Business as Usual or NOT?

In the past agents would list, post and sale. However in today's market we must educate, educate, counsel, nurture, educate, teach, plan, list, post, rent, lease or sale. In other words, we as Realtors or Real Estate Professionals have to work with our communities. So many people have been "sold" the wrong products or services, or didn't understand what they were purchasing for their hard earned dollars.

I was watching the news Friday night and a senior citizen in the Atlanta area was a victim of predatory lending. She was about 60 years and had signed a mortgage (refi) that according to her had zero payments (the document that the news station showed had a big "ZERO" near the payment or the prepayment penalty section). And of course, she made no payments and now her home is in foreclosure. Now we all know and she even stated, "if it is too good to be true, then it isn't".

Yes, she should have known better. Yes, you can't get something for nothing. But, why wasn't the customer educated about her choice of mortgage? Why wasn't she informed of what mortgage would be each month?

Agents it is not business as usual. It is unusual business - a new way of thinking, working, acting, caring and ultimately- earning business.