A while back I wrote a post Remember That We ALL Started Somewhere in Real Estate because real estate is a continuous learning process. We all start from the bottom and work our way up to be who we are today.
No matter what part of the real estate industry we are in, we ALL have started from the bottom.
Remembering where we come from allows us to have compassion, patience and understanding with those that we work with in our industry. It allows us to continue to help others who are starting from the bottom and we allow for the learning process and understand their process.
Those that fail to remember where they come from badger others and continuously degrade others that are not at the top of that ladder. It's when it becomes only about money, status and title is when they fail to recognize that they no longer allow themselves to keep growing. Because they believe they are ....there.
Success in life is not just about business success and good business is not only about how much money, how many transactions or loans or how many members belong to your club. Success is a ongoing learning process and being a better person to deal with the people around us. It allows us to be a better person for those who rely on us for direction and look up to us a professionals.
It's when we forget where we came from is when we begin to fail.
It is when we remember where we came from that allows us to continue to learn and grow....
Lest we become stagnant.......
In this game called life.
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.
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Great post and advise. I have been a realtor since 1987 and I am now starting to help walk new realtors through the process. It has been fun and rewarding and I definately plan on continuing.
Terrific post....very timely for us all, too, as we are at the half way moment in our year.
Sally, I wish I hadn't use up all my "suggests"----perhaps someone else will use one of theirs for me and for them. I call this maintaining "a beginners mind"----the more we can do this the better human beings we can become as well as better at whatever we are good at.
Hi Sally - That is a wonderful philosophy and one I can tell that you do live by. You are always very open with everyone, and I have seen your compassion and willingness to help others. I believe in it too and have always tried to be that kind of person. I hope I do pretty well most of the time.
I still remember, because it has only been 4 years since I decided to start a real estate career.
The beauty of this business is that we can continually learn and build upon yesterday's knowledge. As we build more and more relationships, our referrals become referrals upon referrals. Everything keeps building upon yesterday and today's work.
Charles...I like that....beginner's mind :)
Susan: I've seen many a non rememberer (LOL) and the way they treat people.....it's sad.
Sally...
I sort of remember being thrown to the wolves way back when. I can tell you, it was not a pleasant experience and I am glad that nowadays a lot more experienced agents are willing to help!
Sally these are great words of encouragement as I will complete my first year of real estate(and AR) at the end of the month. Island philosophy is hard to beat! Thanks for the introspection.
Sally, I was lucky to have some real helpful brokers willing to help me out when I needed it. And I think it is very important to pay it forward and help whenever we can. There is no ending in learning, you just never know the once upon a time new agent could be the mega producer in the future who we may need to ask for help in return.
Sally, in real estate and in life remembering where we came from is a humbling experience and reminds us to treat others with care and respect. You continue to be a prime example of that!
Sally thankyou for such a refreshing post at the end of my day! It's is so true what you say - lend a hand - help the folks behind you up a step or two. I was talking about this very thing today as I gave another blogging workshop. I said -go back and look at my first couple of months or so - yikes! Thankfully there were many folks more than willing to lend a hand! Thanks to you All - again!
Featured in BananaTude!
Sally, I remember all to well where I have come from, both in life and in business. It hasn't been an easy road, but the bumps that I have encountered in the road have made me who I am, and I will never forget that.
Whether bad or good remembering our many new beginnings throughout life helps us to grow to the next new beginning in life. :0)
Woo Hoo, Your thoughts have been enhanced only by the stunning photo of your sunset. Just beautiful and a true photo journalism blog post.
PS, I saw Kathy's post and left a nice comment to welcome her back. Sad when others we know and care about has such misfortune.
Oh gosh! It's painful to remember some of the stuff I did as a raw green newbie! Thanks for the reminder.
Sally -And we continually take a step back and put the basics back in play at times. Some of us have had mentors and some are thrown into the pack.
Aloha Sally,
You my friend are sooo right on this! Every now and then when I meet a newbie in r.e. they almost apologize for being new, and I love to say "We were all new at one time."
Sally - a great post!!! I would not be where I am today without knowing that no matter what I have ever done my two children (now young adults) have always backed me up 110% - that has always been so important!
Can't wait to reblog this one right away! :) I agree whole-heartedly!
Celeste, well said. Your post reminds me how precious humility is in a professional world where pride and arrogance are so prominent.
Well said. I have never forgotten where I have come from and believe it will always be a driving force for me.
