Yet another one of my office listings sold today which certainly has our early Spring real estate market here off and running. What I have been noticing are more younger buyers out in the market than what we’ve been experiencing these past several years. I’m pretty much convinced I know the biggest of reasons and won’t be sharing it until I’ve seen what happens the remainder of this year. Since I do assist a few long term and loyal families in finding tenants when they have vacancies, I’ve been stretching my available time a bit thin of late. Attempting to field the deluge of phone calls can be quite daunting at times. If this continues, I’m likely going to have to add an online rental application to my office website. It’s unfortunate how many who’ve made some seriously bad choices in their lives don’t realize that those mistakes follow them for a very long time, and it’s the information age in which we live that makes that information available to the general public. I’ll never forget being in a heated debate about ten years ago with an exiting tenant from an apartment when saying to him, “Whatever you think is fun and games now will later become a millstone around your neck for a very long time.” He laughed at me and said, “I’ll look back on these years and think about how fun it’s been.” Well, unfortunately for him, my prophesy came to pass. He’s got children, a dead end job, and living from paycheck to paycheck in the not most delightful of housing units. I’m sure if he’d ever come to the point of telling the truth about his past, he’d most surely say, “I’ve really funked up my life.” I believe everyone should be given a second chance, but it they keep coming back to the well begging for one more free pail of water they’ve intentionally spilled, then it’s time to say, “No more.” and walk away.
Some weeks ago I spoke with a long term client/customer about a piece of property he was looking at and we happened on the subject of his children. He said, “I’m sure you already realize how I screwed up with my oldest son by giving him more than he deserved for how little he’d done in promoting my business.” I quietly said, “Yes, I could see what was happening.” He went on to say, “I’ve got my youngest helping me now and I’ve decided to treat him completely opposite–he’s starting at the bottom like all my other entry level employees.” I said, “Good! It’s always best for family businesses when another young member starts where they begin at the bottom like everyone else–that’s how they really learn and remember.” He also said, “I’m actually even getting after him more than the regular workers.” I chided him by saying, “Be careful he doesn’t loose heart and consider you a bully.” He understood and I’m confident all will be well when the next generation takes the helm of that business.
I’ve been keeping my thoughts to myself about this subject until today due to the numerous sightings I’ve had of men with too much head and face hair. A woman I was talking to was being distracted by a young man walking past her office and saying, “Oh there goes that guy with his “man bun”. Well after numerous more sightings of wildly long head and face hair today, I’ve decided many are likely imitating that serial program, “Duck Dynasty”. I’ve not watched it and likely never will. I went to the extent of asking the lady if it could possibly be due to a popular TV show. She said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re wanting to be like one of the Duck Dynasty stars. I said, “I’m fully in agreement.” So if that’s the case, then these wanna-be likers creating appearances as what the’ve been watching, we’ll be assure of many more public sightings and that’s certainly not going to be ducky.
