The Theatre of Real Estate

I always enjoy writing these letters.  This is always the highlight of my month, and I have come to find that even though most of my clients share so much of their lives with me, I realize that often times it’s one sided and rarely do I have an opportunity to share much about myself, as I try to focus on you all and your lives.  That’s always the most important.

I hope that all these stories continue to create a friendship and a bond with us all.  

I was asked recently if I had ever had a thought about doing something else.  Something far removed from the real estate world, and if so, what would that be?  I have pondered this question for weeks (well, years, as I have had fleeting thoughts about changing careers, especially after a challenging transaction).  I made a list of all my so called talents.  I do love the theatre and music and they bring so much joy to my life.  I adore animals as well and if I could figure out a way to have a farm and some goat yoga, that would be excellent.  I write a lot and I paint too.  Jack of all trades in the artistic realm I suppose.  

The past 8 weeks have been filled with exactly what I needed.  I took a “break” back in December from real estate.  I took a 30 day recharge.  I have never done this before and I think that it was one of the best things that I have ever done for myself.  Not to say that I sat around and binged The Crown (oh yeah, I did do that) but I did put myself smack dab in the middle of theater again and boy did I commit!  

I then spent all of January and part of February directing a very funny show called Moon Over Buffalo.  It had been done on Broadway years ago with the fantastical Carol Burnett and I can only say that it was a blast!  I was fortunate enough to have the PERFECT and I mean perfect cast to guide through the process of taking a very small book with a whole lot of words and crafting a beautiful show.  It was a heck of a journey.

I was at our cast party last night and I was standing in the bathroom listening to everyone talking and laughing and sharing and I looked at myself and said, “Rasa, you are good at peopling.”  I do people very well, and then I thought about it some more and realized that this is really no different from my real estate business.  The process is similar.  You take a few people who all really want the same thing, you account for personality and idiosyncrasies, add some people who know how to build things, write things, and have some experience with things you know nothing about and hopefully at the end you have a success that everyone walks away from with a smile, a few laughs and a feeling of joy.  It’s really very similar.  

Happy New 1/2 Year!

Pivoting is not always the easiest as we humans have to work hard at adapting to change.  If that statement doesn’t apply to you then “hat’s off” for sure.  A year and a half ago I was having cocktails on Zoom, masking, wiping down door handles and getting education in my pajamas, and as I said,  “Succeeding in different ways”.  Although I was remaining calm and composed, deep down I was terrified of so many things that this world was throwing at us.  We brokers had no idea what was coming down the pipeline and the horrors of 2008 were lurking under the bed.

So, fast forward to July 2022. I am now able to show properties without a mask or six cans of Lysol, I am doing in person trainings again, I am going to conventions, and I am looking back over an incredibly strong and resilient housing market, even with interest rate hikes and seriously low inventory. 

I had asked, rhetorically, “what if all of the things that were forcing us to do things differently, were not all bad?”  My reflections of what things were good in the midst of the pandemic were as follows: Longer conversations, taking more time for ourselves and our families, living more purposefully and being better at empathy. 

Was I creative enough to pivot and change and keep hanging on?

Did I succeed?  

Standing in the moment of today, I believe I did.  I still managed to help more than 40 families navigate home buying and selling during a pandemic.  I learned new skills.  I added new team mates to our growing business. I made some incredible new friends and I discovered that I could be healthier and happier with more attention to my diet, fitness and mental health.

I know that many of our clients have expressed deep concern about the current market conditions, rising interest rates, out of control inflation and limited inventory.  Guess what???  It’s just time for us to pivot again.  We are still out there helping our clients and there are still strong sales.  We achieve what we believe, so come on out, the water is just fine! 

Thank you all so much for continuing to support and love what we do here  - I am grateful for my life and everyone in it.

Coming soon:  Be on the lookout for our new Transitions program to help families navigate major life events such as estate sales, down sizing, “right” sizing and aging in place requiring more than just getting the house sold.  Our program will include all inclusive services, more to come!

https://www.rasalove.com/transitions-cape-fear/

Synergy

Wasn’t I just sending out our holiday messages?  Somehow March has come in like the lion it is supposed to be, and I looked around and realized that I had fallen short on my letter writing.   I know that a lot of you read our monthly newsletters and I am sure you can see by the amount of real estate that is happening, I have not had a moment to sit at the keyboard and write.  

