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08 Nov

The 99.9% of people who don’t buy from me

Posted November 8th, 2006 | View Comments

I was just having a discussion in one of the threads with one of the 99.999% of the folks in the universe (or whatever the actual number is) who don’t buy from me.

I hope I acquitted myself well, but I’m still not sure.

Real Estate Fence -- not good for sitting?I must admit, I get along better with people who aren’t buying from me if we’re not talking about work. I get the feeling that sometimes folks who aren’t buying from me get a little mad because someone else bought something. Then I get defensive about making my living working with the .001% of the people who do buy from me, as if the housing prices in the Sacramento area are my fault somehow because I’m doing my job.

When I look at the real estate blogosphere — which incidently is a sphere about .00001″ in diameter, as scientists have recently measured — it seems to me that I detect a bit of a difference between those folks who work well with people who don’t buy with them, and those folks who, like me, don’t. I’ve actually met some Realtor® bloggers who are so good at working with people who don’t buy anything that they participate actively in the anti-Realtor® bias of their readers.

In its less extreme form, working well with people not buying anything and being a well established member of the “community of real estate bloggers” (whatever the heck that is) seems to go hand in hand. I’ve been thinking about that group a bit in the last couple of days, and how my relative isolation from its mainstream probably has something to do with the comments I don’t generate, which in turn is a function of how good I’m not with people who don’t buy anything.

However, on the off chance that my feeling like some sort of lone wolf in the Sacramento wilderness is instead a function of not posting enough pretty pictures, I’ve invested a whole dollar in an Istockphoto picture of a pointy fence. This is part of why I don’t get along with people, I’m sure: whenever I hear about buyers sitting on a fence, I feel like I should be posting some sort of medical warning about the dangers of picket-butt.

No, but seriously, being on a fence can’t be comfortable. If you want to rent, go ahead and rent. There’s nothing wrong with it, assuming of course you invest the difference that you saved in something as worthwhile as a home, or blow it on something really profoundly stupid and enjoy yourself. People should be happy.

Go be happy.

  • Mark

    Hey, I felt I should comment here. I am not mad at you in any way whatsoever. I have seen several Realtors contributing on the blogs and I’d have to say these people are not afraid to call a turd a turd. That in no way means that they are doom and gloomers. They have just been open about what they are seeing in their industry and are willing to say publicly that there may actually be a time when it is not the right time to buy. They have given us a peak behind the curtain. Also, they haven’t belittled the views of the bubble prophets. And prophets they apparently are since they were taking a ton of crap the last 2 years by “economists” “news” agencies, Realtors and builders who are all revising there 2005 stance today.. go figure. I guess somebody did have a crystal ball after all. And while it certainly remains to be seen what happens next, I see no reason to see those folks as freaky alarmists given there past performance. Remember that soft landing?

  • http://www.jalone.com Julie Jalone

    John, I enjoyed your post today along with the “pointy fence!” This is a very interesting business and may be more so in today’s market. I agree with you about people doing what makes them happy and if renting is it, I am fine unless they keep changing their mind.

    Have a good day!

  • http://www.sacramento-home.com/real-estate-agents/ John Lockwood

    Hey guys, thanks for your comments.

    Mark, other Realtors should of course say publicly whatever’s on their mind. As for me, I keep getting buyers who want to write offers. This weekend I showed a buyer two homes and today I have to write another offer. Dang. To quote the Dylan tune:

    “I can’t help it…
    …if I’m lucky.”

    Of course there are times when it’s not right to buy. The best time in my opinion is when you’re working with another agent. :)

    But yes, Julie, I’ve certainly had periods where it seemed like that pointy fence was what buyers were poking ME with. I’ve had my share of prospects who just went for a nice little Sunday drive with me and decided they weren’t moving to Sacramento / their job transfered elsewhere. Or they’ll wait for lower prices / lower interest / the second coming.

    Thanks again. Enjoy!

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