Opinion Editorials

Real Estate = Life

Published

13 years ago

March 23, 2009

This is as impromptu a post as it gets but HAD to share because I’m a bit emotional and need to get it out. I came back from RETechSouth feeling great for many reasons. I need to tell you that I was very impressed with the attention to detail of the conference in general – speakers, transitions, giveaways, interaction with attendees, stage, promotion, quality…….it goes on and on – congrats to Brad Nix and Matt Fagioli for putting a quality event together.

In addition to the actual conference, I am always energized when I see my Internet buddies IRL (if I had the time I would go to every single event) – so if you were wondering whether or not these events are worth it….they are!!! (if only for the real life interaction, do it!!)

But most importantly because I was able to come out of Atlanta knowing that what I do has a purpose and social media facilitates the way Rick and I do business and our conscious decision to surround ourselves with like-minded people with similar values is right on!

I wrote a Miamism post this morning about real estate = relationships = life and this paragraph sums it up:

It’s not about sales sales sales! It’s not about what the media will say next – It’s so much more than “how is the Miami Real Estate Market doing?” – It’s about LIVES! How trivial can that really be? Everyone needs a place to live, whether it’s temporary or not….feeling at home is one of the most important factors in everyone’s life, whether you choose to get help to achieve that or not – HOME is such a powerful word and some of us really care about how people achieve that.

My articles autopost to Facebook and within 10 minutes of posting, I received this answer from a client (and now friend):

what you say here, the importance of home to you and Rick and your drive to help others find it, is exactly what came shining through when you helped Ken and I find our Miami home. WE knew it was never about the sale. It was something bigger. We can never repay you or thank you enough.
Its the same philosophy Ive always tried to bring to my architectural and interiors practice – help the client find their own stamp, guide them to make it better than they could have imagined, and make a home.

WOW!! needless to say, that made my day, my week, my existence

Think of how you approach your business and how you impact people’s life – we, as Realtors, have the power to influence lives, don’t ever take that for granted.

Related Topics:Real Estate relationships ReTechSouth Social Media

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Ines Hegedus-Garcia

Ines is all Miami, all the time. A Miami Beach Realtor® with Majestic properties, Ines authors Miamism.com, PrimeMiamiBeach.com, and MiamismPix.com and is always on communication's leading edge. She goes out of her way to engage and be engaged, often using Mojitos to keep the mood light and give everything she does a Miami flavor. You can find her goofing off or instigating trouble at Twitter, Flickr, Facebook or LinkedIn.

28 Comments

Ken Brand

March 23, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Yes exactly.

Nice to see passion about life and people and home mixed like a fine Mojito. The older I get the more I realize, as you’ve shared, everything is rarely about what it’s about, it’s bigger and juicier.

Amen.

Reply
Ines Hegedus-Garcia

March 23, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Ken – you are just too cool – “mixed like a fine mojito”…isn’t that what it is ALL ABOUT?

Reply
Real Estate Feeds

March 23, 2009 at 6:58 pm

Real Estate = Life: Get out of your feed reader and comment on this post- we PROMISE that the ShamWow guy won\’t.. https://tinyurl.com/cgk976

Reply
Mark Eibner

March 23, 2009 at 7:16 pm

we’re at it again Real Estate = Life: Get out of your feed reader and comment on this post- we .. https://tinyurl.com/cgk976

Reply
sheilabragg

March 23, 2009 at 8:29 pm

Real Estate = Life: Get out of your feed reader and comment on this post- we PROMISE that the ShamWow guy won\’t.. https://tinyurl.com/cgk976

Reply
Brad Nix

March 23, 2009 at 8:45 pm

I couldn’t agree more Ines about your real estate=relationships=life message (of course I’m cool with you digging REtechSouth as well), but most importantly LIFE and the relationships we create, strengthen and enjoy matter most. So glad we got to meet IRL last week and I look forward to seeing you again (rachel says hi too).

Reply
Ines Hegedus-Garcia

March 23, 2009 at 9:06 pm

Brad – you did a heluva job and thanks for letting me be a part of it – as for Rachel, she rocks (and as our friend Bill Lublin would say….I think you married over your head) 😉

Reply
Chris Shouse

March 23, 2009 at 9:40 pm

You are so right Ines it is all about the relationships and I am to this day friends with almost all of my clients. It makes my heart smile to see a house made into a home. Can not wait to meet you IRL.

