Ray Carman – Auctioneer

Often I am asked “How do I refer you to my friends who are dealing with their loved ones estate?”

This is a very good question, and how you go about it is key to the situation. This is a very difficult time for family members as they are working through getting the estate settled while simultaneously dealing with the emotion of losing a loved one. It is never easy. And how you approach them with ideas or suggestions must be done very carefully.

1. Use the right words. When it comes to an auction, asking if they are going to have an auction or if they need an auctioneer usually is not the best way to breach the subject. The better wording is more like, “If you are considering having an auction, or need a great auctioneer, here is someone I would call.” This wording keeps you from “prying” into the situation and allows you to offer a lending hand without “sticking your nose into their business.”

2. Be careful with your timing. It is true that we have been approached at funeral homes by some families about an auction, but this is a RARE case. Usually, people are not thinking about what to do for 3-6 weeks after this time. I usually tell people who are looking to refer us to a family in possible need of our service, to at least wait month. This allows the family time to grieve  and also is the time most people are starting to think about what they are going to do with Mom’s/Dad’s house/farm/personal property. This would be a good time to consider using the above mentioned phrase to introduce your friends to an Auction Co/Auctioneer.

Needless to say, it is never an easy task, but if you use these simple tips, you more than likely will find the situation much more comfortable than simply asking, “Hey, do you guys need an auctioneer to help you with that!”

Have a blessed weekend!

Ray Carman

This past week I was given the opportunity to share a 10 minute presentation on our company and what we do. As a part of this presentation, I was able to share briefly why our company is a great choice for your auction needs. I wanted to briefly share the three main reasons here and why it is important to the client choosing an Auctioneer.

1. Family Owned Business operating since 1910. Yes, we have 100 years as a family in the Auction Industry in Tennessee and Kentucky. Why is that important? Because it has now led us to having 9 full time auctioneers in the family, a large crew of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandkids that all work together for you. This allows us to service any and all auction needs with great experience and professionalism.

2. A company you can Depend on, Rely on, and Trust in. Our foundations were laid on Honesty and Integrity. We strive to give the most professional service that is backed with a person you can trust in. If you do not have faith that the auctioneer is working for you and not just the commission check, then it is going to be a very difficult journey. However, at Gene Carman, our goal is to not only do our job, but form a reliable relationship with our clients.

3. A company that will WORK. Yes, it is amazing how many times you run into a situation where an auctioneer would like to sell your valuable assets ( Real Estate ), but really would rather not “mess with” you personal property you have to liquidate. Yes, I admit, it is VERY hard work and requires many hours of preparation and back labor, but it is YOUR merchandise and it deserves just as much work as your Real Estate as well. With our large family, we know what the work is like, and we are not afraid to dig in and get it done.

4. Passion. We simply love what we have been given to do and we love working for/with people. This is not just a job or a career, it is what we ENJOY doing.

If we can ever be of service to you or someone you know in any way, please let us know.

Ray Carman

Yes, it is unbelievable that our family has been blessed to have the honor of serving Middle TN and Southern KY in the auction industry for 100 years. All starting with my Great Grandfather, Jim Carman, when in 1910 he answered the need for an auctioneer in his home county of Trousdale. What started as a willingness to help a neighbor and friend turned into of  the longest lasting family heritages in the business today.

I cannot remember a time when auctions were not a part of my life, including the day I was born, Saturday, Dec 13th, 1975. My father, Harold Gene Carman Jr, was off with the other family members conducting an auction in Macon Co when I decided it was time to arrive. My mother had to send for my father who came and off we were to the hospital. Ever since that day, I have been connected to auctions. From working at them since the age of five, to having my very first auction in the  mid 1990’s, to brokering and conducting an auction on my very own wedding day, April 8th, 2000. We even had snow that day and the hired photographer got a picture of my wife calling me to ask if I was coming, cause I was running a little late (30 minutes) due to the successful auction and following paperwork. But as you can tell, I made it and have been blessed with the most amazing wife for ten years.

This year is a milestone for us as a family, and we owe that to several different things:

1. God’s grace! Without the blessings of Jesus the Christ and the many prayers ( and early Saturday morning breakfast feast for all thee years) of my Grandmother, Dorthy “Me-Ma” Carman, we would not be here.

