It's Christmas Day and I'm drinking a cup of the Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Coffee that Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes) gave us. It's a clear morning and this Christmas Day is projected to be a beautiful clear day. BUT....That could change in an instant like anything else in life.
I'm reflecting over the last few days here so bear with me.
For one, EVERYONE has to start somewhere. I for one was new to the Short Sale Market. IT TOOK LOTS OF RESEARCH and LOTS of phone calls but my broker and other agents (from other companies...not even on the other side of this transaction) in the industry here were happy to help me with any questions I had on the process.
THAT'S what Real Estate is about. The REAL in the human beings that are helping each other out to learn the business RIGHT.
We ALL started somewhere....in Real Estate.
This is the kicker......In the last four weeks I've closed two short sales representing buyers and on Christmas Eve I closed my first Short Sale Listing with Randy. I wrote a bit about it in Bank of America Sucks but funny how some only see the title and not the moral of the story which was Patience, Tolerance and Acceptance.
Bank of America was the Bank for the Seller on the Christmas Eve Short Sale Closing. I thank the buyer who held on for almost six months, the seller who responded to get things in quickly that I needed, Randy who brought me in on the listing so I could learn and teach him too, Bank of America who didn't respond quickly throughout but responded asap at the end when approved and getting me the approval letter and .....
Thanks to Me..... For being the responsible and professional agent I've been for years.....even while learning the process of shorts sales on BOTH sides.
Real Estate is a continuous learning process as the terms, laws and process change continuously, for an ever changing market. I'm glad there were people in my own market who are willing to help just as I do when new agents come into our office...or even if they're new on the other side.
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The Tragedy.....On the other hand, my dear husband Gary broke his wrist on Wednesday at work. He was moving a 78 lb battery back up and his wrist was fractured when it got pinned between that thing and the wall. It was with Gary's support throughout the years that I have remained level headed and made it through the changing markets.
It's with my support too, that we work hand in hand when something changes.
Gary's broken wrist was his writing & working hand so I've literally been helping him with everything he needs. It's hard to have a tragedy happen and everything we take for granted is lost at an instant.
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MORAL OF THE STORY? Anything can happen in life, our real estate market and normal every day activities. It's up to each and every one of us to give the support to those around us to be a good neighbor, spouse.....or just an all around good human being.
For without those helping hands ....
Where would we be today?
Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate® and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocations, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents, Home Buyers and Sellers.
© 2007-2012 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog.
All rights reserved.
Sally,
Real estate is indeed a pratice, like medicine or law.
We are who we associate with! It's critical who we study with both before and after licensing.
Patience and tenacity are two of the greatest lessons. They'll also cure your husbands wrist.
Merry Christmas to both of you.
Bill
Did I forget to mention ..yeah I did...that one of those short sale buyers was from my blog on ActiveRain? I attribute 25% of my business this year to ActiveRain....thank you so much!
Happy Christmas Sally, a nice story and one that many should read. Sorry to hear about your hubby - mine is out trying to dig the ice off our drive before we get more snow. Here I am reading AR while I cook up a lunch and drink a steaming hot cup of tea. Active Rain - simply rocks.
ActiveRain is very good for real estate SEO, but Video is even better. I have about 8,000 people watching my videos every month with about 150 vidoes uploaded to at least 12 video sharing websites. If you are looking to add even more to your business, try amateur video of homes and condos - nothing fancy, but rather factual and informative visual presentation.
Sal: And this has to do with something in my post?
Corinne: Merry Christmas to you too! I'm cooking (Gary is the cook in the house...and now he's bossing me around lol)
William: Yes indeedy! And without the help of each other.... we wouldn't be where we are today. So...on that note...I thank all who helped me from the beginning.....and throughout. Thanks Bill....a Very Happy Holiday Day to you too!
I remember after taking my initial real estate course in 1989 that I thought, I wish I would have done this before I bought a house even before I started selling real estate. I realized that back in the 1980's the two Realtors i dealt with did nothing to really be my advocate. It was the day of sub-agency, but still I got no real help. I vowed once I got into real estate that this would not happen to my clients. I am not perfect but after 20 years, I feel like I have stuck to having the expertise and the wisdom to apply it as my mantra. Good luck in 2010, and remember that the show business statement for luck is break a leg. Tell your husband that it is not to be taken literally.