Reply
Ines Hegedus-Garcia

March 23, 2009 at 9:42 pm

I hope it will happen soon Chris! What’s great about this medium is that you can tell right away who really cares and who has pure intentions – can’t get better than that!

Reply
Tina in Virginia

March 24, 2009 at 6:09 am

Ines, your passion is what makes you the wonderful person you are. What a wonderful, from the heart post. It was great seeing you at RETech South and I hope to see you again soon.

Reply
Ines Hegedus-Garcia

March 24, 2009 at 10:31 am

Tina – you are so sweet, it was awesome to see you as well and I’m sure we will run into each other soon 😉

Reply
Kathleen Buckley

March 24, 2009 at 3:12 pm

Ines- Thank you for articulating this! So often agents are viewed as cut throat and self-centered. You are a prime example to the contrary!

Reply
Teresa Boardman

March 25, 2009 at 8:02 am

Honestly I think it was one of the best conferences i ever went too. very well organized and a lot of variety. I came away feeling inspired and really enjoyed the time we all spent together after hours.

I have never driven to a conference before and that also turned out to be an amazing and memorable experience.

Reply
ines

March 25, 2009 at 8:16 am

Kathleen, that means a lot to me, thank you – it’s crazy how a “technical” conference can leave you with such basic humane principles (Jeff Turner’s presentation about the computer being a MORON was the highlight)

T – could it have been Jack being present? (hmmmm)

Reply
Jay Thompson

March 25, 2009 at 8:19 am

Great post Ines. I just got back from NAR’s Association Executive Institute where the highlight was getting to meet Mariana IRL. Met several others too at a Tweet Up and got to revisit some old friends. It was fabulous.

That note from your client/friend is priceless.

Great photo too! Could be the cover shot of the “Women of Real Estate” calendar… 😉

Reply
ines

March 25, 2009 at 8:25 am

Lucky you Jay, I’ve been dying to meet Mariana and Derek and can’t believe we have not crossed paths yet (but will soon, I’m sure). That note from our client made me cry (and they know it) It’s amazing when you can make such a great connection with someone online from the start.

As for the calendar….what are you guys up to?

Reply
Paula Henry

March 25, 2009 at 9:49 am

Ines – This post sums up what life in real estate is really about – the relationships are what matters. Our clients know when we care; as displayed by the wonderful note you received form your client.

Some day I will meet all of you!

Reply
ines

March 25, 2009 at 11:27 am

Paula – I am looking forward to meeting you as well (I’m sure it will be soon)

Reply
Teresa Boardman

March 25, 2009 at 2:03 pm

@Ines love your post on ag https://bit.ly/Kf41h

Reply
Jeff Turner

March 25, 2009 at 2:11 pm

RT @TBoard: @Ines love your post on ag https://bit.ly/Kf41h (I’ll second that)

Reply
RE Success Club

March 25, 2009 at 2:18 pm

RT @TBoard: @Ines love your post on ag https://bit.ly/Kf41h …check out the passion in the client’s testimonial…inspiring.

Reply
Mack

March 25, 2009 at 2:06 pm

This past week I met a really nice lady at RETechSouth. She had a wonderful smile, was a great conversationalist, unselfishly shared her knowledge of social media and I am proud to say: wrote this post.

Reply
ines

March 25, 2009 at 3:07 pm

Hi Mack!! it was such a pleasure to meet you! (thanks for that btw – are you trying to make me cry…..we leos are very emotional)

Reply
stevenstearns

March 25, 2009 at 5:40 pm

Real estate is about LIVES, not just the market: https://ping.fm/Sb0S7 via agent Genius

Reply
Brenda Carus

March 25, 2009 at 7:18 pm

RT @stevenstearns: Real estate is about LIVES, not just the market: https://ping.fm/Sb0S7 via agent Genius [True]

Reply
Bobbi Blades

March 28, 2009 at 11:16 am

I sit in my office today pulling together a new presentation on Social Media and how it will affect our business. You guys are incredible. You’ve reaffirmed my own belief in how social networking online won’t take the place of real time voice and physical contact but, instead, will enhance it.

