Feedback

I met with Maria and Valerie again today and showed them more homes.

As they toured the homes they didn't provide as much feedback as I was hoping. Part of it was likely because they didn't know me very well yet, and part of it may be because they didn't want to say negative things. What Maria did talk about was all the updating and renovating she would do if she purchased each home. This told me she was definitely open to customizing a house to her taste, while other clients only want turn-key, move-in homes.

I guess I should think about some subtle ways of eliciting feedback. "So, what do you think?" is too blunt and may sound a little desperate. I'm sure I can come up with something better.

I got the impression that Maria was not impressed with what she saw today, but at least I know why. The price range she gave me is definitely doable in this area, but not for someone with her taste. Maria likes tile and marble baths, granite countertops, hardwood floors, and stainless steel appliances. Those things simply aren't found in the price range she gave me.

I drove them through a few new construction communities where Maria might be able to take advantage of some builder incentives (1/2 off of upgrades, free granite counters, etc.) to get closer to what she wanted.

However, most new construction communities here are built on former agricultural land so there's not very many trees. Maria decided a new construction community was not for her.

So after completing today's tour I gently explained that 'this is what you'll get for that price'. I was going to suggest that Maria either compromise on some of her wish list items or extend her price range when her daughter Valerie beat me to the punch. Valerie suggested to her mother that she might want to up her price range by $50K to see what that could get her.

Maria agreed, so I told them I'd email them additional properties to drive by tomorrow and make note of any that interested her. Friday's tour should be much more focused.

First client

Although I've been coming into the office 6 days a week, observing procedures, and accompanying agents on appointments for several weeks now, today it felt like my new career finally started!

The receptionist got a call from someone sitting in front of 1 of our listings and the on-duty agent had stepped out for a few minutes. I took the call and agreed to show the house to them. I discovered they'd just arrived in the area and were driving around looking at communities.

Maria is originally from NYC but has lived in Newport RI for the last 3 years. She retired and is looking to relocate in DE which is known for its very low real estate taxes and no sales tax. She brought her (adult) daughter Valerie with her. This particular home didn't do much for her but almost like a page from a realtor role play booklet, she asked me what other properties were available!

I invited Maria and Valerie to meet me at the office after they had lunch, allowing me time to select some properties and make some showing appointment calls. Maria told me she was open to everything from single-family homes to townhomes to condos, so I picked a few of each within her budget to show her that afternoon.

Although she claimed to be open to all property types, by the process of elimination we discovered she really didn't want a home with stairs, so we ruled out townhomes and condos not on the main floor.

Maria and Valerie will be in town through Fri so we are meeting up again tomorrow to see some additional properties.

It was really fun and exciting to work with them today. It really felt like my new career finally started!

Weekend highlights

Sat I worked. I went along with a colleague to show several properties to her potential buyer. Our group has an agreement with the local hospital so that they refer doctors and nurses to us from other areas who have accepted jobs at the hospital and will be relocating. Great idea, right? Spouse went to the gym then relaxed at home. It looked like it was going to rain all day, then it finally started just about dinner time. Spouse & I were supposed to meet Steven & Thad, 1 of the Bobs, and Jack and his friend Jon for dinner but only I went. Spouse elected to stay home since it was raining hard and very windy. I had a good time with them but got soaked trying to get home.

Sun morning Spouse & I went to the gym together where we ran into Steven & Thad. After working out the 4 of us each had a healthy breakfast at Crystal's restaurant. Unlike Sat, it was bright, sunny, and warmer on Sun. That afternoon Spouse & I put the roof down on the Mercedes and went for a nice little drive. The sunshine felt so good! We stopped at a few stores to look but didn't buy anything. That night we ate dinner at home and watched TV.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, but too small to be their own past.

Last week DE's Senate passed HB 30, the civil unions bill, sending it onto the House for consideration. Yesterday the House voted and passed the bill too! That means DE will become the 7th state to perform civil unions!! The bill now goes before our democratic governor who has already promised to sign the bill, so we should have civil unions beginning in Jan 2012. Although I would prefer civil marriage, Spouse & I will definitely get civilly unionized (or whatever its called) sometime in early 2012. I'd prefer to do it on the anniversary of when we met so that our civil union anniversary would be the same date as our actual anniversary. However, once we are civilly unionized Spouse will be able to add me to his Cadillac-grade health benefits program, saving us hundreds of dollars per month, so we likely won't wait until our actual anniversary on May 26. We've already heard from several of our coupled friends that they intend on becoming civilly unionized too, so there should be a great deal of celebrating in early 2012. More details on our plans to follow.

And speaking of legal recognition of same sex relationships, did you hear about Louis Marinelli's change of heart on marriage equality? He had been touring the country and speaking against it, but recently severed his ties with the anti-gay National Organization on Marriage (NOM) and publicly stated that he supports full civil marriage equality! Check it out here.

Remember the Crush du Jour segment I used to include at the end of each blog post for well over a year? Well, one of my Crushes must have Googled his name and found himself on my blog. He left a comment and since his name was hyperlinked in the comment, I clicked on it which took me to the friend request part of his facebook page. This seemed like an invitation to me, so I clicked the button to send him a friend request. He responded and now we are facebook friends! Actually, this is not the 1st time a Crush has commented or emailed me. Fortunately all 3 times the guys have been cool about it and somewhat flattered that I found them crush-worthy.

