Author Archives: One of the ten percent

Property Values

I have to get this off my chest. 

We live in a metropolitan area, one of the best!  As such, there are highways everywhere!  Not surprisingly, there are many homes which back up to these thoroughfares and many agents insist on fomenting the idea that because there is a highway in close proximity, the property is not only not as valuable, but downright appalling.  I call major BS on that.  Not everybody sees fellow drivers as the Devil! Some of us don’t give two hoots about traffic noise, and a great house is still a great house, even WITH a highway nearby.

Where do we get off saying we love the area but let the ‘other ones’ buy the houses near the highways…you know, one of the infrastructure aspects that MAKE this a great place to live??  That attitude affects our real estate market and it’s making smoke come out of my ears!

If one desires to live in a metropolitan area, then surely one would expect there to be metropolitan STUFF like HIGHWAYS and STREETS.  I think it would be a grand idea for agents to stop badmouthing these properties and let clients make up their own minds.

Here’s an example of a bad agent conversation:  Client: Oh no!  It backs up to a highway!  Agent: You’re right.  It’s noisy!  Let’s leave. 

How about a GOOD agent conversation:  Client: Oh no!  It backs up to a highway!  Agent:  True, but it gives you quick access for commuting and by the way…how much time do you spend outside?  Client: Hardly any.  Only when we’re grilling out.  Agent:  How quiet do you need it to be for grilling out?  Client: Not quiet at all.  We usually have loud music playing. 

Case closed.  Try overcoming the objective with some good solid communication and you might find out there IS no objection. Marketing 101 folks.

The bottom line is that there are some fantastic homes in close proximity to highways.  During your ‘quiet’ times, guess what? The highway will also be quieter because it’s everyone else’s quiet time too!  So agents, remember your job is to protect our market…meaning our property values.  ALL of them.  So don’t be the grinch out there. 

 

Church People and Other Mysteries

Remember the Church Lady?  Funny skit on Saturday Nite Live, was’t it?  Unfortunately, that is often the image society has of church people: stodgy, uptight, unrealistic, even spastic.  Maybe they’re right sometimes, but not about MY church people.  Keep reading.  I know you don’t believe me, but bear with me, because I’m inviting you to come and see for yourselves. 

I attend Richland Creek Community Church, not because it’s a great big building with lots of people and activity, but first and foremost because I want to worship God.  There’s a lot of God worshipping at Richland Creek!  There’s straightforward, down to earth, loving, Biblical worship there.  Further, I want to worship God in the context of His creation, which means if I look around me and see all white faces, that’s not representative.  At Richland Creek, I look around and see so many nations represented, so many skin colors, that I can’t keep track of them all.  THAT’S representative and THAT’S fulfilling to me.  I like hearing people pray with an accent, sometimes so thick it’s hard to understand to my Southern ears.  If God spoke to me, I’m pretty sure He wouldn’t have a Southern accent, and that’s just fine with me.

Our pastor and his team are the best I’ve ever encountered, a HUGE blessing to me.  And I’ve heard a lot of preachers in my time.  David Sims is truly a Godly man who genuinely loves people and has a burden for their salvation.  He doesn’t just preach it, he DOES it.  He is surrounded by staff with hearts bigger than the building in which we congregate and the congregation are like family.  I know; you’ve heard THAT before.  But here, you feel that when you step inside the church: God is there.  That, as you know, is not always the case.

I lived in what I consider to be the worst town in the country, and was never invited to church while I lived there, even when I ASKED people about their church.  I know.  Strange.  But from day one at Richland Creek Community Church, people reached out to me, not knowing that I was in desperate need of that kind of touch at the time.  I never felt like an outsider.  Not once.  There are miriad small groups there, just itching for you to come and join in. It’s very casual in some ways, but the strongest I’ve encountered in others.  It’s about Godly love.

Richland Creek Community Church is the smallest big church I’ve ever attended.  It’s sort of strange.  We have so many people there that we have to have police to get us OUT at the end of services; yet, you feel as though it’s a small church.  Doesn’t make sense, but it’s true.  Don’t believe me?  Come and see for yourself.