Merry Christmas, Sally. So sorry to hear about Gary's wrist, and one hever knows what is around the corner. I broke my pinkie a few months ago with a dog leash accident, things happen so 't see it quick we don't see it coming!
Joe: Bottom line we think in the best interests of our clients...and that includes being a professional with a helping hand to all. Merry Christmas!
Christine: To you too! And it's up to us in how we handle it!
Hi Sally... Real Estate continually changes and evolves and the good agents are continually learning new things. Those that do not will be lefy behind or do their clients a disservice in their representation of them! You are so right that we are all very fortunate that we have colleagues who "pay it forward" and are willing to help and educate others along the way so that each of us and our profession as a whole benefits!
Sally,
Thank you for sharing your story! And congratulations on your perseverance & willingness to try new things out. I hope Gary gets the use of his hand soon...
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Sally,
You just said it everyone has to start somewhere and helping hands are around to help one another. This is the beauty of the Real Estate which we don't realize. When I started real estate 11 years ago I too had a mentor who taught me simple lesson in life. Be honest and never do anything which your conscience does not allow you even if it means for the buyers or sellers to sign on the dotted line and you being paid. I have never forgotten this in my Real Estate Career and my clients, attimes are surprised when they want to sign and I think it is not a great home or deal for them. They all love me for that.
This has created a lot of respect for me in my client's mind and they refer me everytime with the sentence that if you need a clear and honest opinion about Real Estate go to Maya. Even the solicitor and inspector and bankers say the samething.
I am thankful that I learnt this early in my career. Since then I have learnt a lot on AR.
Life can change anytime,any moment..you are right so take every moment as it comes and be true to yourself so you can sleep peacefully.
Mery X'mas and a super New Year. Gary you will be fine you have a supportive wife.
Maya Garg,Royal Lepage Kingsbury Realty, Mississauga, Ontario
www.gtawesthomes.com
Sally, Thank you for the reminder that life is an ever-learning opportunity. If Gary has done most of the cooking, then cooking, too, will be part of today's lesson.
Hi Sally, And good for you in giving yourself some credit ! Happy 2010 to you !
Gary: That's awful! Our thoughts are with that agent...across all these miles Gary...have a nice Holiday Season!
Steve: Exactly the point I was trying to make....which you expounded on beautifully!
You said: You are so right that we are all very fortunate that we have colleagues who "pay it forward" and are willing to help and educate others along the way so that each of us and our profession as a whole benefits!
Merry Christmas Steve!
I'll be back folks! It's time for a Christmas Luncheon with the family at THEIR house. Let's see how my ham turned out....lol
Hey Sally - hope you have had a wonderful holilday. So sorry to hear about Gary - what a pain...literally. Congrats on the short sales. I have yet to have a buyer be successful - still waiting on 3 offers.
Jeff
Sally,
I'm so sorry to read about Gary's accident, but I'm thankful that he didn't lose the hand, and that he has you to help him. Cherish every moment!
Mike in Tucson
Sally, Please tell Gary how sorry I am to hear of his accident and I hope he at least feels better soon. Anything can happen in an instant and we should all remember that. I hope in spite of this bad news you have a wonderful holiday and I hope 2010 is filled with nothing but the very BEST for you and your family!
Sally,
Awesome post! We grow and we learn all the time because things keep changing! Short sales are out there to be closed and we can work those deals like any others. Learning how to navigate through them is a great way to keep working towards helping our clients! Sorry to hear about your hubands arm! Merry Christmas to you and have a wonderful 2010!!
Sally, You wrote a beautiful post, but all I can think about is poor Gary's wrist and what that means for both you and him. I'm so sorry.
As you know,...been there done that..have a Merry Christmas.
Thanks for the post today.
Hi Sal !
We should be supporting each other more IMO. You never know what tomorrow may bring, or who you may need to help with new areas like short sales. Sorry about your hubby - I hope he heals quick !
Cheers Sally :o)
Sally--So when Gary says you are "his right hand" he really means it doesn't he? Congrats on your recent short sale closings...Hope your holidays were wonderful and Gary is back to 100% soon!
Hi Sally! I really enjoyed your post and of course you are right! I hope your husband heals quickly and is not in too much pain. I can't even imagine how that felt. Have a Happy New Year!
