I know quite a few Realtors, men and women alike, who have shed tears when they couldn't help a consumer in dire need of assistance.

Have you ever felt the same level of concern as those agents?

Maybe you silently snicker "Wimpy Wimpy Wimpy" at agents like that...   Do you work on foreclosures or short sales when you're really not knowledgeable enough? Do you fail to counsel a buyer about their eyes being bigger than their wallets? Do you handle pricing, marketing, financing and negotiations with a "so what" attitude?

Dr. Yun, the Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, spoke for KCRAR Brokers at a seminar on January 6, 2010 and he mentioned the importance of talking with the consumer before they leap in the wrong direction.  He talked about how during the recent "boom" we saw a lot of buyers purchase their "dream home" as their first house instead of a "starter home" and the results have been devastating. 

True, you can't control people, yet you can counsel them. The truth is that many agents did encourage buyers to slow down and I personallly know hundreds of agents like that. I know agents who actually walked away from transactions they believed too risky for the buyer's situation. Although you may not be the official "buyer's agent" you still have a moral responsibility to help that consumer.

My fervent hope is for 100% of you to do the same thing from now on. Counsel and guide! Take the time to do everything correctly, explain things thoroughly and treat people the way you would want to be treated. DUDE, IT IS YOUR JOB!

To that end please find an expert to take over when you don't know what you're doing. Even the experts have trouble sometimes, so you know how impossible some things must be for novices. Study, learn and stick with what you know. People depend on you whether you like it or not - or believe it or not.

Happy sales to you until we meet again, Jan.