Ray Carman – Auctioneer

that could be considered a blessing in todays Real Estate market. Seems like time has flown by since the last post , and finding the time to write has been rather difficult when balancing home, work, and WORK!

Personally, I find being too busy to write probably means one is too busy. I enjoy writing post for here, SumnerAuctions.com, and IsurfSUmner.com  as well, but lately, time to do these has passed right by without being noticed. Between all the listings, contracts, showings, auctions, auction ads, auction prep, and hopefully a closing or two, post have become rather neglected. Unfortunately, some of the neglect has also poured over into home life as well, keeping me from precious moments with the kids as well.

When I started selling real estate, I made a promise to myself, that I would ALWAYS have time for my family. And, preferably more time with family than with work. I knew that was going to be hard with a one income family, but that was top on the priority list. Granted, there are times when one must pour themselves over to get the job done, and for a short period, the family time would suffer some. BUT, the key is to remember to always click back to “normal” once that task was done. The only way I have learned to be able to do that is to actually say “No” sometimes to potential business and or clients. Otherwise, as a Realtor, you will find yourself living your life at the mercy of other peoples convenience.

One of the biggest keys I learned as a youngster growing up in a home with two Realtors was, “You set your schedule, do not let other people run your life.” Admittedly, when times are tough as they now are nation wide, Realtors are finding themselves scraping for every penny they can earn, and trust me, it is a dog fight! Everyone is after the same clients, and you must sacrifice to make a living. BUT, the key again to to be sure you know the limits of your sacrifice. Because, if you are not careful, the price will be much higher than you can imagine.

So please, if you find yourself too busy to write, or sit down to a “cup of tea” with your kids, then STOP, and re-evaluate your schedule, and make sure you do not sacrifice the highest paying position, and that is the one you hold inside your family. No amount of money can ever replace that!

Everywhere I go, this is the common question I am asked. Seems if people are taking a real interest in the market. Sometimes it is people simply concerned about my livelihood. Other times it is because people have a financial interest in the marketplace because they are either in the hunt to buy or sell. But mostly, it is just curiosity seekers wondering how the economy is really doing because Real Estate seems to be a great measuring stick of the overall economic environment.

Earlier this year I spent a large portion of my time reading articles and blogs regarding the “state of the union” in the real estate world. I had good reason to. This is how I make a living to provide the basic needs of my family. To be honest, most of what I read was very discouraging to say the least. Market values dropping across the board. People were sitting at home watching the news about real estate more than they were out looking at homes and land. The Obama/Clinton news took most of the headlines, and agent were resorting to cut rate commissions and drastic measures (Standing on street corners asking for work) to just get by. It all seemed rather bleak. Depression was not too far from taking hold.

But, then (with the encouragement of my greatest fan and wife), I started to see a new spin in the market news I was reading. Instead of taking in the bad, I started focusing on what was new and groundbreaking in the business. I ran across new sites to me like Zillow , Trulia, and BeatYouThere.com and new ways to market property for alot less marketing money. Suddenly a new breath of fresh air came in and I instantly found myself busy again. It made me look into new areas of self promotion (like this blog) and helped me seek out what was coming that was positive vs negative.

There is no doubt this market is not what it used to be. Sure, things are tougher than before. People still expect high values and quick turn over although the market is slumping and slower. BUT, there is a bright side and sunlight at the end of the tunnel. If nothing else, I have learned, it is better “to keep your hand to the plow and eyes on the row” than to sit on the porch and talk about how the crops just aren’t coming in like they used to! When you make that choice, you will find yourself digging in new places and reaching new markets which will be a catalyst for yourself once things are “back to normal.”

So how is the Real Estate Business? It is what you make it to be!

This new site came to my attention reading the article in the previous post. I went and signed up and added one listing to check out the sites usability. What I found was a very easy to use site and upload took only a minute. Pictures were easy to upload as well and it allowed up to five. Not bad for a free listing on the web.

They did have an offer to feature your listing in your area for 30 days for a buck a day or $500 to have your listing on their front page 1000 times. Won’t quite say I am ready for that leap yet, but, it is another great avenue to market your listings as an agent and another coverage area for your client.

For quick review, we have the MLS, Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, Craigslist, and now BeatYouThere.com, just to list a few. Coverage is expanding, are you staying in the game?

I was browsing through some reading material this morning and ran across this article. After reading it, I was once again reminded of the unavoidable change heading our industry’s way. I thought his premises were well thought out and article well written. I also got a chuckle from his insistent refusal to spell REALTOR all caps, or with any caps at all! I think his mindset is one that is starting to permeate the nation about realtors. People are losing sight of the value of their Realtor due to the immense amount of knowledge and information they can find online.

I have written about how the market is shifting to an online world in the past, and honestly, it is a change that is hard to stay up with at times. As a realtor, not only am I expected to take care of the needs of my clients, I am also look to to stay ahead of the curve in the real estate world in order to stay ahead. This at times can cause confusiion, or even brain overload because, caring for a clients needs and staying ahead of the game tends to divide your attention and pull you in opposite directions. Somehow, the realtor has to find balance as most of us also have families to raise and care for as well.

After reading this article, I will agree, times are changing, but I will also argue that good Realtors are worth their caps and their 6% because they have found a way to manage change, care for their clients, and raise a family! And no amount of online study is going to make everyone an expert in real estate and how to negotiate, write solid offers, and navigate the paperwork and difficulties handled in nearly every transaction.

For a detailed list and pictures, visit here!

For a list of upcoming auctions in Sumner and surrounding counties for this weekend, please see my article at ISurfSumnerTn.com

Just click on the Real Estate Tab and see article their. For additional info about auctions, or if you know of someone in need of auction services to help settle an estate, or sell a farm or home, feel free to call me, 615-824-0044, or email me, RayCarman@Gmail.com. We look forward to working with you!

Enjoy your weekend!