When Lack of Effort Backfires — Be Proactive
The unseen effort behind simplicity
Has he rented the property out yet? Please turn the channel over.
I received a call the other day from a friend’s uncle seeking advice about their rental property, a 3-bedroom flat they wanted to sell. They were convinced that the estate agent was taking advantage of them.
As I listened, I asked a few questions. “How long have you owned the property?” I inquired.
“For about nine years,” they replied.
“And who’s been managing it?” I asked.
“The agent!” they exclaimed.
“How many times have you visited the property, seem videos of the property?” I probed further.
“Just a couple of times,” was their response.
What in nine years? What is this? Whose property is this? Yours or the estate agents?
It became evident that the estate agent had been handling everything.
Then, they shared something interesting. A friend of theirs handled the entire deal 9 years ago. They found the property and took care of all the paperwork. They just had to go through a credit check.
They got a mortgage and did not even have to put down a deposit. The friend even found them the property! They have been making a consistent profit on it for 9 years.
Nice — if you can get this!
Trying to understand the situation, I said, ‘So, you relied entirely on the estate agent, and now you feel unsatisfied with the sale? My calculations suggest you’ll make at least 60k after-tax — once sold!’
Seems a good deal to me for minimal effort!
I continued my inquiry, “Do you have an idea of the property’s worth in your area?”
“No clue,” they admitted.
For the love of… give me strength…
“Could you send me a link to see the property sales page online?” I asked.
“I’ve never actually looked at it online; I left everything to the estate agent,” they confessed.
For the love of… give me strength…
Realising their lack of awareness about local property values, I gently pointed out, “You think it should sell for more, but you’re not aware of typical property prices in the area. I think you need to find this out first.’
A sale is needed urgently
Apparently, they need to sell as they have some deranged neighbours who are threatening to stab anyone that comes onto his land. They have dogs and have set the dogs on people who come onto their land!
What the… Just sell this, mate, and have done.
Sometimes people want more for less. Count your blessings that you had the good fortune to be offered a deal like this 9 years ago. All improvements — if any — were done by the estate agents.
Take your profit, smile and have done with it.
Whilst I am not a fan of real estate agents, I feel that after looking at the location and the price, the value of the property is correct and that my friend’s uncle should just let it go.
What the estate agent has done may seem ‘simple’, but they actually managed to rent out this property for nine years with little intervention from the owner!
Easy street
It’s a common tendency for people to opt for the easiest route, especially when it comes to property matters and life goals. Many are content to hand everything over to estate agents and then later complain about wanting a better selling price.
Many want family and friends to do all the hard work for them, whilst they do hardly anything but get big returns!
It’s time to face reality!
Many aspire to prosperity in life but aren’t ready to exert effort or be proactive. Delegating responsibilities is common, yet dissatisfaction often follows without ways to oversee and safeguard.
Those with energy and a proactive approach tend to lead better lives. Sitting around and waiting for others to act for you, instead of participating or taking charge, isn’t the path to success.
Waiting for things to change without taking any action will inevitably lead to disappointment… indeed, it will!
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