Ever since the virus took a toll on our world, our health. our families and our finances, we have all had to learn a new way of living.  Real estate included.  

Two years ago I had decided to build a team to assist the growing needs of my business, and in the two years we have expanded, contracted and expanded again.  Growth is not a steady upwards line.  What I have found through this process is the importance of synergy.  One step from energy - which is almost as important. (Although most say that I have enough energy to supply a small town in the winter) Directing that energy into progress is another point.

“You are exactly where you need to be, my dear.”  

Staying present in the moment has been challenging, especially with the current situation of the world.  I could begin a rant at this exact moment and fill up hundreds of pages on so many things. Allowing my mind to stay present has probably been the most beneficial thing I have been doing throughout all of this.  Every day I am asked, “what do you think this market is going to do?”  I can tell you that I honestly do not know and I think that when we start looking too far ahead it creates panic.  

When I was just getting into this business, my early sale successes were dampened by my brain saying, “Great job hon, now this is just luck and you’ll never sell another house again.”  I halfway believed my brain and then worked ten times harder to prove it wrong.  And then I just lived in fear.  I really thought I’d be like Chris Farley and be living in a “van down by the river.”  

That didn’t happen, not yet anyway, and now I realize that all of that struggle and fear got me here.  And I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  I have an amazing team that is growing into their own successes.  We are all working energetically, positively and SYNERGETICALLY.  We are growing together.  

Now, why is this all so important to me? and why am I telling you this?  This isn’t about real estate at all, and it isn’t about marketing or trying to sell somebody something.  It’s really about relationships. This is why I love what I do. We are all intertwined and are a part of each other’s journeys.  Sometimes briefly and sometimes for a long haul.  We have our forever friends and we have the friends that help us through a difficult or even incredibly joyous time of our lives.  Either way we are all here to create a synergy.  I love the fact that i am exactly here and it’s where I need to be.  Even with all the world’s insanity, I am surrounded by some really amazing people. my team and my clients.  You guys make this world a better place.  

Thank you.

Hello Beautiful Family and Friends, 

As I write this at almost the end of January 2022, I am awestruck reflecting on my past year. As we all experienced, 2021 flew by in a flash and was over before I knew what happened: but I will gloat a moment, because as they say “time flies when you’re having fun”.   

What’s this “fun”, you may ask? Well, in case you don’t know: I decided the night of my 31st birthday to embark upon a dream journey that will be still taking shape and reforming for years to come: I decided to follow my desire to own my own business, invest in my future, the future of my family, and be challenged by my everyday career, committing myself to constantly learning and adapting for any foreseeable future… by getting my real estate license. 

Sticking with the Kayla Mae way of things, I wanted to do it my way and learn at my own pace: so, I did an online learning program and took the national and state examinations at a registered proctored location, and passed on the first try! With this step complete it was time to “hang my license on a wall”, so I eagerly sought out Keller Williams Innovate because I always associate them as the best of the best and love their culture/values! (Y’all know I won’t do anything if I don’t agree with the principles and values)! After getting my feet somewhat planted at KW and figuring out the quirks, I had to follow my intuition and reach out to one of the best teams in the whole state, Rasa Love & Co. and for me, it was Love at first meet.  A “two peas (or 5) in a pod” type of match, and I haven’t been happier, this is a lasting relationship, and I am blessed to be a part of it. I am continuing to learn everyday and super-duper excited about this year unfolding before us now. Come what may! 
That’s the quick version, btw, haha, a few more important details, though, that I wouldn’t want you to miss are… 

In the process of getting my license, Jordan, Katana and I moved into a beautiful apartment right near the board walk of downtown Wilmington, NC. We love going to the nearby amphitheater which just opened at the end of this summer, and letting Katana run around to his heart’s content. They also had some pretty good bands this summer/fall: We went to the Sublime and Rome show in Aug. We are close to everything downtown, but I haven’t really ventured out too much lately because we like to stay home with the Old Bears (That’s one of Katanas many nicknames, He just turned 12 this past Oct.), who is much older now and likes cuddles and sleepies, when he’s not begging for treats. So, I’d prefer that for now anyways, spending time with him above all else, is priceless. 