Gene Carman Sr and Me-ma with our latest addition, my son, Truett McGraw Carman

2. To my Grandfather, Gene Carman, who taught us all the true meaning of integrity and hard work. His perseverance even in the toughest of times kept us all going and striving to offer unbeatable service combined with integrity and honest hard work mixed with sweat, tears, and joy. He still conducts auctions on a weekly basis in the auction season.

3. Loyal customers who have continued to grace us with their presence at auctions. I can honestly say, every Saturday it is very easy to look up and recognize a large portion of our auction crowd as they have truely become extended family through out the years.

4. Our clients who have entrusted us over and over to handle some of their most valuable commodities in Real Estate and personal property and have honored us with the privilege of walking them through countless Estate Auctions, sometimes only having met us but having been referred to us by a common friend or acquaintance.

So how do we celebrate? By offering you more of the same! Honest hard work founded on Integrity!

Without these key ingredients this cherished heritage would not be possible. So from the bottom of my heart, I would like to say “thank you” for giving us the honor of serving in the auction industry for so long in Middle TN. I am truly looking forward to this year of celebration by giving you, our clients and customers, more of what you have come to expect from us. And by seeking to glorify God in all I do, I hope that those we serve will receive the blessings that He has sent our way.

If I can ever serve or assist you in an Auction, whether Estate, Real Estate, or Benefit Auction, please do not hesitate to call! And I hope our next 100 will be more of what has already been as we celebrate 1910-2010 with you!

Ray Carman

In any profession, this is not necessarily the easiest thing to do. When things are tough, sometimes it is easiest to do what will make YOU the most money. This is even more natural when things in your chosen profession are not going very well.

When I was a wee young fellow, my Grandfather and Father were very persistent in practicing and preaching “Honesty and Integrity.” They preached it so much that sometimes my ears hurt. But what really stuck was how they lived it. I sat in so many meetings growing up and listened to each of them, together and individually, turn down business because it was not in the clients best interest to hire them for the job.

Again, recently, this happened again as my father called and ran a scenario past me regarding a potential auction. We discussed the facts as they were presented to us, and it was evident that our services were not best suited for the client and in the long run would do him more harm (cost him more money) than good. Needless to say, the potential client was shocked to hear it when we did not recommend an auction for his case and were therefore not going to take the job. After explaining the our view points and the risk he was taking, he was still willing, however, we knew it was not for his best.

Now, could we have taken the job and made some money? Yes! But at what price? If we knew the property was not going to bring what the seller was wanting, and yet we went forward anyway, then not only is he then stuck with a property that has an “auction price” attached to it and leaves future buyers sending in low bids, but it also leaves a mark on the reputation of the ability of the salesman to do his job. It is good for neither side.

However, as the years have passed, and several of those clients who were “turned down opportunities”, have surfaced again and again, they now tell folks that what my Grandfather and Father did, in turning them down, was the biggest favor they had ever had. Some even went on to try other companies seeking fast paydays, and found that what they had heard from Gene Carman was true, and oh how they wished they had saved their money and listened. And what has that meant for our future business? Alot!!! Honesty and Integrity go a LONG way, even if it does not put money in your pocket today!

All that to say, even when times are hard, Doing the Right Thing ALWAYS pays off in the end!

Ray Carman

Every so often, you are asked to take a step back in life, by circumstances or other factors, and forced to ask yourself this question: :Why do I do what I do? What is it that motivates me to get up in the morning and do the ‘job/career’ or service that I presently do?”

Now this question has been a leader in helping people either stay motivated in their current position, OR, go out and find a new avenue in which they find a greater sense of self worth.

On occasion I am asked about my “position” or “job” and how I came to do it. My simple answer was to tell them who my Grandfather and Father are  (Gene Carman and Harold Gene Carman Jr), and that instantly answers the question for me. “Oh, so you were born into this job! You had a job before you knew what a job was!”  is the common response I receive. Of course we usually laugh a minute, but the facts are true. For most people born into our family, your career path was laid out many years in advance.

However, I can say with ALL my heart, I thoroughly enjoy my work and what it is I have been given to do! Prospecting, Marketing, and Selling Real Estate is the “what” of my job, but it is ASSISTING people in the pursuit of their dreams/goals that brings me my greatest satisfaction! It is what I was given to do by my Father, and I love every minute of it!

So to all you you have allowed me to enjoy my job by serving you, THANK YOU!