Sally, I hope Gary mends quickly. My Donald had hand surgery 8 days ago on his right hand and he's right handed so I can identify, but Gary's looks oh so much worse. Merry Christmas and congratulations on the short sale closings. Have a very prosperous 2010.
Sally, Merry Christmas. So sorry that Gary hurt his hand.
I dont want to miss this opportunity of wishing you a very Merry Christmas. I hope your day went well.
This year, when I hear Bing Crosby's Mele Kalikimaka - I thought about you the whole day!!!
Sally,I'm sorry about your husband's accident, happy about your closings, and want to wish you a very merry Christmas
Aloha Sally,
Merry Christmas to you and all your family. Your comment about "Real Estate is a continuous learning process..." is so very true for all of us. Irrespective of age or experience, there is always something to learn from each other and beyond.
Sorry to hear about Gary's owie, looks very sore!
Aww. I feel bad for Gary =( But good for you, for always keeping a good attitude. I can't say that I've done the same, when it comes to the frustration of working with so many people, while I've been in constant pain this year. (It's gotten a lot worse) So I have a new business plan for 2010. Changes are in the works right now. Proper attitude should be back up and running soon =)
Congrats on your successful closing, and kudos to your very patient clients!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Woo Hoo, Gosh, I am so sorry to hear about Gary's wrist. If he had to break something this is not the best choice, especially for him. I sure hope it heals fast. Can he finger type with the left hand? The Naturally Speaking softwarecis probably not going to help much, :-)
Well it is 10:0 here and 2 hours left so I hope it was a Very Merry Christmas for You, Gary and Shadow and Wishing you all a Wonderful and Happy New Year 2010.
Sally thank you so much for everything ( you know it was wonderful and so appreciated) , and even more , especially your friendship that is cherished. Give Shadow kiss on the head, and please tell Gary that he is in my thoughts.
Hugs all around,
William
Good Word! It goes to show that determination and hard work pays off when you just hang in there. I can relate to your short sale situation. My first short sale experience was so very similar to yours and took about that long also. After the closing finally happened, everyone just took a big sigh of relieve that it was finally over. Congratulations, Merry Christmas and a Prayer for the speedy recovery for your Gary.
Working with a "seasoned" agent has it's rewards for a client. However, we all started at the beginning. If anyone asked me my length of time as an agent, I told the truth. If it was 3 months, 3 years, etc. If they didn't want to work with me at least it was based on their decision of the truth.
Sally, it is good to see that ActiveRain is working for you. 25% is an impressive number...
Hoping you enjoy what this holiday season has to offer and a healthy, prosperous new year...
Sally great points, we should always be willing to help each other. Real estate is certainly a broad field and we she how the market can shifts, so learning will be a constant feature.
Oh so sorry to hear about you husband accident, hopefully his recovery will go well.
Sally, when we stop learning and trying we stagnate and we we all know what that means in the real estate business
Ty
A lot of lessons in that post..perseverance, dedication, love, pain, being there...lots! Congrats!
Sally, the only constant is change and we learn that quickly in our business!! So glad that you had a good year and I wish you another one to succeed it!! I also hope that your husband is on the mend and back to normal really soon!!
Sally,
I'm so sorry to hear about Gary's wrist......I hope it heals quickly.
Congrats on your short sales !
I always say that life can change in an instant.....so value each moment as you have it.
Jo
Monique: Thanks Monique...this was a hard market to tackle wasn't it? How's your side?
Maya Garg: Exactly. Helping Hands are indeed what we as an industry need to continuously do so we are strong. If everyone didn't want to help then where would we all be? We ALL started somewhere.
Andrew: It is...and if we all remembered where we came from we certainly would be out there helping all.
Sally - Barrie and I said ouch for Gary ... hope it heals well and does not cause him to much aggravation ... congratulations on the successful short sales with the added bonus being from AR
Bill: Of course I have to give myself 'some' credit. If it weren't for me and how I run my business there wouldn't have been any :)
Jeff: Thanks much Jeff. And Gary is doing fine having me 'wait' on him lol. As you Jeff..this is the first market with short sales we have seen and it took some learning...to say the least. Good luck with yours Jeff...I'm sure that you are as I....learn..help ....grow...and succeed. Your clients are lucky to have you as their agent!
