Hey Realtor – What Sea Creature Are You?

Photo of sunset over Dafuskie Island and Calibogue Sound

I recently took a much needed family vacation. We travelled to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for the tenth summer in a row. It’s always a fun trip filled with time on the beach, fun in the pool, plenty of bike rides and some great family dining spots on the island.

In recent years, the family has gone down for two weeks and then I met them halfway through the first week to enjoy about ten days away. This year we only went for a week so it was a challenge in trying to squeeze two weeks of relaxation into one week.

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t stop seeing connections to the real estate life every time I looked at the sea life? See if you see any of these connections to the beach habitat and that of a typical real estate office.

Sea Gulls – These creatures will take anything they can get and really don’t worry about what others might think of them.

They’ll talk to any expired listing. For Sale By Owner? They’re not afraid. They’ll show bank-owned properties all day long. Size or dollar amounts don;t matter to them because they love to eat and getting in front of as much food as possible is what makes them flap their wings.

Jelly Fish – With the high temperatures in Hilton Head, the jelly fish were out in full force. Numerous swimmers – including yours truly – were stung by these sea creatures. Jelly fish just kind of hang around, don’t do much but every once in a while they really piss some people off.

You’d love an opportunity to rub wet sand on them or douse them with vinegar but really you’d just wish they weren’t around at all. Go float somewhere else with all that negative energy.

Hermit Crabs – Moving around from one shell to the next, these little guys are always on the move. they never really seem content to stay where they are at.

Some Realtors just never seem to settle down, always chasing a better commission split or more desk space. Maybe they need a smaller office or a bigger office but one thing’s for sure. You’ll see them in a new “shell” sometime soon.

Starfish – I am not really sure what to think of these creatures. They’re nice to look at and seem to be so simple. The problem is, they are like those Diva Realtors or hot shot rookies that you may know. They are “stars” on their local beach but they get a bit lazy and rest on their laurels, forgetting to stay out in the current and then they end up washed up on the beach, picked off by the next Sea Gull.

Sharks – Hilton Head has a high population of sand sharks that swim in the shallow waters around the island. Don;t worry – they really don’t bother the swimmers and it’s not like they stalk the beaches and show the menacing fin like we all remember from Jaws. But they are aggressive hunters for smaller fish and will often get hooked on a local fisherman’s line.

The sharks in your office aren’t bad either but they are always on the move, rarely sleeping as they look and listen for their next opportunity to feed. For these high producers, it’s all about business development, finding more prey and avoiding the “hooks” of bad leads and over-priced listings.

Dolphins – These crowd favorites make appearances throughout the vacation and everyone is usually excited to see them coming. They’re playful, energetic and make others around them happy.

Having fun at what you do is so important but just like the dolphins, remember to come up for air every once in a while. It can’t be all work or all play but a happy mix of both.

I hope you’re staying afloat as you ride out the tides of this crazy business. Enjoy the rest of your summer.