I was browsing through some articles that I enjoy reading and happened upon one in which a person gave a list of reasons why they LOVE their job! It was pretty incredible to see some amazing angles this person came at their occupation from. Some of the reasons were even what most folks might call a “negative,” however, this individual had found something good to embrace even from these instances which made their job even more desirable to them.

SO, that got me to thinking about why I love my job. Here is what I came up with…..

1. I enjoy how Real Estate and Auctioning allow me to meet new and different people constantly. Rarely is any one day the same.

2. I also enjoy the job security. Seeing as how I work for myself, my job is secure as long as I continue to work. Everyday there is something I can do to either find new work, further myself in present work, or finish a transaction that is in process.

3. I find assisting people to be thrilling. Some people apologize for “bothering me” with questions about “work,” but I am never bothered simply because assisting others in Real Estate and Auctions is “fun” to me.

4. I love the challenge of getting “it” done. It is a RARE thing to have a deal run without any hic-cups, and I enjoy the challenge of making it through those moments and coming out a better agent on the other side.

5. I like constant change! Looking at houses and farms that each have a unique character keeps my spirits high. I especially enjoy walking around a farm, up and down hills, to discover what treasures God has placed in each cavity of His creation.

6. I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule. Having young children, I have always wanted to be as involved as I could in their lives. Selling Real Estate and doing Auctions allows me to set my schedule in order to be more involved in theirs! And family has always been on top of my list!

7. Remember change? Well, seeing as the flexibility of Real Estate allows for me to work from almost anywhere, I can have an array of office spaces. I can work at home, at a local restaurant (especially if they offer free wi-fi), or just about anywhere my vehicle can take me!

8. I like keeping up with the cutting edge of things. I am not a a “techy” person, but I do enjoy keeping up with how technology can help me in assisting sellers and buyers with reaching their dreams! And with the internet, most of that can be used for free!

9. I like Realtors. I enjoy meeting and talking to others in the business! I especially enjoy speaking to those who keep a positive outlook no matter what!

10. I find what I do extremely FUN! Yes, I said fun! I enjoy nothing more than completing a transaction, Real Estate or Auction, from start to finish! I enjoy the opportunities I receive to auctioneer and cry a sale. I enjoy working through a contract and seeing people excited about the outcome!

11. And lastly, I enjoy Failing! Yes, failure. It is through my many failures I have found the roads to success. Once a mistake is made, a lesson is learned which gives guidance and direction for the journey ahead! If it were all a bed of roses with no thorns, then the grains of success would be shallow!

That is my top 10 ( I mean 11) list. Why do you enjoy what you do?

If you are in need of assistance in Real Estate or Auctions ( estates, farms, houses, commercial) in the Sumner County and surrounding areas, or you know of someone who could benefit from our services, please call me at 615-428-4920, or email me at RayCarman@gmail.com.

Have a great week!

In the Real Estate world, there are givers and takers, pretty much like in all facets of life. There are some who do this job simply to get ahead in life, and, there are others who do it for the right reason, a service to their clients. And, in times like these, it is so easy, and tempting to become self serving as an agent.

Truth is, we have bills and mortgages just like everyone else. Our line of work does not really offer insurance or benefit packages, so we have to fend for ourselves. The trick in doing this job with integrity, is to not allow that “fend for yourself” mentality to bleed over into your work atmosphere. We MUST remember that we are here to service and meet the needs of our clients.

When things are tough, and money is slower than what we are used to, it becomes tempting to take any and every listing/buyer who comes our way. BUT, if you take one who is 1) a listing out of your service area, or 2) a buyer needing assistance buying a home in an area you are not familiar, THEN, you might want to rethink the situation. In neither of these situations can you really service your clients needs with full professionalism. However, you can still get paid for your work. How? Referrals!

What your client needs is Integrity and Honesty. If you are not the best suited for the situation, be honest with them and offer to recommend someone else. The truth is, you can still make some income on the situation if you simply tell them the truth and offer to find them someone better suited for the circumstance. Agents everywhere will be happy to work with you on referrals, simple as that! And, in the long run, your friend/client will always be willing to come back to you in the future when they are in your area, or even better, refer you to their friends and family in the place you are an expert! An additional honor is, you will have made contact with another agent who more than likely will send you referrals in the future!

And, we all know, there is no better business than business that comes through a Referral!