Disqualifying Disclaimers
Besides selling real estate full-time (and writing the occasional blog post :-)), I also read lots of other people’s articles, advice, etc. on selling real estate.
So, it’s always interesting to encounter some variant of the following disclaimer, usually buried near the end of the piece (or omitted altogether): “when I was selling real estate,” “in my real estate-selling days,” “before I retired from selling real estate,” etc.
My . . . um, advice when you encounter such a disclaimer?
Stop reading the piece, and disregard (or at least heavily discount) what the author has to say.
Stale (or No) Credentials
Why’s that?
At least in my opinion, if you’re not currently selling real estate (or never have), you’re simply not qualified to advise others on how it’s now being done.
Markets change, technology changes, the mix of Buyers and Sellers (demographics, preferences, etc.) change.
So do the governing laws, financing practices, appraisal standards, etc. — not to mention the product itself!
If you’re not on the field . . . you’re on the sidelines.
Head (if not Body) In the Game
Of course, there is one individual prowling the sidelines who does qualify as a bona fide expert.
In sports, that would be the coach or manager.
In real estate sales, that would be . . . the (office) manager.
Whereas a busy Realtor might handle 15 – 20 deals annually, the office manager ultimately signs off on every deal coming through their office.
In a busy office like Edina Realty City Lakes, that can be 300-400 deals a year.
P.S.: It’s also the case that many office managers continue to do at least a few deals a year for clients of theirs before they became managers.
