I Haven't Read Any More Books Lately

There are currently 6,269 homes for sale for 5 million + people. If you count mobile homes, condos and townhouses, there are 8,245 properties for sale. Therefore there isn't a lot of work out there.

That's ok. Even though I haven't read anything else, I've watched (losing) baseball, worked on a knitting project and I just finished writing a draft of a short story--just for fun.

Eventually I need to consider other employment options. But right now I am still enjoying the the quiet.

I Worked Yesterday

Twice. Actually.

Steve, remember him? Well, he is building a house. Yesterday was his first visit with the construction superintendent. He invited me to come along, saying all along, "I don't want to bother you." and "Are you sure?" and "Please don't feel obligated..."

Honestly, after being cooped up, getting out for any reason sounded like a good idea. It gave me a chance to do my hair, slap on some mascara and put on something other than a t-shirt and yoga pants. So, why not!

Well, unfortunately the builder's lawyers have helped them set up social distancing guidelines which I am sure are super-reasonable and I am just pissy. Right? Anyway, the builder was not allowing more than three people in the 50' x 50' clubhouse and me coming along exceeded the number of folks (there was two other people in the entire building). In fact, Steve was in a Zoom meeting with the construction superintendent--who wasn't even there anyway! It turns out Steve was ok without me there. I was just along to get out of the house anyway.

The second bit of work came from an old acquaintance who sent me a text asking for a picture of my business card because she and her husband were thinking about looking at New Build homes this weekend. But they didn't want to bother me. When I called her she said they weren't planning on making a move for about ten months. They just wanted to see what was out there. When I heard why they were waiting, I can see that. But I did talk to her about the state of the real estate market.

I've Read 23 Books Since March

There are currently 6,246 single family homes (and if you combine condos, townhomes, etc. it is 8,216 total units) for sale in an area the size that is larger than Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut and Hawaii combined. So, not much work for real estate agents.

If you need more perspective: there are 1.4 million housing units in these two counties. So, if my math is correct, that is 0.6% of available homes in the area are for sale. In fact, I was told today there is some zip code in Litchfield Park, where is only ONE unit for sale*. I can imagine that seller being pissy at their agent, "My home has been on the market for three days and I don't have any offers!"

I have three more books I am concurrently reading--all will probably be done by Sunday. Baseball season starts on Friday. Plus, I have a knitting project. In other news, I am more peaceful than I have been in years.

*Yea... it's probably under contract by now and the agent hasn't changed the listing.

The Most Boring Real Estate Classes Ever

He kind of looks like the dude who teaches the
Broker Management courses too

The Arizona Department of Real Estate dictates all designated brokers take three broker management courses every two years. These classes are all about the administrative angle of running a brokerage and cover such things as putting together a policy manual (course two) and how many years is one required to keep rejected contracts (one year, in case you were interested).

These mandatory classes are three hours apiece. The material never changes and never gets any more interesting than the above paragraph. I know of two instructors who are brave enough to teach this class: my friend Kaye and a very boring dude who talks like Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. However, Kaye isn't teaching much any more.

There is also the computer-based training method which is timed and requires a minimum of three hours of reading Arizona substantive policy while trying to pass the mandatory quiz. Because these three particular classes are so awful and nobody looks forward to taking them, the local real estate schools are giving them away to designated brokers during this pandemic. Figuring I needed them anyway and why not kill nine hours of my life getting these done, I signed up. I'm kinda wishing I could talk Kaye into teaching this just one more time. I would even be willing to pay. The good news is I won't need to do this again for another two years.

Three Years

We said good bye to the Flinstone mobile last week. It was a wonderful car, ran great and the AC blew cold. It was also 24 years old, about five inches off the ground (which isn't good for heavy traffic), a manual transmission (also not good for heavy traffic) and cost more to insure with two teenage drivers than the car is worth.

So, hopefully we blessed someone with this car, the way we were blessed with at a time when we desperately needed a hand up.

The car came from the Bonus Parents. It was a well timed gift, that I will always be grateful for.

Today is the third anniversary of Bonus Mom's entry into Heaven. I miss her terribly. The day the car went off, I bawled, as one more memory of her was leaving my life. When I was done crying I realized there is no way I will forget Bonus Mom--even when it isn't July 20th. It's just not possible. She was part of my life for 30 years. Her love and caring made me whole when I didn't think I could be. She taught me to be a better wife, mother, friend and overall human. She is the reason I walk this Earth, knowing I am somebody. I was somebody to her.

Constructive Feedback

I finally got to see the feedback from last week's class. For a class that was pretty much silent for six hours and we had to drag comments and questions out of, they sure had a lot to say in the surveys. One person just hated me and went after my character. Another person hated Beth's teaching style. Beth was still fuming days later, so I am not sure she sees this as constructive. That may be to my detriment.