Mike: Believe me, he's a trooper :) I am ....every time something happens I am revisiting my priorities :)
Carole: That IS a fact Carole. We had a wonderful luncheon with family...I just had to cut his prime rib and ham :)
Wendy: It sure does Wendy. They CAN be worked liked any others...and just because I've done a few now doesn't mean that I'm above those that haven't. I will continue as I've done any other time. Help those that don't know. It's with this thinking that keeps our industry healthy.
Gail: We're doing just fine...but it just goes to show that we give a helplng hand... to those in need...and everyone benefits.
Neal: Yup....did you also break your wrist?
Patricia: you're welcome
Sheldon: Yup....IMO too. Exactly. I'm not above anyone to lend helping hand.....even to wash my husbands back :)
Teri: Oh, yeah lol. Thyanks and hope your 2010 is grand too!
Jackie: Thanks and he's fine...we'll be going on a dinner cruise tonight....Have a wonderful 2010 too!
Tammy: Me too! I miss his cooking! You have a great 2010 too!
Loreena: thank much...and I'll let Gary know too
In fact, thanks all for the well wishes for Gary :)
Judy: Me too...and we're making the best of it :)
Lynda: It sure is....at least those that have an open mind :) Thanks...Have a wonderful 2010!
Lisa: Hope you feel better :) I've been going to acupuncture and massage therapy...amongst taking herbal remedies vs. prescription...it's worked out heck a lot better!
William: When stuff hits...it hits hard huh? He is trying to pluck with his left...and keeps hitting the mouse on the wrong sides lol He makes the best of it but he can't play his game...he tried this am...kept getting killed and hurt. :) I loved the fairies William and it was much appreciated for Gary and Shadow. (dog is more spoiled...she got a 'baby' a day for the past week and two on Christmas lol)
Lavern: It sure does. And I was determined to learn the short sale process on both sides as well. Believe me...sighs of relief (actually screams of joy) when the listing closed. The two buyers were so willing to work with me and the two banks...Indy(Bank One West) and Citimortgage were wonderful!
Sally~
Always you inspire greatness in those you touch through your work here...and in the real/real estae world. Thank you. Many Blessings in 2010.
Carla: It sure does although I ...like you...had nothing to hide when doing my first transactions or the years in the business. No matter what they look for professional and experienced. I've worked on the other side of 20 year agents who had no clue.
Michael: As most know, our market has higher sales prices therefore 25% is equal to the volume of sales I have :) ActiveRain has always been one of my best 'lead' site....they read my blog for months and then call :)
Jennifer; We 'should'...but not all think that way..that's okay though..the ones that do are rewarded.
Ty: Yes...it means stunted and left behind.
Gary: Putting it simply...yes.
Caren: It sure is....We are having a great time during the holidays....and he'll be on the move in no time :)
Jo> Thanks..thanks and Happy 2010!
Kathy: Ouch is right....although he seems to be in high heaven with me doing almost everything :)
janeAnne: Thanks .....Have a wonderful 2010! I know you will :)
Congrats on your success with the short sales Sally! {{HUGS}} to poor Gary! I know you will be taking good care of him, sounds painful!
Sally, Congratulations on your closings. It's difficult to accomplish and you deserve it especially after all of your hard work. Bbackbiting, gossiping and sabotaging others will result in failure. Helping others will result in successes, you are the proof.
I hope all goes well for Gary and that he heals quickly.
Sally, Congratulations on your closings. It's difficult to accomplish and you deserve it especially after all of your hard work. Backbiting, gossiping and sabotaging others will result in failure. Helping others will result in successes, you are the proof.
I hope all goes well for Gary and that he heals quickly.
It was a relief to finally close that transaction with all the hurdles. I was so fortunate that you agreed to team up with me on that one.
You are so right when you say that real estate is a continual learning process. Everything is and when we lose sight of that we can miss out big time.
Congratulations on your short sale successes - they are very challenging to say the least.
Susan: They were...and it is :)
Randy: Yes you were LOL
Leolinda: To put it simply...you just did :)
Renee: Yup...all too painful...and now I get a taste of doing everything and then some...for both of us :)
Sally - you had me when you started describing that coffee you were drinking!!!!!