Story time with Kari...

I try really hard to follow zero- inbox.. Or MY version of zero-inbox. I like to finish each day with an empty email inbox. Anyone else? I know there is a REAL process called zero-inbox or something like it, but I’ve never really looked into it. I just heard the concept and ran with it. I like it. It makes me feel like I am really at THE END of my work day…

Anyways, to my point, I do try to peek at each email before I decide what to do with it. I LOVE professional newsletters (like The Assist that I recommended last week) and I am a sucker for self-help, business tips and tricks and a feel good story here and there. I know I can’t read everything but some do suck me in. I realized yesterday that the ones that were catching me and making me nod my head in agreement as I read were the ones that were sharing personal stories and moments… even when they end up in a learning experience… I want to be THAT voice for you each week, so I am going to try to stir the pot a bit and add in some WHY and WHO IS THIS GIRL within my rambling Monday Motivations… I hope you learn a little about me and find my Monday newsletter “motivating”... as that is always my primary goal!?

PS - this is kind of long... I hope you will stay with me!

So, I know many of you know that I was a realtor for over 10 years. I love REAL ESTATE. I loved building connections with people and I really loved assisting people in BIG LIFE MOMENTS. I find my biggest moments of joy, in the joy of others. Side note: I remember telling my husband that I agree that Monkey Business sucks… it’s loud, the kids are running wild (especially ours) and it felt like “work” to chase toddlers around and God forbid help them climb up in those tunnels and inflatable things… Monkey Business is NOT FUN for parents! But… the kids actually LOVED the freedom and the fun and the slides and the climbing and …. The feeling of accomplishment, adrenalin rush, and overcoming the limitations they had in other settings. It was the PURE JOY that I could see in the kids' sticky dirty faces that made it all worth it…?

Anyways, back to my point -

I love seeing others succeed.?

So…. when I decided I was DONE WITH REAL ESTATE it really circled back to this. I had a very challenging client. They were out of town buyers with an open time frame for actually buying, needed to use their VA benefits to purchase, had a very tight budget and were at retirement age so needed a home that made sense for their long term goals. The market in KC was really competitive at the time and I felt like we were never going to WIN. After a year of showing properties (67 to be exact), losing 3 contracts to better offers and finaling convincing a FSBO to let me show their home before listing it on MLS (the price point would bring in a bazillion competing buyers) we found THE ONE. It was this FSBO and they loved it!! We went under contract, made it through inspections, appraisal… everything and then about 10 days prior to closing? they called and just said “We changed our minds. We aren’t going to buy it.” After much discussion and really no understanding WHY and WHAT they were thinking, I had to make the call and proceed with the cancellation. It broke my spirit… for so many reasons.?

• I am not the breadwinner but we do depend on my income.?
• The young family that we were buying had put down a large deposit on a new build and ended up having to cancel.?
• My clients were ugly about it, and got an attorney involved to get their (minimal) EMD returned.?

The whole thing felt terrible. While I had to represent my clients, I was so upset about how this affected all of us, myself included. And, I drew a line in the sand. I was DONE.?

And that really was the end for me and my real estate career. I didn’t sell or list another home. I found a “real job” and with a bitter deflated heart I closed the book.?

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I share this story with you as hindsight is just SO much clearer… I would have handled that situation so very different and I would have PUSHED EVEN HARDER if I had to do it all over. I am not regretful of the path my life has taken since then AT ALL, however I realize I am so much more resilient than I let myself believe at the time. I let my emotions get the best of me.?

I don’t want that for any of you. When you find yourself with a difficult client, a challenging transaction, or even a canceled contract KEEP GOING! One transaction, one client, one nasty lender or co-op agent is NOT the deciding factor of YOUR SUCCESS!?

When you find yourself in a position of doubt - here is my advice:

1. Do the NEXT BEST THING… focus on the clients, listings and marketing efforts that ARE filling your bucket.?
2. ?Express GRATITUDE… sometimes it takes ugliness to highlight the beauty! Had I not had YEARS OF SUCCESS and JOY within my real estate career this situation wouldn’t have felt SO terrible.?
3. And.. always remember THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU! We represent others….. We do not have to take their baggage. In fact… we can use every experience as motivation to keep on, keepin’ on.??

To wrap it up.. I LOVE that I have found a way to share my passion for real estate with others. While I didn’t think I would ever be back in this industry, I was not gone long.

I have found the administrative, business building, and backend support to be the NEXT BEST THING for me!?

Thank you for reading all of this, if you made it this far. I appreciate you. I know you work so very hard for your clients and I want you to remember the difference you make in the lives of others. You are moving mountains (or people… ) every single day!

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And when it comes to marketing and building your business... remember, it's not about doing everything—it's about doing a few things exceptionally well. And... it's not a ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL.?

Wishing you a fulfilling week and an open mindset when it comes to your marketing!

?If I can help you - please reach out! You will get ME, I promise!

Happy to have you here.?

~ Kari