As far as the person who went after my character, I can't control that. But I can control some of the events that led up to the character assignation--including not sharing personal items that aren't real estate related. You know, keep it professional. I think I tried to get too friendly, to get these kids to open up a bit more. Beth and I are pretty sure we know who wrote that. If so, I was doomed from the start (this person also made snide comments and held up class to get her materials together). Hopefully if the two of us ever have a transaction together it goes better.

Honestly, I am not upset with the feedback and will take it as a learning opportunity. There are things I can do to improve and I am already planning on a few tweaks to my presentation--including setting some better expectations for the class. That is, if Beth decides to let me teach for her again.

Not to Toot My Own Horn, But

I mean this honestly and humbly: I am a better instructor than Beth. I know this. Beth knows this. I also have more experience in real estate and can (and do) bring stories and real-world examples when I teach. Additionally, I am more personable. I work hard at making the 10 page purchase contract interesting and giving ways to help the students remember arduous terms and clauses.

The only reason I mention this is I suspect Beth will blame me for her school's one bad review. I need to keep in mind it isn't personal (with Beth). She has more invested in teaching than I do. Plus, it is her reputation on the line. I am just doing it right now for the experience so that I can go be an instructor for other schools at a later time.

Teaching Feedback

I am told the feedback from last week's class wasn't wonderful. To be fair, the feedback was only from three folks. But (at least one review) it was pointedly personal at Beth and me. It had nothing to do with the materials and content of the six hour class.

Beth is more upset about it than I am, which stands to reason because it is her school. The average age in that class was about 28 and I'm just gonna say this: there is a specific generation who get their feathers ruffled when they aren't treated as super-special. They were all in this generation.

Now then, the class was tough. It was a virtual class--not my favorite. We started very late, with lots of administrative hiccups and Beth began instruction of my part with me sitting there, so when I finally got in front of the students, my timing off. So there were hiccups from the get-go.

In addition, these students weren't terribly interactive. Honestly, I thought more than half were playing on Facebook the entire time. I couldn't get them to talk much and only when I drug something out of them--but I didn't have a ton of time--so I couldn't do a lot of dragging-the-answers-out-of-them kind of thing. When someone did ask a question or make a point, I made sure to comment with something along the lines of, "I think Mary has brought up an interesting observation..." types of replies. So, hearing I wasn't "personal" enough with the class is bunk. When I brought these personal examples up to Beth, she agreed--but I don't trust her enough to believe she will agree long-term, especially given how upset she was.

There are a few takeaways for me. First, I need to find ways to make my portion of the class more engaging and personal--so that my reviews don't ever reflect these types of comments again. Second, because I don't run the school I teach for and Beth has some serious ownership issues with how things are managed, I will have to work around any future Beth-starting-very-late-and-taking-over-when-she-shouldn't situations. At least I know I will need to manage that on my own in the future.

And third, if Beth is super-concerned about the three reviews, she may not want me to continue teaching for her. I didn't consider the feedback a big deal, but she does. And I am an easy scapegoat, given she can teach the class herself. As it stands right now, the next class is set for a date when I have a schedule conflict. Nothing is scheduled after that. So, who knows if I will be teaching for Beth again in the near future.

I've Read 20 Books Since March

There are currently 6,300 single family homes for sale in the Phoenix metro area. Last week there were 6,800 single family homes.

If you include condos, townhomes, mobile homes and duplexes there is a whopping total of 8,317 properties for sale for a metro area of 5 million-ish. To give you perspective, a "balanced market" is about 35,000 homes.  So, there isn't a lot of work for real estate agents. And frankly, I'm not going to too much effort right now.

If anyone calls me to list their home or wants to buy something in this insane market, I am on it. Otherwise, I am sitting right here, with a book in my hand, enjoying my quarantined summer.

Mixed Emotions

Student Feedback, I guess

I had a chance to teach the purchase contract again today. It is a long class (six hours), and I only had to teach the first three--which is kind of the major portion of the purpose of the class. Beth taught the second three hours, going over other additional forms.

I'm slightly frustrated because the class was disorganized at the beginning and Beth, who was in charge, kind of took over my first topic, though I don't think she meant to. But it sort of ruined my mojo. Anyway, Beth got down to business 30 minutes late and so I ran behind. Again.

This week I practiced several times. It wasn't the content I was rehearsing but my delivery and timing. I think if class had been more organized upfront, my delivery and timing would have been a bit better. It is sad when rehearsal goes better than the actual class.

