I don’t have secrets, my life is all out there…just Google my name and you will find out more about me than you EVER wanted to know.
However, most people are not so into “full disclosure” and have secrets. Some of them worse than others. I have had a glimmer into other real estate agent’s lives via my blogging and I am going to share one of the deep, dark secrets here.
I hate to be the one to say this in public, and I am so sorry if I am outing you, but…
Real Estate Agents lose their homes, too.
Yup. You heard it here folks. Realtors, agents, brokers…you name it, they get foreclosed upon every day.
Now to me, it only makes sense that a large number of real estate professionals would have a hard time paying THEIR mortgage as the real estate market declines, sales slip and prices lower.
Logically speaking, it seems to me that the percentage of real estate professionals who are defaulting on their mortgage would be pretty high.
Why is it that these professionals don’t want to discuss their problems? Is it too embarrassing to advise people to purchase real estate when you are having a hard time hanging on to your own?
I can answer that question firsthand from my own experience. It wasn’t hard for me, because I knew that my issues were circumstantial and would improve given some time and solutions. I never felt like my financial worries reflected upon me as a REALTOR or human being for that matter. I still knew better than most how to help people accomplish their needs in buying or selling real estate. I also knew that by helping them I was helping myself and the economy in one move.
YOU ARE WITH FRIENDS
You don’t need to come out and admit if you have hit hard times, but I want you to know that I know you are out there and it is OK.
Your problems will make you a better agent if you learn from your experiences. I took my experience and worked it into a sideline as a Home Retention Consultant for people in pre-foreclosure. I started talking to other people who admitted they or a friend were in trouble and shared with them the steps to avoid or stall foreclosure. I began writing on the topic so I could share with people who didn’t want to come out and discuss this issue face to face.
I took my problem, moved on and became a more empathic agent and I urge those of you who have had these experiences to do the same.
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
You don’t have to come out publicly the way I do, but if you have first hand experience in this, then you can HELP others.
Remember we are all in this together and situations change all the time. You will recover, this economy will recovery and you are poised to be an arbiter for the change.
