The last time I won a third-place prize, I was probably about eight. Somewhere, I have an old newspaper. My mother was an editor in the 1950s at the Circulating Pines, which was a local newspaper in a suburb of Minneapolis. She put a story and a photo of my brother and me on the front page. I am holding in my lap a long-haired black cat named Spittsboo, sitting on the front steps of our childhood home in Circle Pines, Minnesota, next to my brother. He is holding a salamander on his shoulder.
I placed third in a pet contest. Well, it was actually my cat, not me, who placed third in a division for longest-haired cat. My cat didn't have to do anything except sit there to win. My brother's salamander won first place in the reptile division. That lizard didn't have to do back flips or jump through a flaming hoop of fire to win, either. I'm pretty sure the thing just sat on my brother's shoulder.
I mention this because yesterday I was given an office award at my office meeting for ranking among the top 3 agents in sales for 2009. My office in Midtown Sacramento has 80 or 90-some real estate agents. I didn't enter this contest. It's something that Lyon Real Estate does. It recognizes its top producers every year. My sales production generally ranks among the top 15 agents in my office -- some kind of benchmark Lyon uses -- but since I don't rate myself by comparing myself to other agents, I never really paid much attention to which agent wins what award.
So, it was a surprise when my name was announced and I was handed the award. I considered not writing about it because lots of agents in my office and elsewhere in Sacramento did not fare very well last year. It was a down year for many real estate agents. The market in 2009, like the past 4 years, was dominated by foreclosures, short sales, investors and first-time home buyers, which left a lot of agents out in the cold. The Internet also pushed some agents out of the business because they refused to embrace online technology.
While it is painful to see agents who are suffering, I've decided that my empathy for them should not overshadow the fact I enjoyed an outstanding year in 2009. It's quite an honor to receive such an award. On the other hand, I didn't compete for it or enter a contest. I just did my job, which is primarily selling homes in Land Park and representing sellers of Sacramento short sales.
This afternoon, Lyon Real Estate is hosting its Annual Awards Ceremony at the Radisson. The theme is . . . dum, dum, dum . . . The Winter Olympics. My office is supposed to represent Cross Country Skiing. I guess I could wear a mink hat and go as a spectator. No, on second thought, I should probably wear a wool hat and some sort of spandexy outfit, which I don't have in my wardrobe. I'm likely to win something at this awards ceremony, but it's been hush-hush, like our office awards. I don't want to appear ungrateful, but I am not planning to dress up like an Olympic athlete. But hey, it doesn't mean that I don't support those who do or that I am not a team player.
Hmmm, on reflection . . . maybe it does.
Oh, well. Rebels make good real estate agents, don't you think? We buck the system. Write our own rules. We're independent and don't blend well into the shadows.
After the awards ceremony, I am meeting a buyer who is closing on a home in Land Park. We're going to sign loan docs at my office and complete our final walk-through. At least my hair won't be messed up from wearing a wool hat.
Photo: Adam Weintraub
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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 Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
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.
Elizabeth,
Congrats on a great year! You should be proud! You worked very hard and it was recognized!
Congratulations Elizabeth. You worked hard and deserve the recognition so enjoy it! :)
Elizabeth,
Congratulations, you are doing what works... how wonderful and thank you for sharing! We love to live vicariously through our activerain friends... or I do anyway... The crowd rises.... standing ovation! flags waving... Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, they chant!... how was that for an Olympic win! Go have fun.. and wear something that is like a gold medal! Better than spandex and the wool hat!
Thanks, Lori and Monika. I really did not expect to receive this award. I was astonished. I pretty much keep my nose to the grindstone and don't come up for air. The agents who placed first and second work their tails off every single year.
Hi Carra: I would be totally embarrassed to be cheered on by a crowd. But I do hope to get an award today to add to my collection. These will be company-wide awards. What do people do with their old awards when they get too many of them? The only person those awards mean anything to is yourself. Nobody else wants them. I wonder if they add to global warming?
Congratulations on your award Elizabeth. I am certain it is VERY well deserved. Your talking about the last time your received a Third Place, reminds me of when I was in the sixth grade, and received Honorable Mention in a science contest. . .My dad never let me live it down:-)
Congrats on the award. I enjoy all the work too. 2009 was my best year. I guessI will have to go buy my own award this time since I started my own brokerage. What a relief that is!
Nice to receive recognition for a job well done. Congratulations.
Hmmm, I don't know what grown ups do when they get too many. I can tell you my brother left a room full of sports awards at my folks house as my daughter did at my house. So maybe you would just leave them if you move ever again. LOL
Seriously Congratulations, you certainly earned it with all the hard work you put in last year. :)
Congratulations on being at the top at Lyon and I sure in the Sacramento area. It is nice to win, but as you demonstrate, you must keep moving forward to serve your clients. The competition that Lyon creates works for some agents I am sure.
Congratulations Elizabeth, you are a very hard worker and the awards are well deserved!
Elizabeth, I was reading the featured blogs and saw you. Your mentioning it being tough on alot of agents was humbling to me. Everything you write is interesting and filled with integrity. I enjoy your blogs. Your awards are no surprise to me. I just don't know where you find the time to write and run your business.
Hey Myrl: I won an honorable mention, too. I was in 5th grade. It was for a chalk drawing depicting the novel Jane Eyre. We were supposed to pick a book, read it and then make a book cover. I'm not a very good artist, though. I suspect I won that award for reading the book and not my artwork.
Hi Terri: That was very sweet of you to say. I do care about the agents who aren't faring so well in this market because many of them are my friends. As for how I find time to write and run a business, I get up early. That's the secret. Early to bed and early to rise.