About Me
With age and experience you become…grumpy. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you learn that you can get through most anything if you keep things in perspective. In real estate there are houses and there are homes. Houses are shelter. Homes are houses infused with memories, dreams and love. Seeking one or parting with one can be emotional and one of those things you just want to get through and an infrequent event for most people.
The process can be fun but it can also be disruptive and stressful. In spite of what you might have heard, the real job of a real estate agent is to act as a buffer. A buffer is defined as a person or thing that shields and protects against annoyance, harm, hostile forces, etc., or that lessens the impact of a shock or reversal. In other words, my job is to help my clients deal with the lawyers, inspectors, appraisers, loan officers, handymen, unreasonable buyers/sellers and the possibility of deals collapsing at the last moment.
So, why should you trust me to be your real estate agent? I’m a nice guy but that’s not a good reason. I’m not in this to win friends although I’ve ended up making some good ones. I hope you will see some competence in the outline below but since the personal stuff can be important, here it is in a nutshell.
I’m on the leading edge of the baby boom (my Dad was still in the army in the South Pacific when I was born.) I have a daughter, a sister and two brothers that still talk to me, a small white dog (bichon frise) named Dusty who I look ridiculous with (long story) and a 15 year old cat named Bix that has only warmed up to me in the last couple of years. I got a good education from a good school I was able to attend on a football scholarship. I’ve lived in Durham since 1984 and think it’s a great place to live. I’m not a beauty. The picture above was the best of a hundred or so shot on a beautiful spring day in the Duke Gardens by a good photographer.
Enough of that. Here’s the stuff that counts and why I think I’m competent.
- I know the market. There’s a great deal you can learn about neighborhoods showing and selling houses. However, there is also a lot you can learn from watching statistical trends. There are several segments that I gather data on and watch closely. One thing I’ve learned is that national trends are no good at predicting what is going to take place on a block in Durham or Chapel Hill.
- I know marketing. I’ve spent most of the last 30 years earning my living as a professional marketer. Most of the applied marketing effort in real estate is designed to sell the services of the agent, not homes. This is an important distinction to understand, especially for a seller.
- I know houses. I got into real estate originally as a renovator. I got my real estate license after I figured out that the real estate agent made more money than I did on my first renovation. I understand construction and don’t mind going under a house or into an attic to confirm a repair or even make one on occasion for a client.
- I know financing. I worked in banking for 17 years. I was not a loan officer but in marketing/product management and developed and launched several loan products including one of the first consumer unsecured lines of credit. More importantly, especially for buyers, I can introduce you to several competent and proven loan officers. You can choose one and know that the information you share will be treated confidentially and that we can work closely to find the right loan program.
- I know how to teach. Before I was in marketing I taught high school English and coached football. I have found that reviewing the process of buying or selling a house with clients at the beginning of the process goes a long way towards taking much of the anxiety out of the transaction.
- I know how to negotiate. Besides helping negotiate dozens of sales myself, I’ve also supervised other agents. I may not be up to solving the problems in the Middle East but during a long business career I’ve negotiated lots of things, including the toughest negotiations of all, collections.
- I know how to communicate. Email is the greatest thing since the zipper fly. It’s quick, it’s easy and leaves a written record. It’s my preferred method of communicating with clients especially since too much rock and roll (or miles behind a lawn mower) has left me a little deaf.
- I’m a hard worker. Well, at least when I’m not being lazy. It seems a little corny to say but it is very satisfying to work hard for a client and get the job done with no screw ups and no excuses necessary
- I’m a student of the business. I learn something new about real estate and my profession every day. It’s constantly changing but very interesting and satisfying.
Give me a call or email me and we’ll decide if I can assist you buying or selling a home. I’ll put on a happy face and try to be nice.
