin)
But I also realize that we do have to buy stuff now and again and we do live in an interdependant world. i don’t look at it like a marriage. I look at it like a trip to the grocery store. In, out… and for the cheapest price possible. Just a matter of buying goods and services…no emotional commitment needed there.
@the Harrimans– not sure how far to take the analogy…but having a bit of French to balance out the latin…not a bad thing..GRIN
July 22, 2008 — 2:44 am
Hunter Jackson says:
@ the harrimans- though I agree, I believe that one can make the conscience choice of who the best partner is. I have a couple of vendors I deal with currently and I love them. Of course, I will give anyone a try with a truly free trial, where my credit card is not required etc.
Carbonite.com did a great job with this. 30 or 45 day free trial, no credit card required. You like it, you stay. You don’t, we’ll see you later.
@ Eric Blackwell: I completely agree. Notice next to my name on the side it does not say Realtor. I am not a Realtor. There are many reasons, and this is one of them. I want to learn, I want to be aided, I want my views listened to. I don’t want a quasi union, or someone who is selling my name and just peddling more vendors my way.
July 22, 2008 — 4:12 am
Judy Orr says:
Just last week I had an out of area call and was holding the phone in my hand trying to decide whether I should answer or not. I did, prepared to tell another vendor “not interested.”
And here it was a prospect relocating to my area. For some reason I’m getting a lot of relocating renters and this person wasn’t even in the actual area I work in but it could have been an excellent prospect.
And I was almost afraid to answer the phone because of all of those vendor calls.
July 24, 2008 — 6:03 pm