Do real professionals work weekends?

[Chris Harrison]

Should professionals be expected to work weekends?
I didn’t work on appraisals this weekend and I’m running a little behind this morning! Had the main water line to my house break Friday. It wouldn’t be a problem except:
Finding a plumber to work on Mothers Day weekend, the four trees, three flower gardens and two fences between the water meter and the home.
Now all that could be handled except:
I’m living in the home that was built by my wife’s dad and all the plants were planted by my deceased mother-in-law and her mother! My wife lost her Mom two years ago and Mothers Day is still hard for her. Each plant has a story and living history.
I’m a very lucky person to live in a small (relatively speaking) town. I called a plumber that we’ve known for years and he and his crew started work at 7 am Saturday morning. My wife and I started at 6 am moving plants, roses, etc. The plan was to “pull” the new water line while pulling the old line out. This would mean only two holes, one at the house and the other at the meter. Didn’t work and by 1 pm we knew that a full trench was required. Now the tree trimming began and the back hoe started tearing up the yard. At 7 pm the crew was just finishing laying the line and hooking everything up. We had water! They could have left it at that and come back Monday morning but some of the plants and trees would have been damaged because of the extended root exposure. The crew finished on Mothers Day filling in the trench and I spent the day with my wife replanting the yard. It will take months for it to fully recover but my wife had a good day just knowing that other people cared!
The professional plumber will be delivering his bill today and I expect it to be calculated with overtime and double time. I am happy to pay for that kind of service and I will continue to work weekends my self, at my increased after hours rate, because some times it is necessary.

Chris Harrison

 

[David Mullen]

I don't think that too many people regard us as "professionals". Instead, we are regarded as obstacles to closing a deal, or someone that will provide support for the sales price and to help make the deal and enable everyone else in the tranaction pocket their commissions and fees.

In my area, there is little demand for honest work and until that changes, along with qualifications for entry into the trade, we might be considered many things, but "professional" will not be one of them.

 

[Anonymous]

Dave
It is a sad commentary that we are not well understood by the public. Somehow it is easier to understand plumbers. I worked until 10pm Saturday, started at 7:30am. Our clients don't help because they often use the excuse of waiting on the appraisal, etc., etc. I have been called several times by borrowers wanting to know when I was going to get the report in, only to have to tell them that i submitted the report days ago. One loan officer even scolded me for telling the truth. Actually, it was his own tardiness that delayed the closing not me, not the title co, him.

I know it is a "hit" to people wanting to buy a property, paying say a $1,500 or so for a commercial place, only to be told the appraised value is 60% of the price they agreed to pay....expensive lesson, right?

I appraised an abandoned fast food franchise building and small lot selling for $345,000. The highest similar commercial property in town sold for $235,000. There are some cookers, frig, etc. included in the sale, but not likely to make up the difference and the buyer was going to convert to a retail store.

I look at it as saving the borrower a $100K or so, and preventing my client from having insufficient collateral; but, instead I am a deal killer scum appraiser who does not know what property is "really" worth. Did the client defend me? Not a peep.

Ter

 

[TC]

Terrel,

Let me tell you a similar story with good results. I am currently going to "kill a deal" with a single family house. I really believe that the agent is pulling a fast one over a stupid buyer. I called the LO and he agreed with me, he doesn't want to see his client get cheated or have the bank stuck with an overvalued property. Doesn't happen all the time, but its nice when it does.

TC

 

[Blue1]

I feel like a "Real Estate Cop." In other words, it seems I'm expected to "police" the Real Estate industry. Look, in a purchase EVERYONE already knows what the property is "worth" before I'm called on the scene. I am supposed to derive the most "probable" value which may or may not be the same as the sale price. I call this a policing function and we all know how underpaid cops are.

 

[dbiggers]

Chris, I've met our attorneys on weekends many times, and early for breakfast and late after work, with no change in bill rate nor complaints about the timing. I'm the client and they want my business. Same for the architects I've worked with -- weekends are no big deal.

Likewise, my engineers and managers are salaried, highly degreed professionals and yet they work weekends and odd hours all the time. They do it because they have a project mentality, not an hourly one. They can't and don't ask for extra pay because they're professionals and know that weird hours come with the territory.

Maybe I'm odd, but I look at the professional/tradesman thing the other way around from most -- it's the professionals who I expect to work weekends or late because they "get it". The hourly worker doesn't and shouldn't without being paid "overtime". To me, if you charge higher to work weekends or accomodate your client, it's like saying you aren't a professional, because you need "overtime".

Dave Biggers
CEO
a la mode, inc.

 

[Caterina Platt]

Terrel, TC, and Blue,

You are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing. Real Estate Cop is a good analogy! :lol: While we may not always get the opportunity to speak with the buyer of these deals we are slaying, when we get the chance, we need to point out that we are saving them from a financial disaster when we tell the unpopular truth. Tell the agent, tell the LO, whoever. It may or may not make a difference at the time. They will still want to shoot the messenger. They will respect and appreciate you later, maybe. Once they get over the fact that their dream was not meant to happen, but unfortunately they won't pick up the phone and say, 'Ya know, you were right...' No matter, you've done a good job. The heart Dr. who tells his patient to stop eating his favorite foods and excercise isn't always heeded or well recieved. This doesn't mean the Dr. is any less professional, or any less necessary.

We need to get over our self esteem issues created by these negative responses. Myself included. Unfortunately, we must often look to each other to get the positive kudos and daily affirmations. Remember Stuart Smalley from SNL? "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and darn it, people like me." Place the mirror near your desk, say this several times and then, tell yourself two out of three ain't bad. :lol: 8)

 

[Alan Simmons]

Blue1:

I have never had the authority to felt like a real estate cop, but I often do feel like the only adult involved with the process.

 

[Robert]

I somewhat agree with dbiggers- If my best customer is in a bind, I do it - no extra fees, no whining. I'm not willing to push for the lenders "needed" number but I can and will go out of my way to provide excellent service to my best customers. If an infrequent, pushy lender expects it of me, I'm less likely to do it. If you have a good lender relationship, they will not ask you to do it that often. I've got a family life on the weekends and will not put it on hold based on a "demand" from a lender but I will do it once in awhile because I want to.

 

[Larry Lyke]

Once upon a time a lender I didn't even know existed called me out of the blue on a Friday because one of his pals knew me. The lender was moaning and bemoaning that his favorite appraiser wouldn't do an emergency appraisal on the weekend for him.

I asked him straight out that if I did it for him could I become his favorite appraiser. He said yes.

I did the appraisal on Sunday morning. Delivered verbal on Monday afternoon and the hard copy on Tuesday via courier at his expense. No fee surcharge.

That was the easiest and quickest relationship I ever started. Lasted about 4 years.

Sometimes, just wing it. It spices up a dull existence. Mine! NOT!