It\u2019s easy to feel inadequate compared to Agent Joe Perfect, driving his fancy Lambo-Guzzi from one bazillion dollar listing to the next.<\/p>\n
But take heart in this fact: Agent Joe Perfect doesn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n
Oh sure, he\u2019s on \u201creality\u201d TV. But those shows could not be more bogus if they tried.<\/p>\n
And, yes, there\u2019s probably a few fakey-faker agents in your market, juggling payments on their McMansion (and everything in it).<\/p>\n
The Lambo-Guzzi? It\u2019s a lease.<\/p>\n
Hey, I\u2019m NOT saying you can\u2019t get rich being a REALTOR\u00ae. You certainly can!<\/p>\n
But I\u2019ve noticed that very few truly rich people flaunt their wealth.<\/p>\n
For example, Warren Buffett lives in a modest home he bought in 1958 for $31,500.<\/p>\n
Do you think Mr. Buffett drives a Lambo-Guzzi?<\/p>\n
Nope. It\u2019s a 2014 Cadillac XTS, a car with a retail price around $45,000.<\/p>\n
And yet, every newbie straight out of Real Estate School thinks he needs to lease a fancy new Beemer he can\u2019t afford.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the image!\u201d<\/p>\n
Nope. It\u2019s not. \u200d <\/p>\n
It\u2019s about being the best you can be. It\u2019s about continually improving your knowledge and skills. It\u2019s about being a professional and providing excellent customer service.<\/p>\n
Those<\/em> things matter way<\/em> more to most people, compared to what kind of car you drive.<\/p>\n And those<\/em> things are far more likely to bring you real<\/em> success in Real Estate, compared to the faker-guy with no skills or integrity.<\/p>\n Okay, so you shouldn\u2019t show up to your listing appointment in a rust-bucket and barf oil all over the driveway.<\/p>\n But if you\u2019ve got a five-year-old Honda Accord (or equivalent), good enough!<\/p>\n Take care of it. Keep it clean.<\/p>\n Dress and act professionally. Be good at your job.<\/p>\n Just in case someone who knows me calls me out on this, yes, I\u2019ve owned some cool cars (and even cooler motorcycles) in my life. For example, that\u2019s my 2008 Mercedes E63 in the picture. It\u2019s been gone for a while now, but I still miss it. It was the last of the big AMGs with hand-built naturally-aspirated motors, producing 507 hp.<\/p>\n That probably sounds like a lot of nonsense to many of you.<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re a hard-core car-guy, like me!\u00a0 You see, I never bought anything to impress anyone but myself.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think I impressed any clients with the E63, anyway. Let\u2019s just say the suspension was better suited for a race car than chauffeuring clients. The ride was decidedly un-plush!<\/p>\n