I am so glad to find so many kindred spirits in AR. With 3 years as a Realtor, I am still on the new side where I look for help and advice from people like you. As I grow, I hope to some day share my experience with those just coming on board. So thanks for your words of wisdom.
Sally,
What a great post! I just finished reading a very negative post about the poor performance of a part-time agent, with over a hundred comments. (I didn't make it through all the comments.The negativity got the best of me.)
It's tough in this business climate to remain positive, and to respond with help rather than #%&*% when someone lets you down. Rather than berate the part-timer, we should explain the serious offense as damaging to both sets of clients and Realtors' reputation in general, not to mention the damage to his reputation. There are Brokers that will cover for part-time agents, and keep all the important things on track. If the part-timer isn't working for one of those now, he should find one. It will be in his long-term best interest. A hand up is always better than a slap to the back of the head.
Thanks for clearing my head. I'm going back to the other blog and post this!
Hello Sally:
You have articulated this thought in an elegant way. A million years ago when I began in the corporate world, I learned two sayings that have withstood the test of time:
Both of these have helped me stay focused on learning everything I can about this industry and work at staying fresh in my approach.
Agreed 100%. I always have said that real estate is a "field of study" much like any major you would take in college...once you begin to think you know it all...you begin to fall.
Thanks for this post!
Sally,
A nice and thoughtful post. When I was just starting out, five years ago, I had the misfortune to have dealings with an experienced, very jaded agent. He made the transaction so painful and unbearable that my buyer client walked away from the deal. He mocked me and my inexperience, and acted in a manner so appallingly unprofessional that I was truly shocked. Ultimately, he did sell that home to one of his own buyers, but the sellers netted $13,000 LESS than what my buyer offered. The sellers, who were in distress, suffered through several more months of mortgage payments, and ended up with a lot less money in their pockets. The only one who benefitted from the transaction was the listing agent, who managed to double dip. That agent predicted I would not last in the industry. Ironically, I have outperformed him the last three years in a row, and he has become a virtual non-factor in our market.
After that incident, I vowed that if or when I had dealings with a new, inexperienced agent, I would deal with him/her with patience and understanding. I recently had such a situation, and I did indeed remember what it felt like to start out new. I treated that newer agent with kindness and understanding, and felt pretty darned virtuous about it!
Sally, very wise words to reflect on. There's no better compassionate teacher than experience.
Your points are very valid and resonate with my own feelings on the subject. In my opinion, a successful business leader is one who not only does their job well and is confident in what they do, but also someone who does what they can to lift others up to be better. So a successful, rich Realtor (or business person) doesn't gain my respect unless I see that they have helped others around them to become successful as well.
I wish I had done a lot of things differently, but we learn by doing and move on.
Once you start forgetting where you came from the arrogance will start to set in. That will be the beginning of the end. In a heartbeat one could lose it all THEN you will remember where you came from.
Well, Sally, as a relative 'newbie' myself I can't tell you how much I appreciate the many agents I have met who embrace this philosophy. It's important to remember that I already respect your experience and the only thing to gain from 'talking down' to me is a lesser respect for your business acumen and personality in general.
It's amazing what can happen when you empower someone and see the benefits to everyone.
(Plus, some of the agents in my office were quick to discover that helping me with some of the minute real estate details meant that their quirky laptop started behaving or those unprintable labels suddenly aligned right. It's good to be nice to a 'geek'! :)
Good Morning Everyone!
Thanks for all your comments and your professionalism shines through showing the rest how you remember and continue to grow.
I remember my husband working in the corporate world, working his behind off and not getting the credit he deserved. He was constantly under stress and having to take the brunt of those above him who were having a bad day.
I remember walking into an open house (back when only a year into the biz) and the agent kept drilling me in front of my clients......and treating me like I was underneath her. She then asked if I could watch her open house while she ran down two houses to another agents open house.......
Those that demean others have some serious issues. Those that do not praise or lift up others below them when they are doing well do not have the compassion associated with our business....or any other business for that matter.
I survived the market this time around....and believe it is due to the fact that I sincerely care about others ...and willing to help others....when many others are just caring about....their own agenda.
What goes around comes around.......right?
We all have to be happy with what we do and truly enjoy what we do....lest this all be for naught :)
Great thoughts and philosophy, this world is more than us and when we get our eventual and eternal reward this world will be left with what we have contributed to the long term good, all else will be forgotten within a couple of years. So what will our legacy be 20 years after we're gone?
