03/17/2024
Interesting article here from several months ago about how my industry is being attacked by those who want us, REALTORS, out of the picture as they want to get their greedy hands on our industry in order to figure out how to pervert it and profit off of it to the disadvantage of those seeking to buy or sell a home. I liken this to what they did when the airlines were deregulated back in the late 70's Anyone recall how Eastern was dismantled piece by piece?. To quote a nationally renown REALTOR I know, who said in a response video to the NAR settlement this past Friday night, "A Nation of Renters is much easier to control." That statement really hit me. Someone ought to put that on a button. Reread that and let it sink in.
It is this simple folks, make REALTORS go away and the corporations along with the wealthiest 1% take over your ability to own a home, and there you have it. REALTORS invented a process a century ago by which people could buy and sell properties that benefitted everyone, so what a better way than to destroy that by destroying us. I along with some others have been saying this quietly in hushed tones as far back as 2013, only to be laughed at when it would come up in public settings. Here we are eleven years later, and many of those who laughed at me then are either retired or semi retired now so they no longer care as RE was just a means for them to make millions off of the backs of their agents. Sort of reminds me of the story in the Bible where the disciples cannot believe that God had the ability to destroy the holy temple in Jerusalem only to have Jesus confirm that he could. About a century or so after Jesus being crucified, the Romans did just that as well as dispersed his chosen people throughout Europe. Forgive me for any inaccuracy as I am sadly not a scholar of the good book.
What is going on right now is just another attack on the traditionalists who built this nation through hard work and sacrifice over the past 247 years. On a side note, Thank God that Free & Accepted Masonry is on the rise at the current time, because we need Free Masonry to bring some sort of sanity to the nation and the world just like we need REALTORS and the many other types of professions you will find in your local communities, such as hairdressers, teachers, plumbers, heating technicians and repairmen of all sorts that really keep us humming along from day to day. If the COVID lockdown where just about everything was shuttered didn't make us see that, then I don't know what else will. Maybe Global Thermonuclear War perhaps?? I sure hope it doesn't come to that, but with Russia's aggression in Ukraine, as well as China's territorial desires, you never know.
Never Forget, Homeownership is a path to financial stability as you build equity over time while you live there. It was a brilliant system devised in part by our beloved and former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt which helped to transform our nation into what it is today. For example, the house where I live was sold for $33,500 in 1965 when my parents moved here from Staten Island, and is probably worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 400K to 500K despite the sorry state I unfortunately have allowed it to fall into. Casa Ricci is a story for another time though, and I am very thankful my parents left me with it in the wake of their passing. Just another blessing in my life.
I have been doing a lot of thinking as of late about what I do as a REALTOR and have done for the past two plus decades as my 22nd anniversary of getting my license to sell RE is this coming Tuesday.
After much reflection going back to COVID, I think it is time for me to start making videos which sadly is going to tick a lot of people off. If I decide to go forward with this decision, the views expressed in those videos as well as in my post are my own and not to be affiliated with the many groups I belong to, and as many of you know, I belong to a lot of organizations because I feel it is the will of GOD to use me for some higher purpose as I never was smart enough to pursue the right person and have a family as I stupidly let her slip away. I feel that my purpose here is to help make connections, and I strive to do that everyday that God allows me to wake up to face another day.
I cannot process the news of the recent NAR settlement yet as I need time to confer with more people I know about what it means for our industry. However, I do know that the National Association of REALTORS® as well as my state and local REALTOR boards have my best interests and your best interests as a REALTOR at heart as well as what we do to help those with their Real Estate Needs. This is why I devote so much of my time to these groups in the past dozen years. However, the recent settlement will make things somewhat more complicated for everyone until we can figure out how to navigate all the changes that will be coming.
I do know one thing and that is I can go to my grave if the almighty were to take me right now as I type this knowing that I helped people find a place where they could relocate their business to without having to deal with a less than ideal landlord, and for others to have a nest in order to marry and build a family. Sometimes it is fun for me to just drive around and know I had some sort of impact on my community in a small quiet way. It is nice to know that my largest accomplishment in my field is that I once kept a family of seven from being homeless in their minivan for which I was compensated a mere $150 when I was an agent. Sad that the other agent who got the call crumpled up that lead and threw it at me. Fortunate for me that I decided to uncrumple it just to prove a point. Helping them was really a miracle.
At the end of the day, I am glad that attention to our plight is finally coming to light as action needs to be taken. Perhaps I will be the first to say it but this is a WAR against us, and not one we chose to start so we must rise up AND FIGHT! For those who in our field who may be wondering what to do; continue to do the fine job you are doing serving your client and customers, but if you can, get involved with your local and state as well as your national REALTOR organizations because this is how we will show those who are against us that we will not go quietly into the night.
Oh yes one more thing, give to RPAC, and like they used to say in WW2 when selling war bonds, give until it hurts because it is that important. If being a REALTOR is a calling then perhaps you may understand this. If not, well then perhaps it may be time to explore other options out there.
Also never forget that REALTORS ARE GUARDIANS OF OUR COMMUNITES. WE WILL NOT BE DEFEATED!
An email from CoStar CEO Andy Florance on November 20 addresses false statements made by Realtor.com senior vice president Bob Evans at the NAR NXT opening party. He also reveals anti-Realtor bias in Realtor.com and the Wall Street Journal.