How many times have we all said “I wish so and so was here to share this with.” Now, they can be.

If you could give me, in one sentence, single most important feature to social media communication to you personally and in your business, I sure would appreciate it.

Reply
ines

March 28, 2009 at 5:36 pm

Bobbi – thank you so much and as for the single sentence: The single most important feature to social media communication to me and my business is the connections I make on a daily basis that i would not otherwise be able to achieve, whether by blog, video, chat – powerful medium!

Reply

Opinion Editorials

Shady salary transparency is running rampant: What to look out for

(EDITORIAL) Employees currently have the upper hand in the market. Employers, you must be upfront about salary and approach it correctly.

Published

2 days ago

May 19, 2022

Dawn Brotherton, Staff Writer

Man holding money in the dark representing false salary transparency.

It’s the wild wild west out there when it comes to job applications. Job descriptions often misrepresent remote work opportunities. Applicants have a difficult time telling job scams from real jobs. Job applicants get ghosted by employers, even after a long application process. Following the Great Resignation, many employers are scrambling for workers. Employees have the upper hand in the hiring process, and they’re no longer settling for interviews with employers that aren’t transparent, especially about salary.

Don’t be this employer

User ninetytwoturtles shared a post on Reddit in r/recruitinghell in which the employer listed the salary as $0 to $1,000,000 per year. Go through many listings on most job boards and you’ll find the same kind of tactics – no salary listed or too large of a wide range. In some places, it’s required to post salary information. In 2021, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act went into effect in Colorado. Colorado employers must list salary and benefits to give new hires more information about fair pay. Listing a broad salary range skirts the issue. It’s unfair to applicants, and in today’s climate, employers are going to get called out on it. Your brand will take a hit.

Don’t obfuscate wage information

Every employer likes to think that their employees work because they enjoy the job, but let’s face it, money is the biggest motivator. During the interview process, many a job has been lost over salary negotiations. Bringing up wages too early in the application process can be bad for a job applicant. On the other hand, avoiding the question can lead to disappointment when a job is offered, not to mention wasted time. In the past, employers held all the cards. Currently, it’s a worker’s market. If you want productive, quality workers, your business needs to be honest and transparent about wages.

Opinion Editorials

3 reasons to motivate yourself to declutter your workspace (and mind)

(EDITORIAL) Making time to declutter saves time and money – all while reducing stress. Need a little boost to start? We all need motivation sometimes.

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2022

Taylor Leddin, Staff Writer

Clean work desk representing the need to declutter.

It’s safe to say that we’ve all been spending a lot more time in our homes these last few years. This leads us to fixate on the things we didn’t have time for before – like a loose doorknob, an un-alphabetized bookshelf, or that we’ve put off ‘declutter’ on our to-do list for too long.

The same goes for our workspaces. Many of us have had to designate a spot at home to use for work purposes. For those of you who still need to remain on-site, you’ve likely been too busy to focus on your surroundings.

Cleaning and organizing your workspace every so often is important, regardless of the state of the world, and with so much out of our control right now, this is one of the few things we can control.

Whether you’re working from a home office or an on-site office, take some time for quarantine decluttering. According to The Washington Post, taking time to declutter can increase your productivity, lower stress, and save money (I don’t know about you, but just reading those 3 things makes me feel better already).

Clutter can cause us to feel overwhelmed and make us feel a bit frazzled. Having an office space filled with piles of paper containing irrelevant memos from five years ago or 50 different types of pens has got to go – recycle that mess and reduce your stress. The same goes with clearing files from your computer; everything will run faster.

Speaking of running faster, decluttering and creating a cleaner workspace will also help you be more efficient and productive. Build this habit by starting small: try tidying up a bit at the end of every workday, setting yourself up for a ready-to-roll morning.

Cleaning also helps you take stock of stuff that you have so that you don’t end up buying more of it. Create a designated spot for your tools and supplies so that they’re more visible – this way, you’ll always know what you have and what needs to be replenished. This will help you stop buying more of the same product that you already have and save you money.