My friend Kathryn sent me this incredible video about Yosemite Creek. Its a little long (over 7 minutes) but its very interesting and beautiful. Enjoy!

A new Leaf

I've written several times about my interest in and support of alternative fuel vehicles.

First came the gasoline-electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. They utilize both an electric battery powered engine and a gasoline powered engine at the same time. The battery is never exhausted because it is constantly being recharged, however it is constantly using the gasoline engine as well.

Then came the gasoline-electric hybrids like the Chevrolet Volt. It begins by using just the battery powered electric engine until the battery runs down (about 40 miles per charge), then the gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the battery. In theory, a family could run most if not all of its daily errands (up to 40 miles) each day without using any gasoline or creating any pollution.

But what really excited me is what came next: the 100% electric Nissan Leaf.

The Leaf does not have a gasoline engine so it emits zero pollution and requires zero fossil fuels. Who knew zero could mean so much? Each battery charge should allow the Leaf to go 75-100 miles, depending on who you believe. (Nissan says 100 miles; the EPA says about 75.) Here's their latest commercial illustrating the 'value of zero'. Obviously there are pros and cons to all 3 vehicle types.

The Prius could be a person/family's sole vehicle because it does not depend on the battery life. Therefore it can be used to commute to work, run errands, and be driven on a cross-country trip.

But how many families have just 1 car?

I love the fact that the Leaf never uses any gasoline (the price of which fluctuates for seemingly no reason at all) and produces absolutely no pollution! While you can't take it on a cross-country trip, you certainly can commute back and forth to work every day, and probably run a few errands on the way. Just plug it in at night and let it charge back up.

Just think of all the money you'll save by NOT filling up a gas tank, paying for oil and filter changes and tune-ups! And while it does cost money to recharge the Leaf's electric battery, the cost of electricity is cheaper than the cost of filling up a gas tank. And, one could install a solar panel to utilize the sun to charge the battery for free.

Most couples and families have 2 cars, so I think we should all consider keeping a 'regular' car for long range driving, but purchase a Nissan Leaf for daily commuting and errand running.

Its good for the economy and good for the earth.

Business cards

My business cards arrived yesterday!

Since Spouse doesn't think I should share too many personal details (last name, city, where I work, etc.) on my blog, I won't take a picture of my business card and post it here. But I will say that I am happy with the way they turned out.

My friend Steven took a bunch of photos of me so I'd have lots to choose from. Then 1 of my colleagues Photoshopped the photo a little to lighten it up and give me a little color in my face. I chose a turquoise colored shirt for the photo to bring out my blue eyes. I like the way the cards turned out and can't wait to start passing them out.

I know its a small thing but its important to me to have a card and photo I'm happy with.

Zumba

One of the things I like about my new gym is that all the classes are free. Last night I tried the beginner's Zumba class.

Zumba is a fun way of get aerobic exercise. It combines salsa-like dance moves and music in a way that elevates the heart rate and makes you work up a sweat. Since this was a beginner's class, the instructor showed us how to do the moves/dance steps, we repeated them a couple times after her, then linked them together with the music.

I went to the class thinking it would be more 'fun' than workout, but I was wrong. It was a serious workout that had me sweating and left me 'feeling it' the next day. I will definitely go again!

Weekend highlights

Sat morning Spouse decided to go back to VA to visit with his family for the weekend. Since I had to work on Sat I couldn't go with him. But I had a good day at work. I accompanied another agent on some property showings, which allowed me to see the properties with the client, and allowed me to gain some extra info the agent knew from working in the area for so many years. The day seemed to fly by.

After work I chilled out at home for a couple hours, then got myself together and met my friend Steve for dinner. I just got to know Steve recently; he's a single guy from PA and is very nice. As we talked over dinner I learned that he is a licensed real estate agent! A few years ago when the market got really tough he decided to do something different for a few years so he currently works as a construction consultant at a big hardware store. After dinner we stopped in at several nightspots to check the vibe. Steve & I both sang karaoke songs at 1 place, then moved on. It was a fun night!

Sun I met my friends Thatcher, Ron, and PW for breakfast, then stopped at Walmart to pick up some stuff. On my way home I decided to drive by some homes that my potential clients might like. Once back at home I did some tidying up around the house and washed a couple loads of laundry before Spouse returned home. We caught each other up on our respective weekends, then decided to go out for a casual dinner.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

Delaware City, DE (about 75 minutes north of me) elected the state's 1st openly gay mayor. Its kind of cool by itself but even more cool when you consider that the state is currently considering legalizing civil unions in order to give same sex couples the same rights as married couples.

I saw this on FailBlog and had to share it. I've been hearing a song on the radio with the tag line "...like a G6, like a G6, like a G6". I finally asked a younger, hipper friend what it meant and learned that its a form of bragging. A G6 is a jet that costs over $58 million. Check out what Urban Dictionary has to say. Saw this on FailBlog too. Lately I've been struggling between getting the lowest possible price on something by shopping online versus supporting local merchants and employing local people by shopping locally. The bargain hunter in me always wants to get the best price, but the humanitarian in me wants to support local merchants who employ those who reside in my community. How do you all deal with this?

