What idiom or saying goes best with today’s post?
“Desperate times call for desperate measures?”
it is possible
Or perhaps “Think outside the box” is more appropriate.
It depends on whether you want to reward certain behavior or you want to criticize it.
The market has changed, and with those changes come both good and bad.
During previous market downturns, the part-time fly-by-night agents seem to have disappeared. It always starts with an innocent weekend bartending gig that’s just for “extra cash” but eventually a career in real estate takes a back seat and these people eventually find their way out of the business.
Again, in changing markets comes opportunists, and I’m seeing a lot of that right now.
Here’s an ad I saw on Instagram the other day:
Even though you and I see it and think it’s too good to be true and know it’s fine print, asterisks, or just plain lies, there are bound to be people who find themselves in a difficult situation and end up filling this form.
“We can buy you a house”
Call a spade a spade here; these are not English literature majors.
“Tell us the price you want”
It seems so dirty, I don’t know how anyone can take it seriously.
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So that was Instagram, but what about other media?
Newspaper, advertisement………..billboards?
Here’s one that a few people sent me and I just can’t believe it:
OK, where do we start?
First of all, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.
“Thinking about firing your agent?”
Talk about getting off on the wrong foot. What message are you sending?
But more importantly, the irony of the statement below is not lost on me:
“Not intended to attract currently contracted buyers or sellers.”
But this there is! It is done exactly what!
“Fire your agent, hire me.” That’s the message that this billboard is sending, and it’s clearly against RECO’s rules on engaging buyers and sellers under contract. Just because you write, “Not intended to solicit contract buyers or sellers” does not negate the fact that it is there is with the intention of attracting contract buyers or sellers.
It’s like advertising “Free Alcohol” and then right at the bottom it says “Not Free”.
I don’t recall ever seeing such an incredible contradiction in a marketing article, real estate or otherwise.
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This is the next ad in British Columbia, so it doesn’t fall under RECO and so I don’t need to blur out names and contact information.
Look at it.
And if you don’t see it, look again. Many people get bored the first time.
Oh!
I mean, the market there is tough, but it has to be to perform anyone? That’s aggressive!
It was necessary to start with them bring to justice first, then maybe go to execution.
When I first saw this, I just assumed it was an ad from somewhere in the United States where the execution would be one of the many non-spectacular executions on that particular day, but alas, it’s from Great Britain!
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How about we talk attention to detailfor a moment?
Here’s the message I got on Instagram:
I don’t know what could be worse.
So what do you think I did?
Reply by writing back: “270 Briar Hill Avenue?”
No.
I’ve posted a screenshot of this image above, but with the red arrow pointing to the address superimposed.
Because I am like this…
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…here’s another one:
I mean, it’s simple i?
How can such an agent wake up, get dressed and go about his day?
I don’t understand.
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We run into box issues all the time in this industry.
In some buildings, the boxes are hard to identify, so putting a red ribbon on the handle is a good way to tell them apart.
However, in a global pandemic, this is the last thing anyone wants to see on their inbox:
What about people?
Seriously. Where is common sense?
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Speaking of common sense, how about common courtesy?
How about common decency?
A colleague of mine sent me an SMS from a purchasing agent who didn’t know how to read a technical inspection – but that’s another story. She represented an estate whose owner died, the property went through probate, and was then put up for sale.
When the sales agent read the fine print on the inspection, which always states that there “might” be things not found during the inspection, he told my colleague that there lead and mold in the house.
She responded with the following, which elicited an incredible response from him:
I don’t know what to say.
But this it’s what it is in today’s real estate industry, folks.
These are not two friends telling jokes over drinks. They are the listing agent representing the property and the purchasing agent representing the buyer, both of whom do not know each other.
And THIS is the message the agent wanted to send?
People are crazy. Here is my conclusion.
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People are crazy.
Wait, did I say that already?
Read this comment below, which recently appeared in a neighborhood Facebook group for a prominent residential area:
You can’t make this up folks. You just can’t.
People are crazy.
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People.
Ugh.
They are the worst.
So, last but not least, I give you my all-time favorite “thought” of 2022.
my favorite? Yes, seriously. This is the best. You just can’t make it up and it doesn’t get any better.
The Toronto Real Estate Board will occasionally issue “Member Alerts” if there is a scammer offering rentals or someone harassing women during open houses, etc. But the following “warning to members” is so incredibly confusing that a low score for TRREB.
I can’t explain what you are about to read…
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My favorite part: “Ignoring his instinct…”
It’s written like a bad John Grisham novel!
How can TRREB determine this person’s “instinct”?
And why do we need a member alert because one agent in Toronto is a moron?
“… both were involved in the moment.”
Really????
You can’t make this up! It’s gold, Jerry, gold!
This might be my favorite musing of all time, seriously. I’m going to print it out and frame it.
Have a great long weekend everyone!
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