Two companies and 3 agents later...

A few days ago I received a message on my voice mail at the office.  The name was hard to make out and the caller was wanting me to call back when I had a chance.

I called back and was pleasantly surprised to find it is a man that Paris and I had met in and around the Santa Clarita Valley.  If you are a local in Santa Clarita, you have probably seen him also.  The last time we saw him was about 6 month's ago when we saw him in one of the local shopping centers with his beloved wife.

He told me that he had been on the market for 1 year.  I just listened while he vented about the "other" agents and Real Estate companies.  After he was done I did not even go down the path of discounting others in this industry.  I did not offer feedback or comment on the items he was displeased with concerning other agents activity or non-activity. 

Paris and I were absolutely honored that he would call us, even if it was after two different companies had his property listed. 

Probably more so in this particular case.  He has interviewed over 17 agents between the first time the property was placed on the market and the first time it expired.  Talk about competition.  (I never knew there could be so many number #1 selling agents in the Santa Clarita Valley...Grinning, but that is what the majority of the 17 told him.  They were each number one...)  

Paris and I never expect that anything in this business is rightfully ours.  We are very humbled when people choose us to represent them in their Real Estate dealings. 

I am the first to realize that there are usually three sides to every story, Person 1, Person 2, and the truth... He also told me that the most current listing had just expired and he was wanting to see if Paris and I could help.  I set the appointment at our office and it was a date.

The most important issue in the above scenario is making sure the seller understands why his property did not sell.  But getting into the bashing of other agents is no where I want to be.  We all have our tactics and ways in which we deal with our clients and prospective clients.  However, it is important to remember that we are all in this together.

The purposeful balance that must be maintained between being true to ourselves, our clients, and our fellow agents, is something that will take experience, time and success.

parsi911 - 911otb

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TAGS: 911otb, paris911, santa clarita valley, santa clarita valley real estate, city of santa clarita

Feeble Minds with no code...

It still astounds me to find people that are only looking for what is best, in a selfish manner, when it comes to anything others need help with.

If someone were to ask for help I would be there.  I would not look at what I can get back from that person or what is in it for me.  When you teach, one of the things that the Master Instructor, will tell you is to offer a "W.I.I.F.M", whats in it for me, to your audience before you start the meat of the presentation and layout the course guidelines.  However, I have never approached someone asking for a helping hand from the position of asking or thinking, "If I do this thing to help this person, what will I receive from it?"

It is routine for me to stop and help stranded motorists.  If I can hold the door for someone, even if it takes a moment longer, I will do it without a problem.  If someone calls me to give them a ride somewhere, whether I am close to them or not, I will go. 

Dosen't it all come back around.  Some Call it Karma, some title it GOD, some call it the Laws of Nature, you might have your own title for it.  But I do know it exists and have felt its pressure and seen it occur in others' lives.  It does seem to cause a huge level of discomfort especially when it has it source from a bad place.  Somewhere where we took advantage of another that was in a difficult way or bad spot.  That is something that I do not ever want on my conscience. 

When I get ready for bed at night,I want to be able to look into the mirror and feel clean.  Not to have anything that is hanging over my head that I should have handled differently.  That is why when I am presented with a issue or problem I take time in my response.  You can say it, whatever you want, but after it is spoken or carried out, you cannot ever take it back.  That is why it is so very important to me to think before I open my tongue holster.

What position is your tongue-holster in????

911otb

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TAGS: feeble minds, code, 911otb, connor macivor, paris macivor, paris911, encino real estate, sherman oaks real estate

Being married to my best friend.

March 1991, two weeks after graduating the LAPD Police Academy I went with my training officer into a Bakers Square Restaurant.  For that matter, I had no choice.  It was speak only if spoken to and the first and last words out of my filthy sewer will be "sir"..  (for some of you this will bring back memories).

Our server, Paris, was so wonderful that three months later we were married.  Everyone told us that it would not last and that we were making a huge mistake.  You see for the "advisers" in our world, both sides being in perfect alignment, it would have been a mistake for them.  But Paris and I pressed on.  Only knowing each other for three months had its own share of "growing pains" that presented themselves on a daily basis for the first few years of our marriage.  But, I realized early that the only way this was going to go the distance is if both of us were intent on keeping it.

So many times, in the police circles I frequent, was one spouse pulling hard and the other just riding in the others wake.  It is very rare to find two people that are as intent on the same goal as one another. 

If you do find the proverbial "it", hold on tight and never let go...

I am absolutely blessed, July 29 will be 16 years of marital bliss.  Resigning from the LAPD was a true blessing to be able to work along side Paris in the same industry with the same goals and our hierarchy in life having an alike order.  God, Family, then everything else.

What happened to Paris and I will not be the advise we give our son's when they get closer to the age of relationships or marriage for that matter.  I have run into old couples that have been married for a long time that can't, or choose not to, speak with each other due to the hate and resentment that has built up over a long and war ridden marriage(my parents).

I will keep focused and thank God each and every day for the woman he Blessed me with not so long ago.  Never taking her for granted and showing appreciation in every action, to the best of my Human abilities.

911otb

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TAGS: marriage, marital bliss, bakers square, restaurant, 911otb, connor macivor, paris macivor, paris911

What do you drive?

Paris and I are about 3 months away from a lease expiring and we are starting to look at cars.  This vehicle will serve two masters.  The first and foremost will be our family, Paris, I, and our two boys, one 13 and one 5.  The second will be our business and showing our clients properties.

I have to say that about 50% of the time when showing properties our clients take their own car due to having children and the child seat being installed in the car properly.  And by "properly" I mean:

The child seat should not move at all when attempting to move it with about 70% of your strength if you have it installed in the correct manner.  This requires you to place the seat-belt in the correct way through the back of the child seat.  Then you must make the seat belt's "ratchet" by totally extending it out then allowing it to retract.  The next step is to get into the car and place your knee into the child seat and put your body weight into the seat forcing it into the vehicle's seat and taking out all of the slack in the seat belt.  When you finish you should be able to play a tune on the vehicle's seat-belt due to it being so absolutely tight.

We offered Child-Safety classes when I was working Valley Traffic Division.  And until I sat through one of the classes our kids were never restrained properly.

Now to the questions:

  • What type of vehicle do we buy?
  • Is there a "green" vehicle that has room for 4 adults and children?
  • Do clients really see their Realtor's vehicle as an indicator of their status?
  • Should we go for a luxury vehicle?

I think the Toyota FJ is a nice vehicle.  But that brings me to the idea of purchasing something domestic.  Due to my loyalty to our economy.  Or am I going to support our country by buying a vehicle that is "foreign" but made in our country.

Thanks in advance my brothers and sisters for your suggestions and help...

Kids buckle up

911otb

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TAGS: 911otb, connor macivor, kid safety