I've been having the worst time with blogger and paragraph spacing. Every post seems to get messed up with either no space between paragraphs or too many spaces between paragraphs. If I go back to edit a post I lose all the correct spacing that was there. I easily spend several extra minutes editing my posts to look right. Anybody else experiencing this? What do you do to fix it? Then there's the whole 'not able to paste into blogger' issue...

On Wed I joined a new gym. A full membership is $19.99 per month and it includes unlimited free Zumba, yoga, spinning, and step classes, free tanning, free towels, and its open 24 hours a day. I have a feeling its going to put a serious hurtin' on all the other gyms. Wed night I took a yoga class with Thad and it was really fun. Its a serious work out; I was really sweating and straining but I enjoyed it.

Preview

This week I was able to complete the 3 final tasks of becoming a full-fledged real estate agent:

1. I joined the necessary real estate associations which enable me to use the term REALTOR. Its not well known but obtaining a real estate license alone does NOT allow you to call yourself a REALTOR. You are simply a licensee. The term REALTOR (in all caps) is reserved for those who join the national and local real estate associations.

2. I enrolled in the Multiple Listings Service (MLS) which is the tool agents use to list and share details about properties for sale. In addition to being assigned a user name and PIN I also picked up my MLS token which gives me a unique 'safe' password every time I log into the system.

3. I was issued a lock box card that will allow me to open lock boxes to get the key for listed properties. The lock box cards record my name, company, and phone # on each lock box I access so that the listing agents can prepare reports for their sellers regarding how many agents showed their property. It also allows the listing agent to contact me if there is an important change (such as a price reduction) on a property I've shown recently.

Considering the importance of the MLS token and lock box card, there is a substantial free to replaced them if either is lost. I've decided to attach mine to a cord I can wear around my neck when I'm out and about.

Today I used my lock box card for the 1st time to 'preview' a house. (A preview is when an agent looks at a property without a client.) I have a friend who is interested in possibly purchasing a beach house so I previewed the house for him, and to test my card.

So now I'm fully equipped to show and sell property!

Vote

Today was the vote in the DE state Senate on SB 30, the civil unions bill. I'm happy to say that it passed!

Rumor had it that the conservative, religious folks had organized bus loads of opposers to fill the Legislative Hall during the discussion and vote. So SB 30 supporters mobilized our people and got a bunch to attend as well. The viewing gallery was filled and the overflow watched via closed-circuit TV from another room. Spouse & I were both working, but several of our friends were able to go and hopefully level the field of support.

So the final hurdle will be the House vote next Thurs. The Governor has already said he will sign the bill if it passes the Senate and House.

Recognition

Although I've tried to remain somewhat anonymous on this blog (no last name, no specific city, etc.) at Spouse's request, I've always secretly wished someone would recognize me as this blog's author.

Occasionally I read accounts of other bloggers who are recognized at bars or restaurants and I think how fun it would be if that happened to me. Well, something similar happened to me, finally, after more than 6 years of blogging.

In January I went with my friend Hadley to an after-Christmas party where I met Andy. In our conversation I told him I was in the process of changing careers and was excited about becoming a realtor. After the party I friended him on Facebook, and then I saw him again a few weeks later and we exchanged greetings.

Then recently I got a message from Andy via Facebook. He said he'd been reading my blog for almost a year, without knowing who I was. Then as he was catching up on my blog after the party he realized that we'd met each other at the party in Jan.

So although I wasn't recognized in public like by fellow bloggers, I was recognized after the fact, which kinda makes me feel special.

Weekend highlights

Sat I worked and Spouse went to the gym. Steven & Thad joined the new gym so Spouse went with them for free as their guest, rather than going to the ghetto gym. I left work early because we were due for an early dinner at 4:00 at Steven & Thad's. Their good friends John & Carol Ann came down from NJ for a visit but were leaving that night, which explained the reason for dinner at 4:00. Steven made his version of braciole (pronounced bra-shole), meatballs, Italian sausage, spaghetti, shells, and salad. Spouse & I brought plain ciabatta and rosemary focaccia, and Carol Ann brought a homemade pound cake. We had a delicious dinner and a wonderful time visiting with our buddies and their good friends.

Sun morning Spouse went to the ghetto gym and I went to the new gym as Steve & Thad's guest. Its really nice! Its a huge space with lots and lots of machines, free towels, free yoga, free spinning, free zumba, free tanning, and a 'movie room' that shows films on a huge movie screen while you work out. Its open 24 hours and only costs $19.99 per month! Its all the things the ghetto gym is not and I love it. I'm definitely going to join. I spent an hour on the treadmill, on the 'weight loss' setting. Afterward Spouse met us for breakfast where I had a fruit plate and an egg sandwhich. Spouse had a fruit plate and an egg white omelette with spinach and mushrooms. Afterward we tood Jordan for a walk and then ran a few errands. Later that evening we went back to Steven & Thad's to try and finish the leftovers from the previous night's dinner. Then we watched Temple Grandin on DVD, starring Claire Danes, based on the real life story of Temple Grandin. We really liked it and I would recommend everyone add it to your Netflix queue.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post. From friend Jared sent me this odd marquee. Today I went on my very 1st listing appointment! As a buyers agent I typically won't be going on listing appointments, but my friend Ron referred his friends to me who want to sell their place and buy another. I'd done my research on their neighborhood and was prepared to present a factual estimate of their property's value. They verbally agreed to list their property with my firm and allow me to assist them in finding a new one. Strangely I really didn't feel nervous on the appointment. It felt quite normal and natural for me, which I believe is a confirmation that I'm in the right profession. My friend Jared provided me with this ditty.