Can I email this to the past 3 listing agents that I have had to work with? I am fairly new to the real estate (5 years) and I have learned so much from other agents and it's mostly not what to do when it comes to client realtionships or how to do deals.
Great post and so true ... We should all treat others as we would like to be treated ... and I promise you, if you treat others badly "it will come back to bite you in the rear end " ...
Thank you for your post. I can do more to help new agents, the way I was helped by my mentors.
What a beautiful post... New agents today are so fortunate to have Active Rain and agents like you to give them a hand up. When I started there was nothing like this - and no one like you around.
What those arrogant "look down their noses" agents don't realize is that THEY are the ones missing out and making their lives smaller. It feels so good to help someone who is trying hard to help themselves, and they deny themselves that good feeling.
Now that I'm a copywriter instead of an agent, I treasure the copywriting friends who have given me advice over the years - and I freely give of mine now that I have some to give!
Sally: What a wonderful post. I hope everyone takes the time to read and absorb the message. Thanks - Carrie
Nice sentiment. A little compassion and a good memory should be required to be a success!
My first transaction brings back painful memories. The good news is I won't ever do that again.
Well said Sally. We all start out new. Please be kind to other agents and remember the golden rule.
Hi Sally - great post and advice, and it is well said. We should all remember where we came from. I am always kind to other agents, and am willing to lend a helping hand.
Sally - I am so glad you received a feature. I believe I got my purple star from you. I don't know how we can tell WHO was the one that allowed us to go purple but if it was you. thank you.
Sally,
Great post!
I'm one of the 'new' agents and am always appreciative of the patience and professionalism experienced agents show me. In return I do my best to be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible! Common courtesy and professionalsim are a two way street.
Sally,
Great post!
I'm one of the 'new' agents and am always appreciative of the patience and professionalism experienced agents show me. In return I do my best to be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible! Common courtesy and professionalsim are a two way street.
Hey Sally, Long time....I never really care what others are doing...I have a hard enough time worrying about my business so using unwanted energy on other peoples business is only going to drain me more. I look in my pockets and if there is money there then I know I worked hard for it for the most part. The only time I might give my opinion on another agents work ethic is when they screw up one of my transactions and make me look bad because they just don't want any part of working together...they just wait for me to bail them out and have them paid. But someone who thinks their sh-t doesn't stink should look in the mirror and see where they started. The only people who come into this business with money...fame or fortune were usually given it and didn't have to work as hard as we do. I'm grateful to still be in business and quite successful after almost 15 yrs. I might not be pulling the numbers I was back then but I'm still able to hang around and be known as a team player.
Well said!
I started in the womb.
Celleste--This is an awesome post. People are moving so fast, they forget that it is the little things we do that make a difference. We weren't always whales in our industry. Some day, we will be at the other end, again. Enjoy what you do, do it ethically and fairly and leave a legacy that is positive.
Those are my rules
Sound, inspiring advice, Sally. And I never forget where I started my real estate journey… as a naïve buyer. (Which is why I love working with First Time home buyers.)
Great post! You speak some truth that should remembered in all industries!
Thanks for the reminder.
Isn't there a saying that goes . . . "Be careful on your way UP because you're going to meet the same people on the way DOWN."
This is one of the best posts I have seen in a long time. Thank you so much!
Funny how we forget that where we came from helps us become who we are. It doens't really matter as long as I continue to like myself and others when I get to where I'm going.
Words to live by - "what goes around, comes around". "Treat others the way you want to be treated". Although it becomes hard at times, you have to just keep doing what is right.
My first little bit in the business, when I was just learning, had a few people take advantage of my niceness, doing showings for their "fussiest" clients. Don't even think I got a thank-you out of it. They tried to make it look like I was doing them a favour. I was happy at the time, because I was getting out and seeing houses.
Recently, another agent had asked me to cover them for the weekend...at first, I thought...forget it, I'm not working all weekend for nothing. After thinking it over I decided to do it, because thats how I live my life. If i have to do extra work, oh well.
Turned out this experience was much, much better! I wasn't as busy as I had expected and the two leads that I had started to deal with are now mine! The agent said I may as well follow through with what I started.
Hows that for proof?
Thanks for remembering where you came from Sally!
I've been a Realtor for 24 years......boy has the business changed over the years!
Patricia/Seacoast NH
nice points and a good reminder of what we are and who we are - all human beings on this good earth
As a newbie who wrote my first offer today, I thank you for this post. I am fortunate to have the help of a very supportive office and a mentor who has taken me under his wing. This was an excellent reminder and is much appreciated.
