July 25, 2008. Bethesda, Md. The Agents.

I was asked at work if the anxiety by agents in the office was what I spoke about in my small web log the other day. "No", I answered. I was speaking about every-one else, certainly not the agents of the Bethesda Gateway agents of Long and Foster. They remain in good spirits and are working very hard with great enthusiasm. In fact, the more the other agents get anxious, the better we tend to do. Right now, we are almost always double in volume and units any other Long na Foster office. For years, we have been the number one, but not usually twice the volume of other offices, but just now, we double the next down the list. But we must be aware that the Sellers and Buyers and other agents are full of hostility and anxiety. They should have sold two years ago, they say, and that is true. But in this year and this month, this price is what this buyer is willing to pay. If we as agents are aware of the sense in the air, our ability to keep our responses in check are easier. It actually makes no sense to be in the depths of despair just now. Most people have good jobs and bought their houses years ago so have oodles of equity, but some folks are hurting for sure. Free floating anxiety is in the air, and does have an impact on the real estate market. But we are thriving and keeping our spirits up, whether I am in town or not.

Now we are working towards a Billion in sales this year, which will be the sixth year in the row to have beaten a Million Dollars in sales. The first year we made the Billion, we went to New York for the weekend, as it was the first time in the Company any office had met that level. The next two years we exceeded the previous volume, so again went to New York for the weekend. We stayed at the Plaza Hotel and it was truly a grand time. The next year we went to the Ritz Carlton in Philidelphia. Then for two years we did not exceed our all time high volume, so we had no all expenses paid trip. This year, we three managers looked at our volume, and decided that we were on track to beat a Billion this year, which in this year of Real Estate would be astonishing. I called Mr. Foster to request a trip for the agents, if we exceed the Billion. There was dead silence on the other end of the phone line. I know that the Company is trying hard to watch every penny, so this request was out of line to even ask. I also know, that in negotiation, the looser spoke first, so I held my tongue. Finally, he agreed to the trip, as long as we went to Dumphries!! He laughed and laughed, as did I. Actually, we were thinking D.C. or Baltimore. So we now all have T shirts that say Dumphries or Bust, and we are getting pictures of agents from around the world as their travels this summer. We are having fun with it, along with Mr. Foster. And I bet we get our trip!!