I completed my 2nd week at the real estate office. Time is flying by!

A visit with the vet

This afternoon I took off work early to take Jordan to the vet. It had been a year and a 1/2 since her last exam and I also had some questions for the vet regarding some new behaviors and developments. She was very good during the exam - not restless like Pouncer always was.

We've had Jordan for 14 years. When we got her from the beagle/basset hound rescue league we were told she was 2 years old, but when we took her to the vet the 1st time the vet suggested she was likely older than 2. The vet explained that rescue leagues tend to under estimate dogs' ages because they think everyone wants a young dog. So at a MINIMUM Jordan is 16 years old, but is probably more like 17 or 18. That's 119 or 126 to you and me!

Overall the vet was impressed with Jordan's general health and condition considering her advanced age. However we left the office with 2 different kinds of antibiotics; 1 for a suspected infection around 1 of her back teeth, and another for a suspected infection at the base of her tail which the vet characterized as 'canine acne'. Additionally we were given a solution to flush out her ears (typical for beagles and basset hounds) and drops for the small, fleshy tumors around her eyes. The vet also expressed her anal glands and trimmed her nails.

I know it sounds like a lot but all of the treatments are only for a week; then they're all complete and she'll go back to not having any medication or treatment at all. Not bad for such an old girl!

The vet saw no reason why Jordan wouldn't be with us for several years to come.

Progress here in DE

Today the committee held a hearing regarding SB30 (the civil unions bill) at Legislative Hall in Dover, DE. Although not specifically mentioned in this article, at least 3 of my friends were among the 50 who signed up and were able to give testimony in support of the bill. One of them was my friend (and personal trainer) Rick.

It never ceases to amaze me that people will continue to haul out those old, tired arguments about how legalizing civil unions will take us dangerously close to that infamously "slippery slope" of humans wanting to have civil unions with animals, and adults wanting to have civil unions with children. Don't they realize that human/animal relationships and adult/child relationships have just as much potential among heterosexuals? SB30 is not asking for either of those things. Its asking for legal recognition of civil rights for 2 people of the same sex who wish to formally join their lives under the law.

And leave it to the great little state of DE to have testimony offered up by someone who was sent directly from Jesus Christ! (Page 2)

Fortunately the 4 committee members were able to process the facts and sift out the sh*t, and they released the bill from committee and sent it to the state senate floor.

If the bill eventually gets signed into law by our Democratic governor, Spouse & I will definitely solemnize our civil union under the law. Just 1 of the positive ways this will impact us is that it will allow me to obtain health insurance through Spouse's employer at a significant savings over what I am currently paying for private coverage as a self-employed individual.

I'll keep you posted.

Approved

This afternoon I was notified via email from the DE Division of Professional Regulation that my real estate license was approved!

I was thinking that I may have to wait several more weeks until the Real Estate Commission had its next monthly meeting on 4/14. But I have a friend who is a member of the Commission and he told me they would soon be implementing an expedited approval process for applications that meet certain criteria. Since mine met the criteria, it was approved before the next meeting.

This means I can now speak to clients about specific properties, quote prices, and move forward with the other necessary actions that will result in me getting my Realtor designation, MLS access, and a lockbox key card.

I'm on my way!

Weekend highlights

Sat morning Spouse went to the (ghetto) gym and I went to work. Yes, gone are the days of having Saturdays off. However I did get to ride along with an agent who was showing property to a couple from the DC who are looking for a 2nd home at the beach. It was nice to be able to observe how the agent worked with them, and I was glad to have some common ground with them (being from DC) for conversation. That evening Spouse & I had dinner at home (a rarity for a Sat) and then watched a DVD from Netflix "Grey Gardens" with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. It was really good - I would recommend it.

Sun morning Spouse & I met Steven for breakfast at the Long Neck Diner. (Thad was visiting his mother in PA.) On the way home we stopped at the grocery store, then I made sweet potato shuffle (the crowd-pleasing recipe I've made a thousand times) while Spouse was at the gym. That evening we took the sweet potato shuffle to Chris & Jason's for a pre-Easter dinner. We had ham, macaroni and cheese, baked ziti, salad, and the sweet potato shuffle, plus lots of desserts. We had a great time with our friends.

It was a nice weekend.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget but too small to be their own post.

My friend Lisa posted this on Facebook and I laughed... hard! Today I accompanied 1 of my colleagues as she took a client to see several new construction communities. It was really educational for me to learn about the different builders/developers and to see the variation in HOA fees and what they cover. Good info!

Yesterday a bill was introduced in DE that would grant legal 'civil union' status to same sex couples. (Opposite sex couples would not be eligible since they can get married.) The civil union bill status would give the exact same rights and privileges as marriage, but since so many people are against using the word "marriage" for gays and lesbians, the term "civil union" is being used. Although I prefer full "marriage" equality, I believe that this civil union bill could be a stepping stone toward eventual "marriage" for GLBT Delawareans.

