Real Estate Agent - Hard Times Call for Desperate Measures.
Was watching ABC's Nightline program on 2/1/2010... The menu was as follows
- Psychic in Denver that talks to Dead Relatives.
- 10 American Missionaries Arrested in Haiti.
- America's first "Legal" Male Prostitute/Gigolo
I saw the lead in after the local news on www.KJCT8.comand thought wow! That's an interesting
sounding program. I thought ok, I will watch it. And yes I said "Nightline" - not "Hollywood Access".
My analysis of the show:
1. The "Psychic" seemed like a nice lady and like she helped people,
not a weird robe/hat and crystal ball. (not that I have any thing against
any of these folks, I just wouldn't ever pay for their services myself as
I don't believe in their abilities. I definitely wouldn't pay $500/hr as many do.)
2. The arrested folks in Haiti are in more trouble than they think, in my opinion. I wish them well and while they surly mean and/or meant well, it does seem they may of been a bit overzealous in their efforts. As a UNICEF individual stated, (loosely para-phrased)
"We have to make connecting these children with their natural parents job number one."
"Can you imagine being a mother, separated from your child, unsure of their where-abouts, only to find out they had been adopted out of the country to another family or place" and (my thoughts) because you are poor you would have no means to do anything about it.
I agree with the UNICEF, guy... Protect, love and care for the children, but find their parents, only if after this whole mess is sorted out and the parents are confirmed dead should the children be adopted out.
I believe in adoption (I have two adopted children myself) and I believe it is a well intentioned act, but one must respect the children's existing family if one exists, they must want or need to give the child up.
Even this skirts on questionable if the parents are "promised a LOT" or paid a "lot" essentially bribed to sell their child off to save or help their others... To me this is wrong!
3. Now for the funny part... Mr American Gigolo...
Forget his name, but he did have nice abs... (tinge of jealousy).
Former Marine, a bit "cocky" you might say.
Anyway, the funny parts to me were as follows: while interviewing purveyor of the "ranch/farm/brothel"...
She says she may expand in the future and add more guys. She continued, and it wont be hard to find more guys...
We had over a hundred applicants for the position.... she lists off various people and careers... and ends with "and even a couple of real estate agents". (at least she didn't say "Realtors")
I laughed and nudged my girlfriend like hey hey... but then I thought why do we really need more mud slung our way...
I know times are tough and I gotta say, it doesn't sound like this would be too "hard of work". Still why mention your a "real estate agent" on your application?
Do Real Estate agents ooze sensuality and sizzle?
Then the news reporter asked how many people he had slept with and he said only three... The reporter questioned if his lack of experience didn't concern him. This number 3 struck me as odd and made me try to remember the formula from "Failure to Launch" or some movie... but at the end of the interview they said he had already had 4 clients so far (4 women mid 30s to 40s who each booked a 2 hour session at I think $350/hr), plus he had earlier mentioned what a good deal it was for him cause he had been homeless on the streets of LA after a failed Porn Career.
He didn't elaborate on how that Porn Career had failed... but he probably didn't have a good agent representing him and they took his "performance and package" and never paid the guy and said "too bad so sad, sue us".
Anyway, not really a big deal, I just thought it first funny, then kinda sad...
It is at least something to write about. I guess it also points out that as Real Estate agents or especially as Realtors, we probably ought to think about the consequences of our actions to the fellow members of our community. (But I refuse to be PC or keep my opinions to myself in blogs, sorry...)
On the lighter side I suppose any publicity is "good publicity". It might also make light of the fact that many Realtors are struggling and have second jobs in retail, waiting tables or bar-tending. I suppose it could bring a new meaning to "closing gifts" and "personal service", but I don't want to go there...
Nobody is perfect. I don't even expect them to be. But maybe we should put forth a good effort and try to use our heads and think about the consequences of our actions, not just silly stuff like this but everything.