I decided to get into stocks at a horrible time and learned A LOT in that process, (haha, came out a poorer but smarter person in the end of it, as so often happens to the best of us, lol) and Jordan is on schedule to graduate with his degree from Penn State in Computer Science and Technology at the end of this Spring. Overall, we busted it OUT this past year and forged ahead towards so many great things, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and anticipation daily. I am so blessed to be able to share this small insight into my “happenings” lately, and I am so thankful to have you in my life. Never hesitate to say hello, whether in a letter, email or phone call/text, because I never am too busy for those I love and admire. Hope this update finds you in wonderful spirits, with a full belly, and a warm heart, 

Mom has been in her “planning” meetings and been a little sidetracked, so I decided to help her out and write her letter for her.  She will be so super surprised!

You know what the best thing about my mom is?  She does all this planning and sits in front of her computer for hours (and ignores my requests for belly rubs) but then she gets up and takes me out and tells me about all the cool things she does for all the people she works for!   You know, she loves you all so much (not as much as she loves me) but all this stuff she does is to make her people friends happy!  

I keep telling her that really all she needs to do is bring you guys a super awesome tennis ball covered in special dirt from the far corner of the backyard and that would make you jump up and down!  (that’s what my mom does and obviously it works great!)

This past year has been loads of fun for me.  She takes me to camp at the Leland Pet Resort every Wednesday so I can see my friends.  I know that mom’s team really misses me on the Wednesday Zoom calls.  I have a lot to contribute and squeaky toys add a lot of interest to some really dry conversations.  Sometimes I get baths too on Wednesday but either way I love my human friends at the Resort!  

Mom also taught me how to paddle board and surf this year!  Want to see something really cool? Check out my video! Click here for my super awesome video  She even bought me a surfboard and I am getting to be such a pro! This is why we love the beach - and did you know that Oak Island is super dog friendly? I have so many friends there!

Mom says that I am doing a great job of earning my keep now that I am a big girl , I go get the paper from the driveway every morning - (sometimes I get the neighbor’s too, then mom makes me put it back) - I even use my “big girl bark” to keep the UPS guy and FedEx on track - can’t have them slacking off - they bring me my Bark Box and that is the very best.  I get to work more for my mom this year too.  She is really super clever - and she is getting signs made for her listings that have doggos like me - I GET TO DECIDE IF A HOUSE IS DOGGO APPROVED!!! How very very cool is that??  Dog approved home - and my paw print.  

Dad is helping out now too - he gets to spend a whole lot of time on the computer (here we go again with the ignored requests for belly rubs - jeez) but it’s good because mom has a lot more time for me and that’s the most important.  

I get to hang out with everyone at Rasa Love & Co a lot now - and let me tell you - these people are super fantastic and work really hard for you.  I am going to help with their marketing efforts - I am going to get them all tennis balls this year for Christmas and some dirt from the yard - that way you guys can jump up and down too!  

Mom wants to wish everyone a joyous spring season!  And so do I!  (The cats aren’t really excited about any of this, so I’ll just wish you the same as my mom - silly cats.  They hate my tennis balls too)

With loads of kisses and a big wet nose!

Meara Love

How about unplugging?

Well - a whole year has almost passed - I can’t even believe it.  I went back to look at my letters from the past year and I kept coming back to my word.  

I pick a word for the year and 2021’s word was “journey.”  I have done exactly that.  

When I picked this specific word, my point was to keep myself detached from an outcome, which in my business is almost an impossibility, however, I decided to shift my attention from “end game” to middle game, and see what happened.  

So, I am sure you are thinking - Rasa, how on earth are you thinking that you can’t be concerned with the outcome of a sale?

I thought the same thing.  I figured that if I am process focused, and if the journey is what we are working, then the outcome has a pretty good chance at turning out the way it should.  Be present and be still.  I will admit that this was not exactly the easiest for me, and I will also admit that I have had a few moments of a temper tantrum on behalf of my clients and I have, in true Rasa fashion, lost my cool.  These moments this year were fewer and farther between than in years previous.  