Model

My 1st 3 days at the office I didn't leave the office. I got set up on the systems and listened and observed a lot. However, today was different.

One of my colleagues mans the model home/sales office at a new construction development nearby on Thursdays. However, today he needed to leave for an hour or so to show a property to a client so he asked me to come with him to the sales office. He showed me around the 3 models, then showed me the brochures to give out to the public. He gave me the 'schedule A' which details the prices for all the options a homeowner can choose from.

And with that, he left for his appointment and I was manning the sales office.

I read through the sales brochure to learn all the standard features of the models, then practiced pricing out the options found in the model so I could give a potential buyer and idea of how much a home just like the model would cost. Afterward I used the computer to access my mail and check in on Facebook.

Finally, I heard the door open and I hoped it was my 1st potential client walking in. However, it was just my colleague returning from his showing.

It was fun to learn something new, and now I feel like I could fill in for him again anytime.

Drunk

I saw these on a friend's blog and had to share them. Enjoy!

First day

Yesterday was my 1st day at the new office.

Much of the day was spent getting me connected to all the various systems, applications, printers, networks, drives and such. I also got better acquainted with the others on the team. (I'd met them before.)

I can't actually work with clients yet as I'm still waiting for my real estate license to be approved. But just being in the office and hearing what's going on should be good for me. Also I will be accompanying other agents on property showings, and doing other tasks and errands that do not require a license. In the meantime I will be familiarizing myself with the properties for sale and all the neighborhood names.

Its an exciting time!

Weekend highlights

Sat morning Spouse went to the gym while I enjoyed my favorite Sat morning routine: coffee and back-to-back episodes of "Sell This House" in my robe. When he came home we both showered and had lunch, then went out to do a little shopping and run a few errands. That afternoon Spouse took a little nap and I watched a DVR'd episode of "Million Dollar Listings".

We met Steven & Thad for dinner at Serendipity, a restaurant with a fabulous view of the Indian River. We all enjoyed the Italian Buffet.

Sun morning we had Jason & Kevin over for breakfast. Spouse made blueberry-oatmeal pancakes, scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage, and fruit salad. It was fun to hang out with them and hear about them settling into their new place. Afterward the 4 of us met up with Steven & Thad at Rita's Italian Ice. Since it was the 1st day of Spring, Rita's was giving out FREE Italian ice to everyone who came in. Afterward Spouse & I went to the grocery store, then roasted some veggies and chicken and set the table for an early dinner. Steven & Thad came over for dinner and we had the roasted chicken and veggies, basmati rice with almonds and cranberries, and salad. They brought strawberry shortcake for dessert. It was a really nice way to wind up the weekend.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

A friend sent me this, which cracked me up!

We've all seen the 'People of Walmart' photos. My friend and frequent blog hilarity contributor Jared sent me this hilarious video about Walmart and Homeland Security!

Our state tax refunds arrived in today's mail! It took less than a week from the date of e-file for them to issue and mail the checks. I will happily deposit them this evening on the way to dinner.

Today is housecleaning day for me. I should split it up and do some cleaning over a few days, but instead I'm doing it all today. Man, do I miss having a housekeeper.

My friend Wayne sent me this hilarious video! Enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Happy birthday Liz!

About a year and 1/2 ago Spouse & I met a woman named Liz at Thad's birthday party. We liked her and hung out a few times. But a few months later Liz took a job transfer and moved to NY. She came back to visit a couple times and we got together with her then.

Fortunately 2 weeks ago Liz moved back! She took a new job and moved into a new place.

In addition to today being St Patrick's Day, its also Liz's birthday so Steven & Thad organized a birthday happy hour this evening at Saketumi, which turned into dinner.

Thad & Spouse went to Weight Watchers 1st, so initially it was Liz, Steven, Carlos, the Bobs, and me. I stopped and picked up a bunch of helium-filled mylar birthday balloons on my way and Steven brought a birthday hat for Liz to wear. We had drinks and appetizers in the bar area until Thad & Spouse arrived, then we all decided to move to a table and order dinner.

Of course our food and service at Saketumi were exceptional, as usual. They always treat us well there. After our plates had been cleared, the manager Kim (who is also a personal friend) brought out a cake with candles that Steven had brought. We sang the Happy Birthday song and Liz dug into the cake.

We had a great time and, more importantly, Liz had a great time.

Caravan

This morning I went on my 1st 'agents caravan'.

An agents caravan is an organized tour of new listings obtained by agents within a particular brokerage designed to familiarize their agents with these new properties available for sale. (Think of it as an open house just for employees.) The properties aren't necessarily located near each other, but are seen on the same day because they are new listings. Even though I'm not technically going into the office until next Mon, I accepted the invitation from my new brokerage to go on the agents caravan this morning.

It lasted about 2 hours and we saw 8 homes. My new brokerage owns a shuttle bus so I met everyone at the parking lot and joined them on the bus. We started by viewing a home with gorgeous views of the Delaware Bay, listed at $1,995,000. How would you like to wake up to this view?

The 7 homes that followed were all very nice, but with far less dramatic views and price tags.

After the agents caravan ended I went for a haircut, then went on another tour of homes!

