STRATEGIES FOR FACING REAL ESTATE PROBLEMS HEAD ON
Recently, in two separate incidents, parked police cars were hit by passing cars. News of these coincidental accidents started me thinking about how often the very things we try to avoid, we don't.
The two offending drivers hit parked police cars (with officers inside) because the drivers, to avoid attracting police attention, kept looking at the police car instead of the clear road ahead. Their fear and concern distracted them, so they struck the very thing they hoped to avoid. Our visual nature causes us to move in the direction we are looking.
Are you headed for trouble even though you are trying to avoid it? Is your problem distracting you from the solution?
These two drivers were found to be driving under the influence, so their decision making was compromised as was their aim. They drove straight into trouble instead of away from it. You may be savvy enough to stay away from drugs and alcohol while attempting to solve a problem, but stress, fear, and ignorance can undermine decision making just as effectively.
What are you hoping to avoid? Eviction, foreclosure, or income loss? Or, are you dodging a tough talk with your spouse, parent, lender, or employee because you are no longer financially able to meet the commitments you've made? Or, perhaps you want to go against multiple generations of your family because you don't want to, or do want to, sell the vacation or family home, when they'd like to do the opposite.
To avoid a negative outcome, focus on where you want to end up, not on the potential disaster you see ahead. For instance, to successfully drive a car down a narrow alley without hitting a wall, you must first position your car in the alley so it can clear both walls. Then concentrate on looking ahead at where you want to end up. Occasionally, glancing at one side wall will ensure you stay on track. Continuously, looking back and forth between the two brick side walls and not directly ahead may cause you to hit the wall.
The problem can distract you from the solution. Instead of going over and over the problem in your mind and in conversation, concentrate on exploring solutions and you will be drawn toward a positive outcome —the direction you concentrate on.
If you cannot see a solution to your problem, that doesn't mean there isn't one. Seek out experienced professionals and learn about possible positive outcomes and how to achieve them. For instance, if yours is a mortgage or real estate problem, a real estate professional could be your starting point.
- Real estate professionals cannot tell you what to do, but they may help you clarify the problem and can provide a range of solutions that falls within their expertise.
- They will also know if another professional including a mortgage broker, real estate lawyer, mediator, estate advisor, or appraiser, would be better able to assist you. Real estate professionals will usually provide 3 or more ideal contacts, so that you can interview all to get different points of view and solutions; then choose the best match.
- Don't under value real estate professionals because they don't charge to help you learn whether their services would resolve your problem or to suggest alternative starting points for you. Experienced professionals have spent their careers listening to buyers, sellers, and wanna-bees who have each felt their problem was unique and insoluble. Often the “unique” is far from that and “insoluble” has commonplace solutions.
- When your solution includes sensitive conversations, don't be surprised if you have trouble finding the right moment and the right approach to broach the subject. That procrastination may have gotten you in trouble in the first place. NOW is the right time.