The more important thing out of all of this as far as it relates to the state of Real Estate across America, is probably the "actual line up" of Nightline, a once news worthy show in my opinion. I don't watch much TV and I probably haven't watched the show in 5 years or so and not steadily since Ted Koppel was the host.
It seems, the apparent lack of media attention or debut in typical media shock and awe type fashion means they are being paid to keep it hush hush till it gets past, then they can start blaming one another and no one will know what really happened (seriously) and everyone will be pointing fingers. Sorry to tell ya, but its not the people or the person. Its not Bush or Obama or Reagan or Kennedy, its the process and the decisions being made that have got us here and are going to destroy us if we don't stop them... (bad decisions and their resulting consequences). In my opinion, President Obama is a very successful "Puppet of the Rich" (I mean the "uber wealthy"), in their hands, the combination is very dangerous. On camera and in his words he is all about the people, and change and this and that other BS just like every other politician (republican or democrat), then they get to work and the advisors come in and say "ok great job on the speech" now lets get to work, the way this is really going to go down is as follows... Nothing like what was promised. Often semi-legitimately, due to complications, like a budget. Other times based on out right lies.
Wouldn't it be interesting to hook the Politicians up to a lie detector machine while they were giving campaign speeches and ads?
e.g. Vinny over at the Union says they need some favors in Chicago and as your "advisor" I am supposed to remind you that if it doesn't work out, it won't be pretty and its going to cost you a lot on your next re-election campaign... If it does work out, they will be fully behind you in the next election. Then we hear in the next speech, "Together we are working to rebuild Chicago's inner cities for people who need it the most, people like you and I, struggling just trying to get by day to day. We are going to create Jobs by providing housing." The reality is Vinny's uncle owns a construction company with tons of Union employees, they are stacked to get the job... They do get the job... it ends up costing probably 2-3 times what it would of cost in the private sector (that means 1/2 to 1/3 as much housing as could of been built.) But the Union bosses, the Union Plumbers, Carpenters, etc. that happened to be employed there are the ONLY Union people to benefit (that are just like you and I). The fat goes to the Fat Cats making the back room deal... This is just a made up movie type version, but I am convince more and more every day I read and open my eyes that this type of thing goes on not just daily but 24-7. We need a UNION to protect us from our own Government, not our employers anymore.
Don't be quiet, be loud, be heard. This 4 Trillion Dollar Budget is up for vote (they hope quietly and without much voter opinion).
Thankfully, someone was running commercial spots in the middle... of the program (even the networks will tell the truth if you pay them). I didn't catch who paid, but I liked it. Thank You!
That's a 4 TRILLION dollar budget proposal, when we are in a country that is already broke and facing huge deficits.
I am no politician, and no economist, but I know we need jobs more than anything, especially more than more bank bailouts. I heard unemployment for white males hit 25% (those are depression like numbers). Even if this number is wrong, things are bad on the employment front. I am having to warn clients not to buy in Montrose, Colorado, or anywhere for that matter, unless they already have a good job lined up. If I didn't I would be unethical in my opinion.
I think if we had jobs, everything else would fall back into place.
The only highlight from President Obama's budget that sounds worthwhile based on what I heard on the local (Montrose, Colorado) news coverage at www.KJCT8.com is that they have proposed tax cuts for small businesses to encourage them to hire new employees... (jobs) that sounds good to me! BUT if the "health care" and other fat regulations and taxes are placed as a mandatory burden on small or large business as well, then the "cut" probably won't even offset the increase.
If a 4T Dollar Budget passes, I think we are all doomed and I think, I better start working on my CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) certification, because we will probably have a large migration away from this country (of working people and entrepreneurs, the wealthy may stay and be supplied essentially slaves as part of the "enlightened or enabled" class, we that stick around will be the slaves. In many respects we already are... How free are you?)
Once saddled with this debt and the resulting ridiculous taxes... there would be zero attraction for a company opening up to do business here in the USA. Just like the reason Amercian companies have been leaving in groves for foreign lands to open their manufacturing and distribution plants and taking their jobs with them. Its not just cheap labor its regulation and taxes as well.