Another brokerage was having a 'brokers open' for several of their oceanfront and oceanview homes. A brokers open is an invitation to realtors from any/all brokerages to see their listings in a certain neighborhood. Since this one was featuring several oceanfront homes I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity to see them, eventhough I'll probably not have a client to buy such houses for years to come.

The 1st home was oceanfront, 6 bedrooms, professionally furnished and decorated, with direct beach access, an in-ground pool, and elevator, and stunning ocean views from nearly every room, listed for $3,995,000. Seriously, who wouldn't want to see this from their deck? The next home was 1 lot back from oceanfront and needed some renovating, but was still listed at over $2,000,000. There were 6 properties on this tour, with only 2 of them under 1 million.

So in the span of 5 hours I toured 14 homes with a combined value of almost $20 million. Not exactly your average Wed.

But, maybe it will be.

A big decision

Yesterday I 'sealed the deal' and made a decision regarding the brokerage with which I'm affiliating. Now I have a place to go to work!

It used to be that every real estate agent was an independent agent (working under a brokerage) listing homes for sale and assisting buyers with purchasing homes. Nowadays real estate agents can also specialize in just listing homes or just assisting buyers with purchasing (ie: a buyer's agent). For various reasons I've decided to be a buyer's agent on an existing real estate team headed by an extremely successful listing agent. So the majority of my work will center around showing homes to potential buyers who call into the office due to a listing they've seen.

I feel a bit of a sense of accomplishment at getting the offer to be on this existing, highly successful team. Since I'm new it will mean I'll have instant credibility and cache when assisting potential buyers. And the fact that the listing agent has a LOT of listings means there are more people calling in to request a showing.

I can't actually work with clients until my license is approved, but I'm going to start going into the office beginning next Mon to get set up on the network, learn the office procedures, begin getting familiar with the inventory, and accompany some of the other team members on appointments. I'm very excited!

Yesterday afternoon my friend Joey (the mortgage broker) invited me to join him and some realtors for a realtors open house tour in a nearby town. Joey's mortgage company sponsored the tour to promote the company. So this afternoon I met them at a restaurant parking lot and got onto the shuttle bus they'd hired to drive us to the various homes. We saw a variety of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos. After the tour the bus brought us back to the restaurant and many of us went inside to the bar to chit-chat over drinks. It was fun and gave me a chance to tour homes in a nearby area that I might not normally get to show, and gave me a chance to meet and network with other realtors. I told you Joey was a really nice guy!

Weekend highlights

Fri night we had our weekly dinner with 'the usual suspects'. Spouse got a ride home with Steven & Thad because dinner ran late which put me late getting to an art show featuring my friend Michael Sprouse's work. In fact, when I arrived there were only 2 cars in the lot; those of Michael and his partner George. Although the lights were off, I saw movement inside so I knocked on the glass doors. They let me in and I looked at the pieces that did not sell and we talked a bit. I apologized for being late but explained that I thought more people would be there toward the end than at the beginning of the show. As I got back in the car my friend Scott texted me and suggested I meet him at the Blue Moon for Divas Show, so I agreed. We talked a bit and watched the show together. He works at home too so sometimes he feels the need to 'get out of the house' even though his partner wants to stay home. Scott and I definitely have that in common.

Sat morning got to enjoy my favorite Sat morning routine: watch back-to-back episodes of "Sell This House" and drink coffee in my bathrobe. Since I was in real estate school in Jan & Feb and the 1st Sat in Mar, this was the 1st time I'd been able to indulge in this simple pleasure since before Christmas. While I was doing that, Spouse went to gym. When we returned we went for a walk on the boardwalk, stopped in at a few stores on the way home, and picked up some needed groceries. We had a late lunch, then I spent some time on the computer while Spouse took a nap. I spread some weed & feed on the lawn, and then we got ready to go to our friend Pete's birthday dinner at Nage. Pete & Alex live in PA but decided to spend Pete's birthday weekend at the beach so they invited their friends from PA & DC to join them (and us locals) for dinner. There were 18 of us and we had a great time. The food was terrific, and instead of a birthday cake, 1 of the guys made 5 homemade pies for dessert! I couldn't believe we were there for nearly 4 hours.

Spouse & I had a leisurely Sun morning, then went with Steven & Thad to BJ's wholesale club. We don't have a membership so we occasionally enjoy going with them. Afterward we hung out at their house where Spouse tried to make chocolate chip cookies using a George Foreman grill! A little later we had a tasty Mexican dinner at La Tonalteca, then tried to walk off some of the guilt and calories on the boardwalk and around town. It was fun to hang out most of the day with our buddies. That evening we just relaxed and watched TV.

It was my 1st full weekend without having to drive up north to real estate school, and we had a great weekend.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

This week I organized the tax refund info and sent it all to the accountant. Today he emailed me with our refund totals and I believe I emitted an audible squeal! Those refunds will come in very handy to pay bills until I start making money. He's e-filing for us this year so our returns were electronically submitted today.

My friend Jared didn't disappoint with this timely cartoon.

A friend posted this on Facebook and I just had to share it with you all. Oh how I love cheese!