What DID occur…

“What you focus on expands.” and expand it did.  This team became better listeners.  We became better advocates, we became better problem solvers, we began to anticipate challenges and we had better solutions.  We got almost every transaction we touched to the closing table. We had no financing issues.  We had no homeless sellers and we had extremely happy buyers.  We succeeded because we unplugged from the outcome.  We stayed in the present as advocates and agents for our people.  We stood guard of the process not the outcome.  

Folks, this is not about a commission check for us.  Yes, we need to make a living, but our work is truly one of service and guidance.  It is work that comes from being authentic and grateful.  

Now as we all sit with 2022 in our sights, I am asking again for a new word.  I need one that will truly empower and teach me and create an even better version of me than I was a year ago.  

Blessings and thankful at this time of year.  Shoot me a text with your word and why you are choosing it, and possibly even share what you think it will do for you!

Have a joyous and love filled Thanksgiving!

So, here we are, another change in season and closer to the end of another year.  The world seems to suddenly slow.  I think primarily - at least here in Wilmington, it’s because we have been running in and out to escape the heat and don’t bother looking around unless we are at the beach with our toes in the water.  

Today I looked up.

This past month for me has been not much more than a series of car trips back and forth between Raleigh and Leland, and then Waterford to Brunswick Forest.  It was one heck of a move.  We are now settled.  So, if you are getting this letter, it is because you either bought a house or sold a house with me or my team and I honestly have to say thank you to each and every one of you. (I’ll get to why shortly)

I was very lucky (or maybe unlucky) in the fact that I had the luxury (or curse) of having a month to move.  In my mind I felt lucky in the beginning.  As you all know, my business has been growing by leaps and bounds and I have the proverbial tiger by the tail at the moment.  I thought, gee, this is great, we can move at our leisure.  Sure - great thought, however that was not what happened.  No matter how much time you think you have, it’s not enough, or it’s too much.  All work expands to fill the time allowed.  

I was organized in the beginning.  I had tape, boxes, a month of Wall Street Journals to wrap things in.  I had friends to help me pack, organize and gift to.  I had the use of a moving truck and I had movers too.  I had it all together.  

Until I didn’t.

Things seemed to multiply like Gremlins in that awful 80’s movie.  And frankly I had no idea that I had that much stuff. Holy moly. I have made so many trips to Goodwill and Salvation Army that they know me by name, and “no, I don’t need another donation slip.”  Insane.  I have boxes that will be heading to Asheville with my daughter when she comes home next.  I have art supplies that were bequeathed to me by Mum so I promise I WILL NEVER BUY ANY MORE PAINT.  ugh.  Just so many things.

BUT I realized how rich my life really was.  How cool that I had all these things memorializing different aspects of my life.  There were all my show posters, my grandmother’s piano music, my piano music, numerous paintings by my daughter and my mom, ones they did together. Photos in boxes ( and negatives) stopped me in my tracks and I spent a lot of time digging and reminiscing.   I have costumes from theater, Halloween costumes from Skye’s many trick or treating escapades.  Tons of baking and cooking pans and accessories from years of cupcakes and kid-themed parties.  You can’t move without touching every single thing in your life.  EVERY SINGLE THING IN YOUR LIFE.

So, here is the thank you…

You all worked with me with a tougher time constraint, and you all were going through all this insanity of moving.  Along with lenders, processes that may not have been clear.  Some of my clients are doing this and going through estates, divorces, big huge moves across the country or to another country.  And each and every one of you was KIND.  Because as stressful as this process is, it’s super easy to get rattled.  And you chose kindness.  So THANK  YOU!

Blog from the South, in August.

Hey y’all.  It’s hotter than hell and half of Georgia.  Welcome to August.  Welcome to North Carolina and it’s always hotter than 90 in the shade, and to my Northern friends who moved here because it’s so crazy cold up there and this is your first summer in the South- told ya it was hot.  We really weren’t kidding.   (Be glad you didn’t move to Florida)

You know, I realized that I talk a lot about being from here and all the awesome things that make me proud to be born and raised right here in North Carolina (kinda like Pepsi) but what I don’t talk about much, well, until now, are the things I could really live without.  I still really wouldn’t change up much about here.  I even marveled at the existence of tobacco fields the other day on the way to Richlands via many backroads.  I love the fact that I can still drive out of Wilmington and find backroads.  

