Ever have a day where it just seems you'd have been better off staying in bed?  Of course, that would just make it worse.

9a-Showed a foreclosure house with mold growing EVERYWHERE, picked up about a dozen mosquito bites while there.  Not a good start.  And my buyers weren't investor types-rather the first time buyer looking for a 'deal', so no way it would make sense for their limited budget.

1030a-Met clients at new construction to chat with the builder.  Best part of my day, they have good available lots with low lot premiums and an excellent location.  I think they'll move forward and we'll go about the process of determining which lot is best positioned for resale and which floorplan is best for them and also for resale.

12n-Talked with a client who is getting an attorney lined up for a battle with a tenant.  I will post about that situation when all is said and done. 

4p-Got back to my phone and picked up a string of messages.  One was an angry seller, hot as she could be.  One was an agent who had held this particular listing open today (thus the anger).  One was my assistant who had spoken with the angry seller after she didn't reach me.  And one was an anonymous caller looking for real estate advice while purchasing a FSBO.

Long story short, my seller was angry because of a botched open house today.  The agent who had volunteered to hold it open had not utilized any lead-in signs.  And this house is buried about 3 streets deep in a huge neighborhood.  Yes, the covenants for the neighborhood restrict lead-in signs and the HOA police pull them, but it's something you HAVE to do if you want even the remote possibility of someone stopping by!!  I don't like signs getting stolen either, but it's a cost of doing business.  So the agent had wasted his time and my sellers' time for nothing.

What really beat me up though was when my seller told me that her 5-year old could do better than my half-assed marketing (her words).  Now folks, I do a pile of marketing for my sellers.  It's one of the things that sets me apart from the bulk of my competition.  I'm online and talking to other agents across the country daily, looking for additional ideas and ways to increase exposure for the folks who choose to hire me as their representation in selling. 

But you know what?  Perception is reality.  When I hear something like this, even spoken in anger, I have to take a step back and consider if I've done everything possible to convey what's really been taking place.  My systems are in place and when I list a home, it goes into the system and gets put out everywhere as quickly as possible so as to increase exposure.  But perhaps, because I'm so systematic now and so focused on keeping things turnkey for my clients, they DON'T KNOW what I'm doing.  That's my fault.

So I sat down and made a list of the places her house is currently listed. It's way more than MLS-but she didn't know that.  She had googled her house per my instructions, and of course, my blog came up first.  But she doesn't know SEO and doesn't care about my PR-she cares about her house selling.  Her comment that 'no one reads blogs' isn't true-but again-perception is reality.

And lo and behold-I got a call tonight that this afternoon's last showing is bringing an offer.  I can't TELL you how happy I was to make that phone call to the seller.  And despite my stomach hurting most of the afternoon and evening because of the drama, I'm glad it happened.  Means that I can focus on improving myself going forward.  You can't improve if you don't know where your flaws are, can you?