Teaching is fun. I wish I was doing it live instead of over the computer. Beth prefers the computer--and if I stay with her after the social distancing sanction is lifted, I am going to have to reevaluate this. What I'm teaching is complicated stuff and some of it would be better if I could see my students' body language to know if they were truly understanding. I also think it would be better if I wasn't team teaching.

Anyway, the students said they learned something new. So, there's that. Beth took a screen capture of her last question: "What did I learn today." Nice to see a variety of answers.

In Case I Forgot to Mention It

Marty got word his job is safe for the remainder of 2020 and (at this moment) beyond.

Monitoring

The Arizona Department of Real Estate has specific rules for the their continuing education. For the online classes: 1. one must have their butt in a chair at all times, 2. one's face must be visible at all times and 3. one's first and last name must be visible. How hard is that? Seriously? I am asking because I have a seven year old nephew who can figure this out.

Now then, I just monitored a class for the Association. I've done it before in person. It is kind of my voluntary job as a member of the Association's Professional Development committee. In addition to me motioning this class, there was an actual representative from the ADRE listening in on the class as well. Talk about pressure!

My job as monitor was to (follow along here): 1. make sure I could see every face, 2. make sure everyone was in their chairs and 3. make sure everyone had their first and last name visible in the zoom meeting. Mind you, these are the people the public trusts with the sale of their home. 

So, for the last three hours, I monitored 113 folks, who were to pay attention to the instructor (someone I really was excited to hear). I was to make sure they were following rules 1-3. THAT WAS MY ENTIRE JOB. And I ended up doing it non-stop for three hours. I don't know how many times I wrote, "Please make sure your first and last name are visible, as it is an ADRE guideline and the only way you will receive continuing education for this class." And I ask, why are they changing their name half way through the class anyway? 

I mean it when I say I went from face to face, fishing out those who couldn't comply for the sake of the masses, sending them private messages and in one case actually kicking someone out of class. You see, ADRE thinks its "distracting" if those simple rules are not followed. And if one person can't follow the rules, the rest of the 112 folks don't get the continuing education credit either. 

For the sake of this blog, I made a list of what I saw, because I know y'all would want to know: 

• Guitar playing (I think he was smoking a joint too). 
• Yoga, specifically the down-dog position and her butt was definitely NOT in the chair. 
• Teeth, ear, and nose picking (sorry)
• Wardrobe malfunctions (Dear Heavens! Put on a bra people!)
• Crotch shots--the number of folks I had to ask to please move their camera BACK UP was more than three but less than 30. I think.
• Someone putting on make-up.  
• Someone laying in a bed--who almost got kicked out because she couldn't find a chair and the rule is--I'm not making this up--she is to be sitting in a chair. 
• Someone brought his tablet to the bathroom with him, so I could see his face the entire time. I know this because he told me he was going to and I saw him walk down the hall. 
• Folks smoked, ate and one dude had a beer. Lucky guy. I want one now. 
• There were a few cute toddlers and puppies as well who managed to make their way into the zoom meetings. There was even a mommy coloring with her little girl. But hey! She followed the rules! 

And let's not forget the technically adroit, who couldn't simply just sit and listen, nope, she had to keep asking questions--two hours in, mind you--about how Zoom works, which was not the topic of the class. We all know that person. She was in this class.

Anyway, its over. Hopefully we will all get credit for this class. Yes, even I get continuing education credit for today (even though I didn't get to fully pay attention to the instructor) because my butt was in the chair at all times, my face was visible and my first and last name were displayed. 

God Bless The USA

Home Free is one of my favorite bands. I found them a few years ago.

My friend Freedom posted this on her blog. Thought THIS was totally worth sharing.

Happy Independence Day my friends.


Here's the link below if it doesn't work above.

https://www.military.com/video/air-force-teams-lee-greenwood-patriotic-god-bless-usa-performance

Crazy Makers

My New Real Estate

Yesterday on the super-secret realtor only (ONLY) forum, someone posted that the seller of a home their buyer was closing THAT DAY has Covid. Well, that kind of sucks. The post was really about masks and why we should all wear them, because "you never know." It wasn't about how one handles a seller who is sick in their home and is supposed to move out immediately--which would have been more interesting post to me.

Another post was from a selling agent who listed a house with a tenant in place. The tenant says they have Covid and now refuses to allow any buyer inside the home. Plus, the tenant is not paying the rent because they are too sick to work. So, the owner is (probably) not paying the mortgage.

Then there was the post of someone who had two clients with Covid cases--plus one buyer got furloughed. Oh joy!

And finally there was a post about how San Francisco has passed a permanent ban on evictions because of Covid. What's the point of having a lease if that's the case? Oh... my head hurt.

At any rate, I don't want to play this game and told Marty as much. "Are you quitting?" He asked. No, not really. But I think I will stay in my hidey-hole until the world is done with their crazy.