So, let’s get some things off my chest about the South. 

I usually despise being called “Shug.”  It’s sort of the same thing as a “bless your heart” although that has really been driven into the ground at this point - and frankly I still say that in the context of sympathy - If I wanted to tell someone to go jump off a bridge - then I would just say that.  The use of “shug” usually is said looking down ones nose with a slight arch of an eyebrow - with utter disdain.  - Not to be confused with the use of “sweetie” which is exactly that - a complete and lovely compliment. - “hon” sort of ranks up there with “shug” but not quite as bad - “hon” is really more apathetic. 

I am not a fan of screened porches - most southerners just have a porch and you sit there.  I really can’t think of a good reason that people started adding these things on to a house unless it was a great way for a builder to up-charge a buyer.  Think about this for a moment…the purpose of a screened porch is to keep the bugs away from you while you sit outside.  and are YOU sitting outside currently?  Did you notice the humidity? The times you will be sitting on your porch is about one week in October, most of November and maybe a little in December - but by that time the mosquitoes and no-see-ums have gone to other warmer zones (Florida) and you can, in fact sit on your front porch.  Winter is perfect for fire pits and backyards and then you have about a week of Spring before everything is a lovely yellow hue…anddddd you’re back inside.  So, just have a porch, a seriously cool porch swing and some rockers.  Trust me, you won’t be drinking coffee in August on the screened porch. Nope. Not happening unless you are just proving a point.

I am also not a fan of August and September.  Oh, I love summer and the beach.  I love flip-flops, my summer wardrobe, gin and tonics, boat rides, paddle boards, and so many other things, the two months of the year that I really struggle with are August and September.  August gets muggy and when I didn’t think it could get hotter, then it does.  And I’m surprised.  I am 51 and for the years that I was aware of weather, I am still surprised.  It’s humid hot (not to be confused with the still very hot- dry hot and that sucks too, but at least with dry hot, your hair can still be managed) Our humidity is unbearable at times and whatever makeup or clothing that was chosen that morning is ruined before lunch as the makeup slides down your face and the clothing sticks to parts of your body that it shouldn’t be sticking to. And that lie they tell you about Southern women having great skin due to the moisture level? Yeah, that’s just plain made up. (But Florida is still more humid) …….and then there’s the hurricanes.

So there’s my hissy fit about the current situation and not really much to do about it except sit in the air conditioning and let the weather be what the weather will be.  Only two more months to fall, and then maybe another two months to sweater weather - a girl can hope.  (But then I’ll want summer again)

Thank goodness 

This is a multifaceted story, and I am going to do my best to wind this all together. 

A couple of weeks ago I reconnected with one of my college friends here in Wilmington. Both she and I have had a lot of ups and downs in our lives and somehow they have all strangely mirrored and paralleled.  We chose this quaint restaurant in Mayfaire by the name of Roko to connect face to face.  I had heard wonderful things and all true. 

We sat at the bar and chatted with our neighbors and the bartender and began delving into our catchup time.  I opened their menu and to my delight I saw so many wonderful Italian dishes listed.  BUT, there, right in the middle of the list was my very favorite dish.  Gnocchi.  

I do not know if you have ever tried gnocchi - however - to me it is the most wonderful culinary invention that has ever been created.  It is a perfect carrier food for pesto, marinara, or meat sauce.  It can be made with or without cheese.  And it’s made with potatoes.  Cheese, butter and potatoes.  I first had this spectacular dish in a small restaurant named Nicola’s located in a lovely old house in Morehead City just off the main drag in 1992, and that restaurant and that dish still haunts my tastebuds to this day.  Oh the joy.

As we sat at the bar talking, we heard a scuffle behind us and a scream.  Nothing more sobering than seeing a man on the floor and a woman crying. Two people who were eating outside came in as they were nurses and patrons and staff were moving tables and chairs out of the way.  Two more people came in through the doors bringing with them a gurney and medical equipment and immediately began working on this gentleman with an apparent heart attack.  You could have heard a pin drop.  (I am still in awe of the response time for our first responders - it was literally less than five minutes)  One fireman was doing chest compressions for what seemed like hours - and one was monitoring.  Then, all of a sudden, this man on the floor took a huge breath and his legs moved.  A breath.  A life giving breath.  They beat this heart attack.  Together.  The whole restaurant beat this heart attack.  I do not know how many prayers were offered at that time.  We were all holding our breath.  We were all looking on in complete silence pulling for those firemen and the man on the floor, and silently propping up his bride.  

