JULIE GARDNER
  • HOME
  • COMPASS
    • WHY COMPASS?
    • COMPASS CONCIERGE
    • COMPASS BRIDGE LOANS
  • LISTINGS
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT JULIE
    • A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP
    • CONTACT
    • PROCESS
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • PRESS
  • PROJECTS
    • BEFORE & AFTER
    • GARDENS
    • OUR TEAM
    • VIDEOS
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • UTILITIES
    • SCHOOLS

All Heart!

9/7/2018

0 Comments

 
It's been a busy week for me, what with Jill on a well-earned vacation exploring the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Glacier National Park with her two girls in a cool Camper Van that's sure to show up on Instagram!

Which means that I'm manning the fort alone: meeting the inspectors, primping properties (as opposed to pimping properties), planting pots, watering beds, chasing down permit histories, editing marketing copy, picking up lighting, dropping off donuts, running to the hardware store (again and again and AGAIN!) and doing the 101 tasks I typically assign Jill on a weekly basis. (I miss her already and she only left town on Tuesday.)
In light of her absence, I've been reminded of the Herculean efforts it takes to bring a property to market in top form, while simultaneously nursing my bruised ego at having missed out on a potential new listing last week. As the Seller kindly explained, he was worried my practice might be "all heart." (Thank you, I'll take that under advisement and rework my listing presentation accordingly.)

But after mulling it over, I've come to the conclusion that if you're going to be passed over for another Agent (and it happens to the very best of us), being told you're "all heart" isn't necessarily the worst criticism I've ever had to face. Moreover, if the business of buying or selling a home doesn't start with the heart, I'm not sure what business does. After all, real estate isn't like purchasing a car; this is your home, this is where you raise your family, unwind after a hard day's work, and find sanctuary. In short, I'm inclined to believe that buying or selling a home should - begin and end - with the heart!

Years ago, when I was a struggling professional dancer in Los Angeles, showing up at cattle calls - along with hundreds of other hopefuls - I faced every rejection under the sun including: "too fat, too tall, too short, too all-American, too brunette (really?) . . ." and it got more personal from there. At least with real estate, I'm not being judged on my physical appearance (at least, I hope not), but it's clear, I AM auditioning nonetheless, and that's fair; Buyers and Sellers should give their Agents some thoughtful consideration, and Realtors, in turn, should be willing to compete for their business.

But having conceded that my online presence, my website, my marketing materials, and my blog were by far superior to anyone else they had interviewed, doesn't it follow that each of those representations are heavily steeped in "business," even if they're wrapped up in the "business of feelings?" Aren't the best advertisers appealing to our emotions, not our pocketbooks? Moreover, designing a listing strategy, creating a calendar, overseeing vendors, managing a budget, preparing a property for market, writing copy, manning open houses, and negotiating contracts are all business activities, no matter how heartfelt.

This last week's list of chores consisted of Jill and I putting the finishing touches on a beautiful garden we've created for a fabulous Brown Shingle in Piedmont, including both of us showing up with shovels and garden gloves in hand, physically toiling for hours as we planted ground cover, power washed the bricks, potted shrubs, and prepped this house for sale (It's a beauty!) while overseeing window washing and housecleaning in preparation for the staging. We hung lighting, made several trips to the nursery, replaced missing hardware, changed out light bulbs, and micromanaged every detail to get it "just right."

We hit up the flea market early Sunday morning to find an industrial Island for another fantastic listing (an Urban Paradise off Lakeshore), met with its anxious Seller (they're all anxious), organized disclosures, took over fresh flowers from my garden, and swept and vacuumed the house prior to photos.

And that represents a very typical work week for us. No, it's not every Realtor that keeps a broom and dustpan at the house (and is willing to use it), nor bakes home-made cookies before every open, nor sweats over the smallest of details, nor meticulously manages every aspect of your listing, but that IS my (our) process - for better or for worse. That's not heart; it's dedication, it's integrity, its pride, its MAJOR work (!), and finally, it's the business of selling real estate. If the "heart" comes into play, so much the better. (I'm not sure how that's a negative.)

Hardworking? Yes. Creative? Yes. Dutiful? Yes. Responsible? Yes. Accountable? Yes. Dedicated? Yes. Controlling? DEFINITELY! (I'm working on that one.)

"All Heart?" I wish it were that easy.

But thanks for the compliment just the same and for your sage advise going forward (it's not every potential Seller who'll thoughtfully explain the reasons why . . . ). In fact, I'm going to tell my 93-year-old mother-in-law you said so. I'm certain she feels I could use FAR MORE HEART when it comes to her, and it's true - I could (along with more empathy, more patience, more understanding, and more love.)

So I'm going to keep working on that "heart" thing - for both of us - and for all of you as well. Because if I'm not leading with my heart, what the heck am I doing helping you pursue your dreams?

How can I help you?
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe

    Author

    Julie Gardner, has been writing The Perspective for 18 years and has published more than 670 essays on life and real estate. 

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008

    Categories

    All
    Business
    Design
    Drought
    Holiday
    Home Maintenance
    Homes For Sale
    Life
    Market
    Politics
    Renovation

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Piedmont · Oakland · Berkeley
 510.326.0840
julie@juliegardner.com
DRE# 01431765
​COMPASS

  • HOME
  • COMPASS
    • WHY COMPASS?
    • COMPASS CONCIERGE
    • COMPASS BRIDGE LOANS
  • LISTINGS
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT JULIE
    • A DYNAMIC PARTNERSHIP
    • CONTACT
    • PROCESS
    • TESTIMONIALS
    • PRESS
  • PROJECTS
    • BEFORE & AFTER
    • GARDENS
    • OUR TEAM
    • VIDEOS
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • UTILITIES
    • SCHOOLS