In between picking up lockboxes yesterday for several short sale closings, I decided to drop in at the Apple store in Arden Mall. I've been toying with the idea of dumping my Sony PC laptop. I work primarily on a Mac Pro desktop computer and use a laptop for travel / client appointments. Been a Mac enthusiast for more than 20 years. But some real estate programs work only on a PC, until lately. I discovered this week that Equator and Agent Achieve are now both cross-platform. Goodbye PC, hello Mac laptop.
So, without an appointment, I marched into Apple. It's better to get an appointment, but I could not wait that long. The store was really packed. People everywhere playing with iPhones, iPads and iPods. A greeter approached me to take my name and put me on a waiting list. I managed to get myself moved from the #4 appointment slot to the top of the list by sweet-talking the guy. Being nice gets you much further than being pushy.
Heck, while I was there, I decided to pick up an iPad as well. The 64 GB with Wi-Fi and 3G. I blame it on the Beatles, which Apple is promoting big-time now that the Beatles are available on iTunes. Every other song on the PA system was the Beatles. It put me in such a happy mood. Oh, Apple is so smart.
The salesperson who was helping me didn't have a price sheet, so I went to the Apple website on one of the laptops to show her the features and options I wanted. I selected the 512 GB Solid State Drive, even though it cost an extra $1,300. There are no moving parts, it's lighter and it doesn't get as hot. The salesperson agreed it was a good choice and went into the back room to find it. It wasn't in stock. I'd have to special order it.
Suddenly the salesperson changed her tune. She said I didn't need the Solid State Drive. She had the model I wanted in stock without it. Perhaps this salesperson should go into real estate and not waste her talents selling computers in a mall?
At that moment, I received an email. Some Bay area agent asking me if I had any offers on an apartment building in Sacramento, which is presently in escrow as an active short contingent. Hmmm, the mere fact it's ASC means I have an offer. As a Sacramento short sale agent, I sell all types of short sales all over Sacramento, from homes in Land Park to Elk Grove, Natomas and Roseville; condos, townhomes, and that includes apartment buildings. I emailed him back: yes, several. He then asked for the rent roll and income and expenses. I sent him the email for my TC and suggested he contact her to get it.
Next thing I know, the agent exploded and emailed a tirade, all about how he has sold more than $300 million in real estate. How I wasn't doing my job. How dare I pass him off on an underling. Why, he was going to call the bank's asset manager himself. I thought to myself: Well, here is a guy who obviously carries a higher opinion of himself than those around him do. I was tempted to tell him to knock himself out and and call the bank, but then I would be behaving as badly as he. I responded: You, Sir, are being a jerk. I didn't mean that in a Steve Martin kinda way.
And I headed over to the "personal table" so the salesperson could "personalize" my iPad, which meant downloading apps for me to buy more Apple products. I guess that real estate agent hasn't learned the lesson that you get further in life with honey than you do with vinegar.
Photo: Big Stock Photo
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Certified HAFA Specialist
My Sacramento Real Estate Listings
Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available at Amazon.com.
Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.
Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.