About 2 weeks ago or so I was looking through a local publication and noticed a large ad for an independent mortgage company, along with names and photos of the people who work there. I recognized 1 of the names as a guy I'd met about 15 years ago doing volunteer work. Sure enough, when I looked at his photo I could tell it was Joey. Since the place is just a few miles from our house I drove over there and asked to see him. I introduced myself and told him that I'd seen the mortgage company ad and remembered him from our volunteer days. We exchanged emails and made plans to meet for lunch today. Now that I am becoming a realtor, its great to have a friend in the mortgage business who had access to several lenders and can recommend just the right mortgage option to my future clients. But the best part was the fact that he's just a really nice guy. I can see us doing social things together in the future too.

Fair warning

As I've been mentioning here and there, I'm going through a major life change. I was laid off last Nov from a job with which I wasn't engaged. Rather than choosing to look for another such job, I decided to follow my long-time interest in real estate and take steps to become an agent.

I enrolled in real estate school which began in Jan and ended in early Mar. During that time I began having conversations with friends who were realtors with different brokerages in order to determine where I'd go to work.

So consider yourselves fair warned that many future posts may be real estate oriented. Its a major consideration in my life right now so I'm bounded to feel like talking about it here.

Time

Last fall when I learned I would be laid off from my job I thought that the 'silver lining' to the unemployment cloud would be that I'd have more time keep up with the blogs I read and to write more thoughtful and entertaining posts.
I don't understand it, but it seems I have less time for blogging and blog reading than I did when I worked full-time. It makes no sense to me.

Maybe its the lack of a routine.

Maybe its that I'm still doing a lot of other stuff, just not work-related stuff.

Maybe I'm just spending too much time on facebook.

I hope I can get back into a groove again soon. I don't want to be 'phoning in' my posts or missing days/weeks of my friends' blogs. Transition times can have unexpected consequences.

The big day

I spent most of yesterday studying for my state and national board exam for real estate.

This morning I got up at 6am, showered, dressed, grabbed a cup of coffee to go, and and was on the road by 6:45. I arrived at the testing center at exactly 7:30 and saw 1 of my classmates Melissa going in the building. I had forgotten she was testing the same day at the same time as me.

After checking in I was photographed and then instructed to removed my cell phone, wallet, and all contents from my pockets and to lock them in a locker with my jacket. The only thing you're permitted to take in the testing room is your ID to virtually eliminate cheating. The exam was 100% computer-based, 120 multiple choice questions. It took me just under 2 hours to complete the exam. The questions were worded in such a way that I had to re-read some of them 3-4 times to make sure I selected the correct answer. In some cases just 1 word of a 50-word sentence can change the answer.

Once I'd completed the exam and retrieved my belongings I emailed Spouse from the car. Just two words: I PASSED!

Once I got back to town I met Steven for $5. sandwiches in our typical Tuesdays with Murphy style. When I got home I found Spouse was there. He'd come home early after getting my email so we could celebrate. We tried going for a walk on the boardwalk but it was only in the 40s and the wind was too brisk, so instead we just walked around town and talked about my new real estate career.

Spouse thought we should have a celebration dinner at Fish On so we called and invited our buddies Steven & Thad to join us. They agreed and we met them at 6:30. Since our celebration dinner happened to be on Fat Tuesday, I started with a Mardi Gras rum cocktail. For dinner I had the creamy cajun penne with seafood and chorizo which was SO delicious! Spouse had the roasted salmon with bacon brussel sprouts.

After lots of jokes and good-natured teasing that included words like "mogul", "tycoon", and "Donald Trump Jr" the 4 of us shared 2 luscious desserts and coffee. The good old fashioned apple pie was served warm with caramel sauce and topped with cinnamon ice cream.

Oh. Em. Gee.

The big fat chocolate cake was topped with vanilla ice cream and came with a sliver pitcher of warm chocolate sauce to pour over it.

Absolutely decadent but perfectly appropriate for our celebration.

Weekend highlights

Fri night we had dinner with 'the usual suspects' and then afterward, in a strange and likely unrepeatable fluke, I was able to convince Spouse to join me and Steven & Thad at the Divas Drag Show at the Blue Moon. (Spouse would be perfectly happy never stepping foot into a bar again.) It was fun and I think Spouse enjoyed it much more than he expected.

Sat morning I made my final trek north for real estate school. We reviewed of our 3 final exams, had an opportunity to ask questions, and heard tips about taking the state and national board exam. I shared the chocolate chip pecan cookies with everyone and then we received certificates. Once I got back in town I met Spouse, Jason & Kevin, and a couple friends who were helping move some furniture and stuff out of a storage unit. I helped rearrange some furniture but they were mostly done when I arrived. To thank us for helping, Jason & Kevin treated us to a late lunch at the Green Turtle. I had a California burger. Then Spouse & I did a little clearance shopping at the outlet mall. I got $130. unstructured sport coat from Ralph Lauren Polo for $32. and a $99. Kenneth Cole jacket for $29. I get tickled when I find such 'extreme deals' on things I'll surely use.

Later that evening we met Steven & Thad, 1 of the Bobs, Jack & Alisha, and Robin for dinner at Claws. I had fried oysters - yum! Jack is in law school and I just finished real estate school so those 2 topics and politics dominated the conversation. Once back at home Spouse & I watched 4th and final DVD in the "United States of Tara" series. It was really good and I can't wait for the new season to come on Showtime so that season 3 will become available on DVD.