That breath then allowed them to get him on a gurney and out to the waiting ambulance and we all exhaled.  

 It was one of the most human and beautiful things I have ever seen.  We all celebrated that breath.  

As we turned back to our dinner which promptly arrived after all this, the chef came and sat with us all obviously to catch his own breath. As our conversation moved along, I asked him how long he had been in North Carolina.  He told me the story of how he and his brother were both restauranteurs and that his journey had taken him through many parts of the state for many years, including Morehead City in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  He had owned this lovely restaurant in an old house just off the main drag called Nicola’s.  He made the gnocchi.

My conclusion is this, we are all tied together.  We all have gone through a pandemic separately, but together.  My friend and I sat together in a crowded restaurant with other people, separately but together holding our collective breaths for that family.  My friend and I went through trials and tribulations separately, but together.  And my long appreciation for really wonderful food had come full circle.  Life really is just beautiful and I am grateful for this journey and each collective breath.

Markets up, and markets down.  Interest rate charts looks like an EKG.  No inventory, some inventory, inventory that won’t sell, then in a matter of a weekend has ten offers.  Welcome to the real estate market circus of 2021.  

About a month ago I decided to commit to reading the Wall Street Journal every morning with my coffee.  I do like the financial news - and I am particularly fond of Marketplace on NPR, but never have I made it a point to read the WSJ cover to cover every day, until now.

I love the Leisure section.  I love the Mansions section.  Front page and the column down the left side - particularly handy for the up to the minute - or day - news.  Editorials get my blood pumping and I argue audibly with the writers, in fun in my pajamas, but I still do.  Then comes the market section - the famous Section B with all the graphs and stats.

I have never claimed to be a math person or anything related.  Econ terrified me and statistics was just learning an alien language.  However, I persevere through Section B every morning and what I have realized is that these poor schmucks are just as confused as we real estate agents are.  The backtracking is mind-blowing because just a day before they predict a sector of the market skyrocketing and then the next day it plummets to earth like a deflated weather balloon. At least in real estate we get a few months, not minutes.  

This brings me to  Bitcoin.  As I sit here typing away on a basic word processing program, someone, elsewhere in the world is writing code that becomes currency.  I am crafting words, and they are crafting cash.  And as we sit here - at this exact moment, one single Bitcoin is worth $58,808 dollars.  And apparently you can go to your local car dealership and buy a car with this.  But this is the crazy part.  I am writing this letter to you on Monday, April 26th at approximately 9:24pm.  The number I quoted you is $58,808, at this moment.  

On April 23, Bitcoin had $200 Billion in losses and the price plunged below $50,000.  ($200,000,000,000.00) - get your head wrapped around that number.  I can’t.   Then, at the opening of the markets-  not sure which market - it rose again to $54,000 making up 10% gain to settling in at the $58,808 mark as I am writing this.  Now, whoever thought this up is genius.  Do you wake up in the morning and say, I think I am going to create some new money so I can avoid international currency exchanges?  Avoid taxes?  How does one just make this happen?.  It gets traded, out in the open.  Just like that.  The IRS can’t even figure out how to tax people on this yet, and somehow they - not sure who they is -  just lost $200 Billion.  Poof.  

So, for those of you, like me, who can’t just seem to get their heads around this either, stop and think for a moment.  You may be getting frustrated with our current real estate market because of a lack of inventory, and that there is nothing for you to “move to” and things are getting really expensive.  Or, maybe, we are  just seeing the real value in the area that we live in.  Either way, we aren’t going to see the volatility in the real estate market like the rest of the investment world and we know that land is still just as priceless as it has always been.  

Glad that the WSJ has solidified my belief in real estate.  We can’t write code to create more dirt..yet. 

CNBC - UPDATED FRI, APR 23 20214:06 PM EDT