I like working with experienced buyers, somewhere in their fifties, savvy, know what they want, know they can get it. I like working with investors because investors don’t cry, they’re rational, straightforward, wham bam, that’s it, buy it.
I like working with experienced home buyers and investors, but I love working with first time buyers. There’s something about the mixture of fear and excitement that’s exhilarating J. The dream in their eyes rekindles mine. It’s a special joy of achieving something big, something life changing.
There are many cynics who would read this and snipe about subprime and foreclosures, anything to tarnish what the jaded and hip-ironists see as illusion. May I never become jaded.
Of course there’s a huge difference in the check at closing between a waterfront home on the island and a starter home, but the satisfaction is greater with the starter home, and whatever high-end niche I may lean towards, I don’t think I’ll ever quit working with first time buyers.
There’s a sense of satisfaction in doing a good job and most times work is work and the satisfaction comes from doing it well; however, there’s a spiritual aspect to work that makes it more than a job. “Spiritual” is a loaded word and sounds pretentious in the context of real estate.
To me, spiritual, in the context of work, means that part of experience that transcends the banal actions of accomplishing a job, or the routine, logical actions of work – it’s the combination of physical action, mental application, emotional connection and something greater that includes the participation of others. The “something greater” is the spiritual part.
When buying a home becomes more than buying a home, as it is with many first time buyers, it creates in me a sense of participating in “something greater”. The buyers are planning their life, thinking about the future, the creation of “home”, the pride of ownership, and the excitement is contagious.
They are also open to new knowledge, asking questions, absorbing the experience, connected to the experience, alive with the idea of having something that’s their own and full of creative ideas of how they will personalize it, to make this space unique and reflective of their personalities and tastes. It’s more than a home, it’s an extension of who they are and what they want to achieve. To me these are all expressions of the human spirit, and it’s easy to lose sight of the source and experience of this spirit in the middle of all life’s hubbub, calamity, pomp and self-absorption.
The buyer(s) can be a couple or an individual, but it seems more intense when it’s a couple because they’re sharing the experience. What it does for me is re-connect me to the source of that spirit and infuses my job with meaning and purpose. I can then carry this forward for a little while longer making all the mundane tasks I perform daily easier to digest and more effortless. May I never become jaded.
Sean Purcell says:
Beautifully written Mike.
The spiritual side (I call it the passionate side) of business is rarely talked about. Yet when you listen to a successful person discussing their work, it is rare that you do not hear the spiritual connection or the passion: providing for and permeating their purpose.
Thanks for a grand reminder.
February 22, 2008 — 6:45 am
Mike Farmer says:
I don’t know what happened to the font and the layout. I can’t fix it.
February 22, 2008 — 6:47 am
Greg Swann says:
> I don’t know what happened to the font and the layout. I can’t fix it.
A font call — Calibri? — was injected 12 times, my guess would be from word-processing software. I’ve fixed it.
I don’t know if it supports Squarespace, but, if it does, you might look into Ecto. Very useful for working with multiple weblog accounts.
February 22, 2008 — 8:06 am
Jonathan Bunn says:
The hunger of FTB’s is so rewarding. They are so open to recieve the knowledge that you speacalize in. It is very rewarding to see this pay off in their lives. Great read.
February 22, 2008 — 8:21 am
Jim Boyer says:
I like working with both actually. It is nice to have variety. Put to many virgins into the mix and things become real stressful. Put to many experienced buyers into the mix and it becomes a little dull.
February 22, 2008 — 9:35 am
Cathleen Collins says:
We’re approaching the finish line with a FTB. She’s an elderly, semi-retired lady, but she’s beaming like a child in anticipation of Christmas. Lovely sentiment, Mike, beautifully written. Thank you.
February 22, 2008 — 10:27 am
Mike Farmer says:
Thanks, I appreciate all the comments.
February 22, 2008 — 11:32 am
Thomas Johnson says:
Thank you for this essay, Mike. I was up until 1AM last night(this morning) with a young couple who had finally found the right house in which to raise their family. Our 5PM appointment was postponed until 9:30PM because the husband had to work late. He greeted me at the door still chewing his dinner at that late hour, we proceeded to talk out everything about the buying process.
This morning I sprang out of bed with new energy having been reminded what this is all about: the blessing of clients who are wonderful people.
February 22, 2008 — 2:19 pm
Mike Farmer says:
It puts the gitty back in your gitty-up.
February 22, 2008 — 4:40 pm