Jen
Great post
As I near my 6th month in the business it's easy to remember where I started! I am so gratefull when more seasoned agents are willing to share their knowledge and encouragement. I can't wait until I have the opportunity to pay it forward.
Sally,
It's nice to read something positive. I have been in the business two years and have been fortunate enough to work with some great agents in my area that were helpful, patient and kind to a newbie. Kindness, consideration and respect go a long way in business and your personal life!
Diana
Sally
A great reminder. I am approaching 5 years now and can't believe I'm still here. I've had plenty of Bumps in the Road, but lots of times the bumps turn out to be smooth sailing. Thanks.
Every time I read something on Activerain by a real estate rookie or Activerain newbie, I try to reach out to them because I haven't forgotten how intimidating it is to be a beginner in a world of experienced pros. Thank goodness I had the good fortune to learn from some real ladies, and I do feel it's my responsibility to pay it forward.
Sally- We are never standing still. We are either moving forwards or backwards in life, career, etc. So when you rest upon your laurels too long, well, something will come along to ruffle your feathers. Once we believe we know everything and decide we don't need to learn anything because we know it all- well, that is one sad day. I believe in growth, always striving to be better, to do better, and to always have a hand reaching out to help another along their way. Of course, I have a huge passion and love of learning. I could have stayed in school forever:)
Sally....I know and remember this always......I got to where I am at with the help of many people who i am continuously fond of remembering and as a further tribute......help others as much as I can...thank you for this valuable reminder via your post...
Best
Neal...I'm sure anyone would pay attention if they saw someone else get beaten down (or had it happen to them). Just watch the news....it's all over the place :)
Margaret: No kidding! Starting out new 'anywhere' is a lonely feeling to begin with...but how about those that are low on the totem pole...and never getting anywhere because they get no boost....from their superiors who aren't setting a good example to begin with? I do believe that many in the world are out to help out each other and don't treat other people that way. I know that if everyone were aware of how they affect other people they would surely be in the class that were positive :) :)
I had an opportunity to meet Carla, one of your cohorts on Oahu, at the San Diego Raincamp yesterday. She's was a delight and we had some common interests, surfing, and acquaintenacnes, Corky Carroll. If you ever have anything happening in Hawaii with Manufactured Housing let me know. I'd love to expand to Hawaii one of my most favorite places in the world.
Sally - things have changed a lot in the 37 plus years I've been in real estate but the learning never stops. There are more people willing to share today than when I started and there is more training available for those new to real estate ..... back then it was a one week course there's your desk go out and sell something. ..... btw absouletly gorgeous photo
This is a great post! I have only been a Realtor for 4 1/2 years. Almost every day brings something that I haven't seen before. I am fortunate to have lots of folks around to ask questions of.
Even then I find myself getting short with other agents who are less experienced than me. I know that I need to check that at the door and help educate the other agent so we can all earn our living!!! The kicker is that I experienced poor behavior on the part of more seasoned agents when I was just getting my feet wet.
Thanks for the reminder!
I am happy and appreciative that there are still people like you in the business. I have been a realtor for around 6 months now. My dad has been extremely successful and a broker for over 30 years, so I am lucky to have such a great mentor. That first sale was a mind bender, so having a support system can make all the difference. I see the veteran agents on their high horse, and new agents struggling to get advice out of them. I vow to be a source of help in the future, to those that come into the field after me and need that little boost.
Ryan: I think you know by now that it's not just in our industry that this happens. Bottom line is that each and every one of us can set an example for whatever industry we are in. Good luck in all your endeavors and I'm happy your dad is there to help you. I see many agents who don't help out and act like helping would be a burden. I was fortunate...I had a mentor who took me under her wing.....Now, years later she is semi retired and giving me referrals :)
An encouraging word or two can make a difference. It's good to recall when we were beginners and in need of a wing to duck under for support from time to time.
What a great post Sally! My humble beginnings seem to find me when I get to confident sometimes! Thank you for the reminder!
Great post. We should all be striving to be better and better, day after day! Thanks for reminding us.
Hey Sally, many congrats on your feature! As people grow and become better at their practice or business sometimes it can blind them in a negative way. We have all seen it or maybe even unfortunately experienced it, until a situation brings you back down to earth :) When you give and share you knowledge to others it even more rewarding. I am a huge fan of the underdogs, because when they succeed its that much more fun and exciting:)
There are a few ActiveRainers who seem to like to badger those of us who haven't been real estate agents as long as they have.