Wow! It's been too long since I've sat down and just blogged away but it does take quite a bit of effort to actually write something that I think people may want to read and enjoy.
So my topic today is "Trust but Verify". Living in LA has certainly taught me a few lessons about trust and WHO to trust but looks can be deceiving. Which is why we should always, ALWAYS verify something before just assuming that someone is telling us the truth or giving us an honest product or service.
Remember ye olde tale of the wolf in sheep's clothing? We always imagine it as this wolf (clearly because you can see his face and paws) draped in a sheepskin (head & tail intact).
The problem with this picture is that you can clearly see the wolf - and although a great visual for the idiom in reality we can't see these wolves. These types of people are usually very difficult to identify unless you've smelt a certain scent before.
In real estate I come across these types fairly regularly and as a foreign woman probably more-so than most. I have been waaay to gullible in the past and learned a few hefty lessons which has really helped me to make smarter decisions today.
Even now I have moments where I'm totally surprised by what comes across my path in terms of people. I really do consider myself a decent judge of character (may take a few times for me to smell the rat) and I believe that as a good person who is open to all I send out an energy that attracts other good people... unfortunately I also attract those who think that I will be the perfect sucker. To the point that I've actually become quite blase about it, "oh another dick head trying to con me *yawn*".
Here's the thing - today I had a business-person send me some very "exclusive properties" with prices for me to send out to my investors. Typically what I like to do is review these, do my comps, figure out what the after rehab value could be and send them over to the investors that I think will suit this type of property. Today I had no time to do such a thing so I just forwarded these properties to a friend of mine who also invests in real estate. He called me later and informed me (to my abashment) that these properties were not only ALREADY listed on the market but listed for roughly $30k to $50k less than what the businessman had sent me. If only I had VERIFIED this information BEFORE I sent it out I would have saved myself some shame. I have consoled myself with the fact that I sent these listings to a friend but also have suffered a small amount of mortification. The type that makes you burst out laughing like a lunatic whilst muttering under your breath "now you look stupid... but how... but hooww??".
I now feel the need to somehow re-certify that I am not an idiot. I would pretend that it never happened but now any listing I send out to my friend is going to have to first face the possibility of a poke in the ribs and maybe the question "are you SURE this isn't listed for $50,000 less by another realtor?". I've been told I beat myself up when I make an error... but this one affects me as a professional. Dammit!
Lesson #1 here - trust - always trust because honestly how jaded and cold would we be if we didn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt.
Lesson #2 here - verify - always verify that that the source of your information is correct and that the information is true and correct.
Final Conclusion - Always be honest - because even if you do make an error as I did with both my judgement and my lack of verification - people will know that it was an honest mistake.
Honesty in my book is still and always will be the best policy.. Here is an old Arab proverb that speaks volumes to that:
So my topic today is "Trust but Verify". Living in LA has certainly taught me a few lessons about trust and WHO to trust but looks can be deceiving. Which is why we should always, ALWAYS verify something before just assuming that someone is telling us the truth or giving us an honest product or service.
Remember ye olde tale of the wolf in sheep's clothing? We always imagine it as this wolf (clearly because you can see his face and paws) draped in a sheepskin (head & tail intact).
Even now I have moments where I'm totally surprised by what comes across my path in terms of people. I really do consider myself a decent judge of character (may take a few times for me to smell the rat) and I believe that as a good person who is open to all I send out an energy that attracts other good people... unfortunately I also attract those who think that I will be the perfect sucker. To the point that I've actually become quite blase about it, "oh another dick head trying to con me *yawn*".
Here's the thing - today I had a business-person send me some very "exclusive properties" with prices for me to send out to my investors. Typically what I like to do is review these, do my comps, figure out what the after rehab value could be and send them over to the investors that I think will suit this type of property. Today I had no time to do such a thing so I just forwarded these properties to a friend of mine who also invests in real estate. He called me later and informed me (to my abashment) that these properties were not only ALREADY listed on the market but listed for roughly $30k to $50k less than what the businessman had sent me. If only I had VERIFIED this information BEFORE I sent it out I would have saved myself some shame. I have consoled myself with the fact that I sent these listings to a friend but also have suffered a small amount of mortification. The type that makes you burst out laughing like a lunatic whilst muttering under your breath "now you look stupid... but how... but hooww??".
I now feel the need to somehow re-certify that I am not an idiot. I would pretend that it never happened but now any listing I send out to my friend is going to have to first face the possibility of a poke in the ribs and maybe the question "are you SURE this isn't listed for $50,000 less by another realtor?". I've been told I beat myself up when I make an error... but this one affects me as a professional. Dammit!
Lesson #1 here - trust - always trust because honestly how jaded and cold would we be if we didn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt.
Lesson #2 here - verify - always verify that that the source of your information is correct and that the information is true and correct.
Final Conclusion - Always be honest - because even if you do make an error as I did with both my judgement and my lack of verification - people will know that it was an honest mistake.
Honesty in my book is still and always will be the best policy.. Here is an old Arab proverb that speaks volumes to that:
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