It really equates to FAT government!
We need some severe pruning to keep the tree alive... The disease, of empire and resume building, ridiculous procedures, crooked campaigns and votes influenced strictly by lobbyists, owed favors or backroom secret "insider" deals, abused positional power, abused absolute power, different laws policies or services for the regular guy, but something else for us...
How is the public represented by this crap?
But hey that's just my opinion! For all of you believers out there, you will surely get lots of immigrants to replace us from socialist nations (that have now evolved) where they are or were used to hand outs. But if you are a Realtor, I am not sure how you are supposed to get paid! If all the houses are "free" and owned by the government. Hopefully the government will have a relocation division and will be hiring unemployed Realtors, but I bet they pick their unemployed banker friends over us...)
Eventually when no one works and everyone has their hand out for a free government hand out, it will fail.
No production = No nothing, Nada, Null, 0
How do you tax that?
If you agree write your congressmen and senators and tell your friends and family to do the same...
If you disagree I respect that as well, still write your congressmen and senators...
Be heard, its the best we can do. If we don't speak up and demand they do the right thing, probably what they promised to do when they got elected, then they seem to do whatever the lobbyist tell them to.
From where I am sitting, I don't think they have MY Back!
Chris Ormsbee
(970) 209-0252
P.S. - Sorry no pics on this one, all copyrighted stuff...
P.P.S. - Write or call your local representatives...
www.c21actionrealty.com/cormsbee
Chris Ormsbee - Colorado Licensed Real Estate Broker/Realtor
Give me a Call - (970) 209-0252
Century 21 Action Realty - (970) 249-7777 - 1245 E Main St. Montrose, CO 81401
Check out the websites if you like:
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www.MontroseGoldTeamBlog.com - Information and Opinions about Real Estate, The Job of selling it, and the process of buying or selling a home or commerical property. Especially in Montrose Colorado.
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www.C21ActionRealty.com - The Century 21 Action Realty Website (search properties or find other agents in my office.)
www.YourCOREAdvisor - Blog with other information about buying and selling Real Estate.
Nice post Chris, Maybe you should write for the Daily Press your blog made better reading than the editorial in the paper..
Alan, maybe I should apply, I could use a second income. haha and Thanks! :-)
Everyone seems to want tax cuts, but why don't people understand that if you have tax cuts, you have an increasing budget deficit and national debt. You can't have it both ways. President Reagan proved that to us in the 1980s when he tripled the national debt by giving tax cuts to the rich thinking that they would use those tax cuts to create new businesses and new jobs. All they did was get greedier and buy bigger yachts and private jets.
Russel Ray - I totally agree. You cannot have it both ways, if you want a fat over bearing over regulating government to take care of everybody, then you need a major tax increase in this country. I haven't done the math but would guess we would need to almost double taxes (in a better income year than last year) in order to even cover the new proposed budget... I am a huge proponent of a flat tax for several reasons... Accountants charge too much... just kiddin (Sorry Michael and Dave - they would argue not enough), but seriously its just a ridiculous pain in the rear side... It could even have a lower flat rate (kindof like now), but zero deductions, zero calculations, one percentage everyone pays it when they spend or receive money depending on how they wanted to structure it. If they want to encourage savings I would think it better to put the tax on spending end of the equation, but then people argue the rich don't spend enough... No super easy answer but a National sales tax, or a flat income tax with no exceptions would be good... I say no corp taxes though cause of the incentive for companies to come here, when money goes out of entitiy (must be a US formed entity) then it is taxed, local or foreign, distribution or income... no difference. Think of the job loss and the corporate accumulation and savings that could occur. Though the change could cause another depression. haha all those IRS agents, attorneys, accountants and the millions of trees and reems of paper etc. but more importantly the creative energy and time wasted on the whole process. When you look at it this way it is totally crazy. - Sorry I have a hard time being brief... Thanks and yes You want Service - You Need to Pay for it - straight up or through a tax.