Want to know the context of Biblical teaching?  Pastor David Sims gives you that.  He’s never wrong in his Greek translations and definitions, he’s funny and eloquent and his heart is right there for anyone to examine.  He walks us through the Bible, line-by-line, as he says, and we always leave better than when we went in.

There’s a super strong community service initiative at my church.  We are always doing something to lift up the community…and we have a BIG community.  Sometimes, I’m amazed at the outreach we do, in addition to Missions…which is the heart of our church: Discipleship.

Music has always been a strong ministry to me, makes me cry when it’s really good.  I cry a lot at this church. hahaha.  I attend the blended service, where we have both a choir and a small orchestra.  The orchestra is made up of people of all ages and backgrounds and I love watching them serve the Lord with music.  It gives me a lot of joy.  In the choir we have four ‘boomers’ as I call them: Men whose voices can fill the sanctuary.  When all four are there at the same time, I know I’m gonna cry!  Hahaha.  The choir is amazing when they’re all there together. 

We have traditional, blended, and what I call the ‘rock and roll’ service.  I’ve attended two of three service types, even though I never thought ‘rock and roll’ would do it for me.  But the service is wonderful and there are some of the most BEAUTIFUL voices in the congregation I have ever heard.  Okay, it’s not REALLY rock and roll, but you get the idea.  It’s a packed service.  The music is different, more contemporary, but the MESSAGE is the same.

Want to wear jeans and flip flops? You can, here.  I don’t, but I do wear slacks most of the time.  It’s comfortable and I don’t think God is a fashion policeman.  I believe He looks at hearts.

Someone asked what was going on at our church that we are growing so fast and always so BUSY there…as though we were doing something strange.  Simple: It’s God’s house and we who attend there really respect that.  And we really do care about one another.  We call ourselves ‘Creekers’ and that means something really big to us.  It means we are connected and we have each others’ backs.  And we would like for you to join us.

So consider this an invitation.  Richland Creek Community Church on Burlington Mills Road in Raleigh.  Four services; choose your favorite.  As for other activities?  Too many to mention.  Go online and check us out, find the service you would like and check out our small groups. Come for a Free Pizza Friday sometime, download our app, check us out.  We’d really love to have you join us.

Like, I wonder, like, why I can’t like…get hired!

I overheard some college students talking about the economy.  Stop laughing.  I did.  I heard college students talking about the economy.  The focus was on jobs, since the one they were doing at the time was barely above minumum wage.  The conversation went something like this.

Like, I KNOW I’m smarter than like MOST of the…like…OTHER people who applied.  Like, the dude came out and like TOLD me I was like PERKY enough for the job.  And I was like, wow, thanks for calling me PERKY.  There were some, like, OLD people trying to like, get this job too.  And I’m like, what were THEY doing there?  And you know what was like WEIRD?  I told the dude that I was like YOUNG and so I like looked at things DIFFERENT than like old people.  He said something about a store display, like whether I liked it or not, and I said, I guess I like it because I’m like YOUNG. And then like, the only thing he said was I was like PERKY enough for the job. Which was like cool, but like, I thought he should like HIRE me.  I’m like really curious why he didn’t hire me.  Like, I can definitely do the job.  Seriously.  And, like, I will graduate in just a year.  DUDE, I just don’t get it.  And you know what’s WEIRD?  One of those like OLD people got hired.  DUDE!

To which the other student replied something like this:

Like, I’ll be finished with my BS degree and like, I’m going right into my masters degree.  So, like, when I start job hunting, like, I should have nooo problems.  Like, I want to get my education done like first.

So.  If I ever interview you… and I might someday… and you use the word “like”, you’re not hired, dude.

By the way, I know college students who have very intelligently thought out perspectives on the economy and you know…they have GREAT jobs.  They don’t say “dude”, except in fun, and they don’t pepper their entire sentence structure with “like”, either.  Come to think of it, I really LIKE these kids, too, and that’s how you use that word.

Now for the OTHER issue:

Advertising your youth the way this kid did is like showing off your lobotomy scar.  If you are a recent graduate, your brain isn’t even finished yet.  The intelligent among you already know that.  You others, don’t bash old people.  Seek their wisdom instead, because, contrary to popular belief, we have it…lots of it…  You could benefit from it if you saved all of the time you use up saying “like”, and listen instead.  DUDE!  I’m a genius.

