On Jan 31, 1:14 pm, wrote:
On Jan 29, 10:21 pm, Bill Horne wrote:

On 1/27/2010 8:29 AM, wrote:
Having to look at 100 houses after telling an agent what you want mea
ns
something's really wrong somewhere.

Since agents refused to
disclose property addresses and insisted on being present at any visit,
we had to endure a lot of "non-starter" pitches.

I think that's just bad agency. They wasted your time and their own!



Having to fire three agents after telling them what you want means
something's really wrong somewhere.

I won't describe it as "wrong", but it was certainly counterproductive.
The Agents I dismissed all assumed that they could show me multi-story
houses after I'd said "Only one level" as clearly as possible, or that
condos would interest me after I'd told them "No" in plain English, or
that I'd be willing to live next to a pile of chromium. They lost the
sale because they didn't listen.

Amazing,

It was more like six months: my wife and I were both holding down
full-time jobs, but we chose to dedicate the time and money to finding
a home that *WE* wanted, instead of something that a real-estate
agent decided on.

When did this happen? With websites such as realtor.com available
today, it's a different game.

Any game difference is due to the lack of sales, due to a depressed
market.

I had the same experience here. At the time we bought, the market was
in a lull between full sped ahead, but it was still better than now.
The real estate agents were very aggressive, and you were bomabarded
with houses that were either not applicable or overpriced. The three I
went through all had the same tactic. They find out how much the
maximum is that the bank will lend you, and then the least expensive
house they show you is at the very top, but most will be significantly
over. Then what you are supposed to do is to figure out how to finagle
that extra amount, usually by taking out another back door loan. One
of them actually called me stupid because I refused to pay more than
66 percent of the maximum amount the bank would loan. They had a
system, and I wasn't playing the right way.

some snippage

All true, and more. I've read that builders can sometimes get better
deals from lenders by inserting CC&Rs, and that anti-antenna CC&Rs came
from deals with cable-TV companies.

You hit the nail square on the head there, Jim. When these things
started, I doubt that anyone had the idea of discriminating against
Hams. We were just collateral damage in the same way that we get
inadvertently get involved in anti-cell phone while driving
legislation.


For their part, real-estate agents like CC&R's because they assure a
consistent product that can be turned over repeatedly without the need
to worry about someone's aversion to whirligigs, antennas, lawn
ornaments, or pretty much anything else that a homeowner might add.
CC&R's save them time and trouble, and that means more profit.

I have found that at least some agents don't pay any attention to CC&Rs
unless the buyer makes a big deal about them.

Right, and in most cases people who are interested are interested in
more restrictions rather than less. There is a type in this world who
is upset by anything out of place, by their view of the back yard
being marred by the neighbors clothes drying on the line, or even the
style of their house once upon a time, they would be consigned to the
eccentric grouch down the road, yelling at the neighborhood kids to
get off their lawn, but now they live in neighborhoods where they
rule.

some more snippage

We can also promote the idea of "radio for its own sake". Many people
do things just for fun, even if they aren't "easy" or "modern". Ask any
backpacker or marathoner.

Again, there is something that is very important, and seems to get
ignored by so many.

I really enjoy being involved with just about all aspects of Amateur
radio, but too many people tend to think that their own interested are
the ARS's main focus. Contesting, Emergency work, favorite modes. It's
all good.

But my main personal interest is radio for it's own sake. I build as
much as I can, and enjoy making those little pieces of electronic
"stuff" do things for me. 8^) The radios themselves have progressed
beyond what is practical for me to build mostly - though practicality
hasn't stopped me yet, but peripheral construction, system building,
and the odd retro project now and then. Yeah, that's cooking with gas!

- 73 de Mike N3LI -