stop this train...

AAAACCCKKKKK!

Wanna know why the real estate industry, as a whole, is in free fall???

I have the answer. The banks...those big guys who are taking people's property back...the big guys who made the loans to begin with....yep, them. They are not willing and ready to deal. Plain and simple.

I had a deal pending that is Freddie Mac owned and they, no kidding here, were going to let the deal go because of $1100. Not $11,000 - ELEVEN HUNDRED. My buyer wasn't going to pay it. Seller's agent never disclosed that the seller wasn't going to pay the transfer tax. So, I had to make a decision. I chose the door that had a commission check behind it. I'm allowing it to come out of MY side of the commission. Totally not fair, but I'd rather have something than nothing, right? Plus, this is a client I want to LOVE me, as she'll be purchasing more....and SOON.

This debacle is what I've been dealing with for the past two days. It's very frustrating. People honestly think that Realtors do not DO anything all day long - we just drive around in expensive cars, show people a few houses and collect the big check - HA! - I wish! They have no idea what goes on behind the scenes on their behalf. Yes, we have slow periods, but when the s*&# hits the fan, you have to take care of the problem right then and there and if you don't, you don't get paid and you certainly won't be called to handle the next deal.

Okay, so the frustration is out, I've vented....for the most part. LOL At least in the business arena. The other areas? Well, I'm not allowed to write about those....LOL. I will one day though. You wait and see.

My son had his first sleep over this past weekend....Friday at our house and then he and his friend went to the friend's house on Saturday...they say they're "brothers" and decide that they're going to move into the others' homes on any given day. So cute. Best buddies they are. It's such fun to watch them develop socially, isn't it? Six months and Little Prince starts kindergarten. I can't believe it! Can't think about it now or I'll end up in tears and unable to finish typing.

Life is moving way too fast. Do you ever wish that your life could have its own soundtrack with the music swelling at all the good parts? I think that if I had a soundtrack to my life right now it would be John Mayer's (who, by the way, is my boyfriend, he just doesn't know about it yet) song...Stop This Train

No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly will someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find away to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate
Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train

See once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train

(think I got 'em now)

If you don't have Continuum...download it! The entire album is awesome. But this especially, is one of my favorite songs. It's one of those where you want to be driving late at night, all alone, with the windows down on a warm summer night and the stereo turned up real loud. Or, if you're not alone, have the love of your life sitting next to you and the other loves asleep in their seats in the back. Yummy.