10 Reasons This Referee Loves Real Estate

November 6, 2007 |

A recent issue of Referee Magazine published a list of “Reasons to Love Officiating” (sorry, no link). I agreed with all of their reasons, and it got me thinking about my passion not only for officiating, but for real estate as well. I wanted to share with you some of the reasons to love officiating, and how I think they apply just as easily to real estate. In no particular order:

Reasons to Love Officiating (and Real Estate):

Because. . .

You can be alone even when you’re surrounded by people– This is very true in officiating.  Let’s be honest, no one is there to cheer me on when I am wearing the stripes (except for Kari, when she comes to games).

This can also be true in real estate at times.  While there is a certain camaraderie and cooperation that exists among brokers and agents, in the end, success or failure is my responsibility alone.  As scary as that might seem, there is something comforting about it as well.  I can take comfort in the fact that even if every other agent in the world is going in one direction, the path less traveled is always open to me.

You get to influence kids–  I hope that I never lose sight of the fact that the kids are the stars of the contests I officiate.  Ultimately, it is for their benefit that I do what I do as a referee.  Hopefully there has been a kid or two along the way that has benefited from my instruction, no matter how small that benefit may have been.

In real estate, while I might not necessarily influence kids, I can certainly make a positive impact in the lives of adults.  Buying or selling a home can be a daunting, even frightening, experience for some.  I like the fact that I get to show people that it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.  I try as best I can to make the buying or selling process as pleasant and enjoyable a process as I can for my clients.  In doing so, I hope to serve as a positive example of the real estate professional so that when they meet the next real estate professional, their opinion of that person might be enhanced, and their expectations might be raised.

There are always new things to learn–  I learn something from EVERY game I officiate.  There is always something that I could have done better, or differently.  Officiating provides perpetual opportunity to learn and improve.

The same is true of real estate.  There are always new strategies to be learned and tested, new techniques to be implemented, and new knowledge to be gained for my own improvement and the fulfillment of the needs of my clients.  Real estate offers new challenges and opportunities every day.  This is true now more than ever.

They need us even when they boo us–  The fact is that even though people can be downright vicious to officials, the game doesn’t get very far without us.  Go to any playground in America and watch players try to officiate themselves.  There is almost as much arguing as there is playing.  Now imagine if they tried that in a game that actually meant something.

I already know what you are thinking, “but people sell real estate all the time on their own, without a REALTOR.”  True– sort of.  There is a small percentage of real estate that is sold without a real estate agent.  But even in those cases, there are other professionals involved (attorneys, usually).  Not to mention, many of those FSBO sales are facilitated by the pricing expertise of a real estate professional.  Many a FSBO has come on the market only after the “free CMA” performed by a real estate professional.  While the trendy thing to do is disparage the real estate professional, our expertise is valuable.  The sad fact is that real estate professionals have simply done a horrendous job of conveying this value.  This must change.

It takes guts–  There is an old saying in officiating, “If I could sit in the upper deck with a beer and a hot dog, I would never miss a call.”  Fact of the matter is, while fans and analysts are very quick to call out the mistakes of officials, they typically get to do it from the comfort of a chair and with the benefit of multiple slow-motion replays.  Very few of them really know what it is like to have a play occur at full speed right in front of them and have the experience of blowing the whistle and making a call (or not).  I can tell you that the game is a whole lot different from that perspective.

Practicing real estate takes guts, too.  When it comes right down to it, I am my own brand.  I have to put myself out there to people every day and say, “this is who I am, this is what I do, this is how I can help.”  Sometimes, people reject me.  Rejection isn’t easy, no matter how many times it happens.  I have also chosen to make a living by performing a service that, at times, yields absolutely no pay– none, nada, zip, zilch, zero.  And when I am compensated, such compensation is never regular or even.  Some months I make more, some less.  It can be exhilarating and frightening all at the same time.  I have traded the comfort of one boss, a cubicle, 9-5, weekends off, and a regular paycheck for. . .   dozens of bosses, countless car trips, insane hours, weekends with clients, and the chance that I may or may not get paid–  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Of the people you meet and relationships you build–  There is a fraternity amongst sports officials.  A shared set of experiences that binds all of us, no matter what our diverse backgrounds may be.  I have met a lot of great people officiating that I would have otherwise never had the opportunity to come in contact with.  For that, I am grateful.

