On Groups and Character

 --Cosmo

See?  My first post was pretty much dead on.  Another post about not posting in a long time.  Don't you just love predictable people?

So I'm a real estate agent now.  Cool.  Movin' on up in life, right ol' boy?  I would have to say yes and no.  Yes because it's a real career (versus youth ministry, which is, as everyone knows, playing with high school kids all day crossing one's fingers hoping they'll make the right decisions for themselves--don't kid yourselves fellow youth ministers, you know it's true), and no because anyone can get into it.  Minimum requirements = 18 years of age...and I think that's it.  Maybe some basic reading and math thrown in there for kicks.  Oh and there's a test, but anyone can pass a test if they study hard enough for it.

You know one thing I hate about the real estate world?  Everybody wants a piece of my money.  And I'm not even talking about the people I work with (which, by the way, is noone yet because I'm still new)!  You gotta pay everyone in the business just to have the privilege to say, "Hey folks, I'm a licensed Realtor!!!"  My broker (i.e, my boss) requires everyone to join the Realtor association to 1) prove that I'm a "good" person who will follow a code of "good" ethics when dealing in the world of real estate, and 2) probably more importantly, gain access to the regional MLS (the thing Realtors use to look up everyone and their dog's properties).  And of course, to be a Realtor, you need to pay the group's annual dues (read: an eighth of my current salary).  They don't even pay for the lunches I'm "suggested" to go to.

I've never been a big fan of joining a group to prove to people that I'm a person with high morales.  Most real estate agents join this group, then wear the affiliation proudly, reminding all of those that see it that yes, because they are in this special group, they are very honest and morale people.  "No, Mr. Buyer, I won't talk to my fellow agent telling him that you'll accept a lower price, because YOU are more important than my commission. Oh, and by the way, I would never do that because I'm a Realtor.  See my shiny pin?"  I don't know about you, oh highly-esteemed reader, but when I'm looking for someone with good character and who keeps their word (pretty rare in today's world--especially the "keeps their word" part), I don't look to see what group they're in.  It doesn't matter to me.  Realtor, Christian, vagabond (new word I used this week -- ask me later), whatever you want to call yourself, your character is based on your actions and your word.  Let's see if we can bring character back in this world.

Just some rambling from an old-school kind of guy.  Just nod your head and move along.

On another note, it'll probably be a few months before I post again.  Feel free to read this one over again while you're waiting.