Why Work So Hard?

Well, here’s another great reason.  This is a letter of reference from one of my first time buyer couples:

As first time home buyers, we were nervous about finding our first home and establishing a relationship with our agent. Brenda was referred to us by a mutual friend who admired her professionalism and wonderful spirit. Brenda left a wonderful impression after our first meeting. She LOVES first time buyers and helped us to understand the process, was patient and detail oriented when showing us each home, and offered support during each step. She understands the market and takes pride in her work, something that you will see after your first meeting with Brenda. She has a heart of gold and we thank her for making our first purchase special.

-Cameron

Real Estate Referral Letter

There is no higher compliment in my business than referrals from past clients. Not only does it help create a firm foundation for your business, but it just plain makes you feel good.  Here’s one that made my day:

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Recommendation for Brenda Briggs

Selecting the right realtor can be a daunting task, as there are so many agencies and qualified individuals available in today’s marketplace.  After interviewing several, we chose Brenda as she was ‘down-to-earth’, easy to talk to, and very professional in her approach.  She more than exceeded our expectations!

Rather than feeling like just clients of hers, we felt “special”.  We knew that she was doing her utmost to find a buyer for our property.  She answered our calls and emails promptly, listened to all of our concerns, offered valuable advice, and made the whole process of selling our house run smoothly.  If she felt a room needed a special something, she addressed the situation herself, rather than asking us to do so.  She instinctively knew what needed to be done to make the house sell, and she succeeded in short order in a slow moving market.

Brenda excels at negotiations, and has perfected the art of dealing with buyers and sellers.  She possesses just the right touch when anxiety flares on either side, remains professional in all aspects of the transaction from the signing of the listing agreement to the closing, along with demonstrating integrity in her business relationships.  We always knew that she was there for us, representing our best interests at all times.

We appreciate all the extra work that Brenda Briggs did to make the sale of our property a reality.  We cannot recommend her high enough!

Jaine and Brian Parry

And by the way…these people are special to me.  I never knew them before I listed their home, but they are now a part of my history…and hopefully my future as well. 

Home is…?

I read an editorial in Smithsonian the other day, and it made me really stop and think about Home.  I am in the business of helping people buy and sell homes, so it’s easy to get into the mindset of homes as products.  This really defines home as the place people go to nest, doesn’t it?  Move the nest; the building isn’t home anymore; the NEXT building is home…the place where the nest rests.

If that is true, then home is a building where a group of people gather and it can be anywhere.   The Smithsonian article said that original homes might have been a campfire around which the usual group of people gathered, day after day.   But I say, it wasn’t the campfire…it was the people around it who constituted home.  I wouldn’t feel at home looking across a crackling fire at a stranger…would you?

So home is not a building or even a place; rather, it’s the people who gather there, over and over, day after day.  It’s the ones you know will show up, the ones who always come to the campfire.  Gather: It implies a voluntary movement towards some central point…in our analogy, a campfire.  You don’t call it a gathering if the ones there were forced to go there, or went on their own, reluctantly.  It’s a gathering if people just come, over and over, day after day.  You can depend on it, in other words.   Home eliminates a lot of unknowns, then, if you have the same ones gathering, every day, day after day: you know they will be there.  It feels safe.

If you think about all of that, it sounds wonderful, except that there are people who show up every day, day after day, to suck the life out of you and one day toss your carcass aside.  Hahahaha.  That’s not pretty, now is it?   So home must also imply some level of mutual goodness, mutual protectiveness, some level of nobody being a bloodsucker.  There are a lot of bloodsuckers out there, people!  You know its true.

So…it ain’t all good, just because people gather.  Home must be a gathering of people (and cats) who have everyone’s best interest at heart…really care about one another and are interested in others’ wellbeing as much as one’s own (might be a bit of a stretch for the cats).  Now that beats a building all day long, don’t you think?

And you thought I was going to be serious.  I tried; I really did.  But…not a chance. 