It rained overnight so Sun morning we slept in, then met Steven for breakfast at the Long Neck Diner. Its especially fun to meet friends for breakfast on a rainy day. Afterward we met Thad at their house and watched "The Social Network". I'd heard mixed reviews of it from friends but I liked it. After returning home Spouse went grocery shopping while I watched some TV shows I'd recorded on the DVR. (I hate grocery shopping.) That evening we met Steven & Thad and 1 of the Bobs for dinner at Mixx since they had a 'Buy 1 get 1 free' entree special. I had the Chicken Roulade and Spouse had the Pretzel Encrusted Rockfish. We both liked our meals.

That was our weekend; plenty to do but enjoyable.

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post.

My friend Rick sent me this video. Its shocking to me how stupid or ignorant some Americans are! And the scariest part? They vote.

My friend Jared sent me these wacky photos of Paula Deen.

I believe they're from this site. Pretty funny stuff!

Tomorrow is my last day of real estate school. We're going to review our 3 finals exams, have an opportunity to ask questions of our instructors, and receive our certificates. I decided to make chocolate chip pecan cookies today to take to 'graduation'.

Speaking of real estate school, I've been reviewing the highlighted areas of my text books and taking some online practice tests to prepare myself for the state and national board exam on Tues morning. I'm feeling somewhat confident so far.

This weekend is the annual chocolate festival. Its not a big deal, in that its only 4 hours long. Spouse & I have never been to it, and won't be able to go this year either, since I will be at school and then we'll be helping a friend move some stuff. Maybe next year.

Decisions, decisions

So, assuming I pass the state and national board exam the 1st time, I'll be given a form that represents my license. (They don't give you your actual license.) Once you've selected a brokerage firm with which to affiliate, you give the form to the broker of the firm and they send the form and some other paperwork to the Real Estate Commission. The Commission reviews and approves the license request, then sends the actual license to the broker who must then display it in the brokerage. That's how the process of getting the license works. The license is sent to your brokerage, not to you.

So in addition to going to school and, more recently, studying for the state and national board exam, I've also been doing due diligence in an attempt to select the right broker and brokerage with which to affiliate. I've had multiple conversations with multiple parties, and let me tell you, it ain't easy. There are pros and cons to all of them. There are so many different things to consider.

Hopefully I will have all the data I need to make an informed decision soon, since I'm taking the exam next Tues. I'm anxious to get to work!

Its a date

Yesterday I scheduled my taking of the state and national board exam for real estate licensure!

Now that I've passed the 3 finals and will 'graduate' from real estate school this coming Sat, I am eligible to take the combined state and national board exam. I scheduled it for next Tues, Mar 8 at 8am.

It is administered at a testing facility about 45 minutes away and the instructions on the website indicate that everyone must arrive 30 minutes prior to the start time of the test for check-in. Check-in includes submitting my passing certificate from school, reviewing and making copies of my 2 forms of ID, and checking to make sure I have nothing in my pockets or on my person that could allow me to cheat. Seriously, you're not even allowed to take a wallet into the testing area.

So, the test begins at 8:00 but I have to be there by 7:30. It takes 45 minutes to get there so I'll need to leave by 6:45. I guess I'll get up at 6:00 to allow time for a shower and a cup of coffee.

The exam is taken on a computer, so there's no filling in of 'bubbles' like in the olden days. It is a combined exam, meaning the single exam contains questions common to real estate agents in all states and questions specific to DE state law. There is a maximum of 80 multiple choice questions covering general real estate principles, real estate law, and real estate math. Once a passing score/percentage has been reached the exam will end, even if all 80 questions haven't been administered. A maximum of 4 hours is allowed, but most people I've talked to have indicated it took them less than 2 hours.

Possibly the best part of the exam is that immediately upon completion of the exam I will know for sure that I've passed. No excruciating waiting for results!!!

My mission this week: STUDY!

Tuesdays with Murphy

Probably everyone is familiar with the book "Tuesdays with Morrie". Well, I recently realized that I have Tuesdays with Murphy.

"Tuesdays with Morrie" is about a man who spends time on Tuesdays with his favorite college professor (who is dying of ALS) named Morrie. Tuesdays with Murphy is about my recurring Tuesday lunch date with my friend Steven, whose nickname is Murphy. There isn't much similarity between the 2 stories other than the day of the week and the sound of their names.

My friend Steven has had a difficult time finding and keeping a competent assistant, so we started calling him Murphy after the 90s TV show "Murphy Brown". Murphy was an exacting TV news reporter who just couldn't keep an assistant. In nearly every episode Murphy would arrive at the station to find a different person attempting to assume the role.

Steven/Murphy works just a few minutes from where Spouse & I live. About 6 months ago I started meeting him for lunch at a sandwich shop that offered a big discount on Tuesdays. The sandwiches are interesting and delicious, and range in price from $6.99 - $8.99 but on Tuesdays they're all just $5. Thus began my tradition of Tuesdays with Murphy.

Occasionally we've invited others to join us, but most of the time its just the 2 of us. Although I'll soon be starting work as a realtor, I expect to continue having lunch on Tuesdays with Murphy.