Central Ohio Real Estate Market News

On this morning’s Today Show, they did a segment on companies allowing employees to work four 10-hour days versus five 8-hour days. This was helping people save on their gasoline costs.

It made me think about how much different my schedule is now versus when I began in this business nearly ten years ago. Back then, I went into my office daily. It’s a 24-mile round trip from my home south of Delaware to Worthington. As a new agent, I often would spend half the week driving through southern Delaware County and northwest Franklin County in order to become familiar with neighborhoods and their pricing. If I was working with buyers, it was not uncommon to show them 20-40 homes. I used lots of gas but it cost much less then.

Last year, I changed my status with Real Living to be that of a “mobile agent”. That means that I gave up having a desk in the Worthington office, and instead work out of my home. Many weeks, I drive to the office only 2-3 times. By becoming mobile, I get to keep a greater portion of the commission I earn, and pay less of it to Real Living. When I did my income taxes in April, I realized that I drove 3000 fewer miles in 2007 than I did in 2006. That’s a LOT! It saves not only on gas, but also wear ‘n’ tear on the WEENR-mobile.

With our computers, cell phones, faxes, and pdf files, I can work just as well from home. In fact, I can be MORE productive because I’m able to avoid the chit-chat that wastes time in the office. That aspect isn’t for everyone if they are highly social or aren’t self-starters. Some agents say that they tend to do everything at home BUT work and that actually going to office helps them focus. So it may depend on your personality as to whether working from home is for you.

We’re not having to show as many homes to buyers now thanks to all the photos that are placed on the internet. It’s so-o-o much simpler to sort through the 50-60 homes that might come up in a computer search to then prune the list the buyers actually WANT to see. Instead of physically driving and showing 20-40 homes, we may only show 5-10 before a buyer finds one they like. (If you’re a seller … remember that. That’s why hiring an agent who takes good photos is so important.)

The possible downside to working from home is that you’re always at the office. I turn on my laptop around 7:30 in the morning and may not shut it off until Conan’s on. Sometimes even Carson Daily is on before I shut down. But by then, I’m in my jammies so who cares.

The ONE PERSON who really likes my change to mobile status is THE MURPH. No more long days alone … and since I’m not going into the office, there’s a chance - just a chance - that he might get to “go for a ride” if I have errands to do like restocking outside flyers. The rest of the time, he’s quite happy just to be laying by my side taking one of his many naps, with an occasional jaunt outside to meet & greet his neighbor’s.

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