 

 

Memorial Day Grief

I read an article today about grief…it was a tangential subject.  Our Vice President spoke to a group of people who lost loved ones in the war, and he said he could understand how someone could be driven to take their own life by such great grief.  I read that intro section a couple of times…I couldn’t believe I was reading that in a national publication.  Someone admitting that trauma can lead to suicidal thoughts?  Well, now we’re getting somewhere.

I was astounded to find myself connecting with this man (don’t spread it around), when I never have been able to before.  He also experienced great loss, not in a war scenario, but in his personal life.  And he suffered the loss, not just of the loved ones, but also of the entire life they lived together, and it affected him profoundly.  I know of whence he speaks.

People don’t like to talk about the idea of someone wanting to “end”.  But it happens.  If I could change one thing about MANKIND (the giant concept), it would be that compassion become interstitial to all human beings.  I mean real compassion.  Not just the oh-crap-I’m-about-to-be-inconvenienced kind of so called compassion; I mean the real deal. Because when there is great loss there is also GREAT suffering, and either people choose to ignore that fact, they really don’t get it, or they just don’t want to be bothered.  I hope it wasn’t always this way.

I like to think that at some time in the past, people really got it that sometimes people are really hurt and really need love and compassion to help them heal.  I like to think that at some point in the past, people showed up to lift up the wounded, whether or not they actually looked broken on the outside.  I like to think that at some point people put down their robes and gavels, stopped judging and preaching and actually lent a hand.  I like to think it USED to be that way, because it certainly isn’t today.  People say, “Get over it”, ‘Move on with your life”, “You’ve been through this before”…without really thinking about what the real situation is, how the person’s heart is working or not working…how wounded they really are.  Even when people seem okay, if you really look at them…you can SEE their pain.  I know; I’ve been testing that theory and guess what?  I’m right 100% of the time…so far.  I’ve had a lesson in compassion and I’m trying VERY hard to get it right. Somebody has to.

Compassion…I think…means that it doesn’t matter how I think the other person SHOULD feel; it means that the other person feels what they feel and they need love, to know they are not alone, encouragement that they will make it through the valleyTODAY because my hand is there, reaching out, for as long as it takes.  I think that’s what it means.  Because if there is a hand reaching out to me, giving me a lift up, even for just the next step; then I don’t think about giving up, checking out, cashing in. 

You get the impression that compassion isn’t necessarily easy.  I think that’s exactly right.  I think compassion can be tiring, expensive, annoying, inconvenient.  Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s right too. But my little inconvenience is statistically insignficant if the other person is about to die or THINKS they are about to die…or wishes to.  So I’m calling mankind, manUNkind for now because that’s the reality, too many times.

The bottom line in the Veep’s message was this: I get it. It’s not just about the person you lost.  It is also about the trauma of losing the whole life built around that person; and that kind of trauma is so bad that it can make you want to cease to exist.  I think that we should remember that, not just for this Memorial Day, but also for the WHOLE rest of the year.  Every time we decide someone has had time to ‘get over’ something, first, we should feel bad that we think we’re worthy of that judgment, and then we should ask ourselves when was the last time I asked them how they are feeling…and did I really even care about their answer.  Final step: DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

ACTION: That’s the key. 

If we have any love in us, we must know that compassion is not just important’ it should be the quintessence of humankind.  Compassion is Godlike, it is crucial.  It means more than any material item we collect…or it should. I suppose it depends upon what or whom you worship. Regardless:  If we don’t have compassion, we are poor indeed.

…makes me scream….

I just read a blog…well part of it.  The writer said she got a request from a WRITER who said, “I’ve wrote a book.”  ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  I’ve WROTE a book????  Was I the only one present when grammar was taught in school?  I was, wasn’t I?

Good grammar is still important!   If you send me an email saying, “I’ve wrote a book”…well, that’s as far as I’M going to read.

A cancer battle…

My dear friend has just had cancer related surgery, and I visited her yesterday.  In the aftermath of such an event, she remained loving and gracious, reaching out to others and showing great kindness to her caretakers.  She amazes me sometimes.  I’m proud to know her and glad she’s feeling better.