No Shortcuts on the Way to Greatness

Have you ever met someone who has all the shortcuts figured out? They only put in a fraction of the work week, and they make ridiculous amounts of money?

Yeah, me neither.

I recently came across one of those “suggested posts” on Facebook.  It advertised “Free video shows how I sold over 200 homes in 2014.  While working only 1 day per week.”  I chuckled, took a screenshot (below), and flicked to the next post.  Though it makes for an enticing link, it’s a little comical to think people expect to get rich quick.  The reality, however, is that anything worth pursuing takes elbow grease and a whole lot of time.  There are a few great people who really understand this.  People not unlike Tom Hanks’ character in A League of Their Own.  Referring to baseball, he declares, “It’s supposed to be hard.  If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it.  The HARD is what makes it GREAT.”

Selling a house isn’t that different.  Any real estate agent can list your house TODAY and have it posted to the MLS.  But there’s not much elbow grease in just the act of listing a home.  Your house has potential to fetch MORE money if you sit down with a Realtor and really allow them to work their magic.  That agent can act as your consultant, offering ideas and suggestions when it comes to little things like fresh paint, staging, landscaping, cleaning, decluttering, and such.  Getting professional photographs taken instead of iPhone shots can create a whole new look and feel, attracting buyers who would have otherwise overlooked your home.  Measuring rooms for actual square footage instead of relying on the tax record could make a big difference in list price.  All of this in addition to putting a professional sign in the yard, getting a professional showing service to schedule showings, and conducting open houses equates to HARD work that makes the listing GREAT.

The HARD is what makes it GREAT.