I have also met a lot of great people and made lasting friendships through real estate.  Not only with my clients, but also with fellow real estate professionals, and the RE.net blogosphere in particular.  How can one not be inspired by the way a group of people, most of whom have never met in person, came together spontaneously to help the Anglin family?  That is the type of thing that stays with you forever.

It’s a great ice-breaker–  As much as people boo officials, they love to talk to them as well.  People are interested in the up-close and sometimes behind-the-scenes perspective that officials have on sports.  People ask me all the time about what I think about certain teams, players, coaches, etc.  while officiating ethics dictates that some of these questions must go unanswered, I enjoy the questions nonetheless.

Everyone has some interest in real estate.  The recent real estate boom, and the even more recent real estate decline have people all the more interested.  Everyone always wants to know what I think about the market.  Or if they aren’t asking the big questions, some people just want to know what their neighbor’s house is like, or how much it sold for.  No matter what people may think of REALTORS, they always want to know what we think about real estate.

We believe in doing the right thing at all costs–  I know that a lot of people don’t believe this, but referees really do not care who wins the game.  Even Tim Donaghy, who was giving inside information to gamblers, showed no indication of intentionally kicking calls to benefit his friends.  Even he couldn’t violate the first commandment of officiating.

I also know that a lot of people won’t believe me when I say that real estate professionals also believe in doing the right thing.  I fully admit that I can’t speak for every real estate professional out there, and I know there are unscrupulous ones, but the real estate professionals that I know and admire are completely dedicated to doing right by their clients and customers.  Rather than having to do so at any cost, they do so because of the benefit that is derived by all.

You’re in charge–  When I am out on the floor, the buck stops with me.  I make the calls, I live with the consequences.  There is no one to look over my shoulder and tell me what to do or when to do it.  I have to do it all (with the help of my partners, who are doing the same thing).  When my supervisors go over the game film, the tape won’t lie.  It will reveal all my triumphs and mistakes.  In the end, I am in charge, I am the 100% owner of my success or failure.

My success in real estate is determined only by my willingness to succeed.  The barriers to success in real estate are few, and none are insurmountable.  I may not end up being the richest agent in the world, or selling the most houses in history, but as long as it is in my hands, I do not doubt my ability to succeed.  Who wouldn’t love that?

It builds life-skills–  I have learned a lot about interpersonal relationships through officiating.  I have learned countless lessons about how to deal with people and also how to handle difficult or uncomfortable situations.  The lessons I have learned from officiating have helped me in life and business.

Real estate has reinforced many of those lessons, and helped me learn some new ones as well.  I have learned so much that it is hard to really take stock of.  That is one of the main reasons I started blogging, to share those lessons with others so that everyone may learn through shared experience.

So, those are my reasons to love real estate via officiating.  Why do YOU love real estate?

[tags] real estate, realtor, basketball, officiating, ethics, motivation, referee [/tags]

Posted by Daniel Rothamel | Filed Under Fun Stuff, Industry Issues, Officiating 

Comments

One Response to “10 Reasons This Referee Loves Real Estate”

  1. Jeremy Hart on November 7th, 2007 1:21 am

    I like it, Daniel. I think you’re right, one of the biggest appeals about this business is the opportunity to make the real estate investment seamless for people, to facilitate a smooth transition for them. Their home is their refuge, and the process of acquiring it should reflect that sense of peace and satisfaction.

    I also love that it’s such a cocktail party conversation piece. Everywhere I go, someone seems to want to talk about real estate. Unlike some jobs where you just “want to get away from work”, this is a profession where it’s actually FUN to talk shop. I might not always like it when they tell me negative things about their last agent, but maybe they’ll see something different in me that’ll change their minds. You’re right - we DO need to change that perception. And I think it’s through the efforts you’re making, that Jim Duncan is creating, that we’re all striving for, that we’ll be able to do it.

    Nice job.

    [Reply]

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