Hiring a Sacramento Real Estate Agent From the Internet

If you never met me in person, you would probably think I was at least 6-feet tall. That’s because there are advantages and disadvantages to meeting your Sacramento real estate agent in person. Actually, I think I look just like my photo, and I’d look even more like my photo if I had a photo on my webpage of Susan Lucci. OK, I’ve wandered into delusion-ville, but people do say I remind them of her but perhaps that’s in reference to the number of ex-husbands I’ve killed off or kicked to the curb.

You may find this difficult to believe, but oh, my God, Susan Lucci is not the first thing that clients say when they meet me. They say: You’re so much shorter in person. If they don’t say it, they’re thinking it, or I’m wearing my 6-inch heels and they’re uncertain.

When I was much younger, friends used to say they were afraid of me until they got to know me. After we hung out for a while, it was then that they realized I’m really very easy going and down-to-earth. I get it; I have a strong personality because I voice strong opinions and, I guess in print, I come across as tall as Michael Jordan when I’m really much shorter, more like Mickey Rooney.

I say this because people’s impressions can be skewed before they get to know a person or meet them in the real world. Take, for example, my recent trip to the Superior Court to serve on Jury Duty in Sacramento.

There I was, sitting in the jury selection box, along with 3 rows of other people, thinking to myself how fortunate I was that my court-wearing outfit so nicely complemented the grey and pale yellow tear-drop pattern in the plush seating. Somebody had to purposely choose that pattern and color combination for a courtroom. I hope the design decision didn’t go to committee: Orange, orange, I think inmates are tired of orange. Black, red, too racist. It was then that my eyes flickered over to the table situated before the judge and at the people seated at the table.

Whoa, Nellie, I thought to myself: Since when do they let meth freaks become lawyers? I realize I’m a bit out of touch with the younger generation sometimes, but that seemed to be taking things a bit too far. I mean, a lawyer should dress up for court and perhaps brush her hair, put on some makeup, and not appear before the bench with a blotchy face looking like a drug addict. But that’s kids for ya.

Then the judge appeared and welcomed everybody and gave us the speech about how we must presume the defendant is innocent unless we hear all of the facts and evidence of the case that could prove otherwise. The judge read the charges against the defendant, which were driving under the influence of drugs. It was then that I realized that person at the table was no lawyer.

That was Amy Sedaris. I swear, deadringer for Amy Sedaris in her role as Jerri in Strangers With Candy. If you were in that Sacramento Superior courtroom that day, I know you would agree. She even sported the same goofy smile, turned down at the corners. Stringy hair. Pants that dragged the floor. How lucky was this? Amy Sedaris’ character was in the same courtroom with me.

Uh, oh.

I was hosed. I knew it.

There was no way I could presume that defendant innocent. She was guilty as hell and I knew it. Even though I wanted to perform my civic duty, I could not in good conscience serve on that jury. No way, Jose.

See, this is what happens when we meet people in person. We form opinions. We make judgments. We rely on our gut. And sometimes people don’t want to go into a real estate transaction unless they meet their Sacramento real estate agent, even though that’s not always possible or even necessary.

Last weekend I met with sellers from the Bay area before listing a duplex in Midtown Sacramento. We’d been talking about the property by phone and email for a while, but they really wanted to meet in person, so I accommodated them. Now, I’m certain they feel much more comfortable after hiring me as their listing agent.

On the other hand, I just closed a short sale this week in Citrus Heights, which I’ve been working on since March. Like I do after all my transactions record, I called the seller to let him know I had received confirmation. We talked a little bit about how we had never met in person. He was OK with it, although I suspect it was a little bit strange for him on the concept side, yet not odd on the implementation side. I did a good job, he said, as I got his daughter a relocation incentive, and I made the process very easy for him.

I sell a lot of real estate for out-of-town sellers whom I never meet. I also sell a lot of real estate for sellers I meet face-to-face and shake their hands. Either way, virtual or real world, you’ll get good service from this Sacramento real estate agent. No crackhead here.