It’s as much fun as it used to be. Plus Then and Now 0
My industry is changing, drastically. I have to spend more time shuffling papers, making sure that all the new documents are filled in exactly right for fear of losing my license. I have to spend more time explaining issues that used to not matter to underwriters, but now they might mean the difference between a young couple getting a new house or not. Realtors, buyers, and sellers are all getting frustrated with me because I am asking for things that I never had to ask for a couple years ago. Then just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…I ask for another document of some kind. Even then, more and more deals are getting denied. Not a rosy picture
So I want to ask you a question. Are you the kind of person that likes things to stay the same? You have a routine and you don’t like it when it changes. You have a certain way of doing your job. You come in at the same time, go to the same desk, and go home at the same time…every day. OR are you the kind of person that gets bored with the same routine? You need to be challenged. You like being away from the cubicle and y0u want to get out and look for new worlds to conquer.
I do believe that it takes both kinds to get things done. In my business, the stay-the-same folks are the ones that work behind the scenes to get the details worked out and are the steady force that you can rely on. The I-like-change people are the ones that are thinking of new ways to overcome problems and are looking for ways to grow but the kind of change that is happening now in my business is not the kind of change we like to see. So will buying a house get worse or will the pendulum start to swing back the other way to a little more sanity when you (the consumers) begin to realilze that you are paying more for the same product then you used to because we have to hire more lawyers and compliance officers and we pass that cost on to you?
The bottom line is that what I do is still as much fun as it used to be. How can I say that? Because it still is a joy to watch the face of a first time buyer when they get the keys after a closing. They may have lost their faith in all that is good in the world to get there, but they are still happy when they own a home. All I am asking is that you be understanding and patient with your lender. We are not trying to ruin your life. We are just trying to avoid being ruined by the government regulators.
Then And Now
This is the Leach house in Old Town Littleton. Besides the trees, not much has changed on this house. The old photo is from 1904 and the new one is from just a few weeks ago. This set of photos is dedicated to people like the late Bruce Wolf who loved the town of Littleton and to Stew Meagher who continues that tradition. Please click on these pictures to see a larger version.