So, if you’ve been looking to improve your focus and clearing a little bit of that ‘quarantine brain’, start by getting your workspace in order. You’ll be amazed at how good it feels to declutter and be “out with the old”; you may even be inspired to do the same for your whole house. Regardless, doing this consistently will create a positive shift in your life, increasing productivity, reducing stress, and saving you money.

Opinion Editorials

How to identify and minimize ‘invisible’ work in your organization

(EDITORIAL) Often meaningless, invisible tasks get passed down to interns and women. These go without appreciation or promotion. How can we change that?

Published

5 days ago

May 16, 2022

Delilah Redfield

Women in a meeting around table, inclusion as a part of stopping gender discrimination representing invisible work.

Invisible work, non-promotable tasks, and “volunteer opportunities” (more often volun-told), are an unfortunate reality in the workforce. There are three things every employer should do in relation to these tasks: minimize them, acknowledge them, and distribute them equitably.

Unfortunately, the reality is pretty far from this ideal. Some estimates state up to 75% or more of these time-sucking, minimally career beneficial activities are typically foisted on women in the workplace and are a leading driver behind burnout in female employees. The sinister thing about this is most people are completely blind to these factors; it’s referred to as invisible work for a reason.

Research from Harvard Business Review* found that 44% more requests are presented to women as compared to men for “non-promotable” or volunteer tasks at work. Non-promotable tasks are activities such as planning holiday events, coordinating workplace social activities, and other ‘office housework’ style activities that benefit the office but typically don’t provide career returns on the time invested. The work of the ‘office mom’ often goes unacknowledged or, if she’s lucky, maybe garners some brief lip service. Don’t be that boss that gives someone a 50hr workload task for a 2-second dose of “oh yeah thanks for doing a bajillion hours of work on this thing I will never acknowledge again and won’t help your career.” Yes, that’s a thing. Don’t do it. If you do it, don’t be surprised when you have more vacancies than staff. You brought that on yourself.

There is a lot of top-tier talent out there in the market right now. To be competitive, consider implementing some culture renovations so you can have a more equitable, and therefore more attractive, work culture to retain your top talent.

What we want to do:

Identify and minimize invisible work in your organization
Acknowledge the work that can’t be avoided. Get rid of the blind part.
Distribute the work equitably.

Here is a simple example:

Step 1: Set up a way for staff to anonymously bring things to your attention. Perhaps a comment box. Encourage staff to bring unsung heroes in the office to your attention. Things they wish their peers or they themselves received acknowledgment for.

Step 2: Read them and actually take them seriously. Block out some time on your calendar and give it your full attention.

For the sake of demonstration, let’s say someone leaves a note about how Caroline always tidies up the breakroom at the end of the day and cleans the coffee pot with supplies Caroline brings from home. Now that we have identified a task, we are going to acknowledge it, minimize it, and consider the distribution of labor.

Step 3: Thank Caroline at the team meeting for scrubbing yesterday’s burnt coffee out of the bottom of the pot every day. Don’t gloss over it. Make the acknowledgment mean something. Buy her some chips out of the vending machine or something. The smallest gestures can have the biggest impact when coupled with actual change.

Step 4: Remind your staff to clean up after themselves. Caroline isn’t their mom. If you have to, enforce it.

Step 5: Put it in the office budget to provide adequate cleaning supplies for the break room and review your custodial needs. This isn’t part of Caroline’s job description and she could be putting that energy towards something else. Find the why of the situation and address it.

You might be rolling your eyes at me by now, but the toll of this unpaid invisible work has real costs. According to the 2021 Women in the Workplace Report* the ladies are carrying the team, but getting little to none of the credit. Burnout is real and ringing in at an all-time high across every sector of the economy. To be short, women are sick and tired of getting the raw end of the deal, and after 2 years of pandemic life bringing it into ultra-sharp focus, are doing something about it. In the report, 40% of ladies were considering jumping ship. Data indicates that a lot of them not only manned the lifeboats but landed more lucrative positions than they left. Now is the time to score and then retain top talent. However, it is up to you to make sure you are offering an environment worth working in.

*Note: the studies cited here do not differentiate non-cis-identifying persons. It is usually worse for individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community.