Elevation Realty Leadership
David Easton
For most of my life I have had my head in the clouds, both literally and figuratively. At a very young age, I dreamt of airplanes and flying. Piloting remote control airplanes was one of my favorite pastimes, and as soon as I was old enough to legally get my private pilot certificate, I did. I followed my love for aviation all the way up to the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota where I earned a degree in Aerospace Sciences, majoring in Commercial Aviation. After my time in Grand Forks, a flight instructor position took me to Santa Monica, California. Flight instructing allowed me to truly appreciate the value of my knowledge and skill set that I had attained and cultivated through my college education.
Unfortunately, though, sometimes life isn"t fair. I always thought it would be, but it tends to throw you some “curve balls". One such curve occurred at the age of 26, when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The FAA has a “Blanket Protocol" against insulin-dependent diabetics (such as all Type 1"s), so they rescinded my ability to receive a 1st and 2nd class medical. No longer was I allowed to utilize my commercial pilot certificate. The devastating loss of my 1st career passion was an even larger blow to me than the onset of my chronic disease. After many years of feeling sorry for myself and kicking around a variety of unfulfilling dead end jobs, the choice became clear. Coming from a family of independent business owners both in real estate sales and home construction, I decided to follow in my parents" footsteps and jump in head first to real estate!
The Learning Law of Primacy:
“Primacy", the state of being first, often creates a strong, almost unshakable, impression. Things learned first are very difficult to erase. Therefore, “unteaching" wrong first impressions is considerably harder than teaching a concept right the first time. For both student and instructor, this means that what is taught must be correct if one does not wish to retrace his or her steps"¦or worse.
It was imperative as a pilot that I taught my students with the utmost degree of accuracy, professionalism and humble understanding. The stakes are high when making a mistake during flight, and if a student is improperly taught, it could be the difference between life and death.
A similar set of circumstances exists in real estate. Fortunately, nothing that I can do as a Realtor will cause the loss of life (Although, some clients have shared past real estate experiences in which they wanted to either kill their Realtor or crawl into a hole and die!). It has been stated by a variety of sources, that buying or selling a home is one of the most stressful events in a person"s life. An incorrect series of decisions in a transaction has the ability to transform an experience that, otherwise, has all the ingredients to be a wonderful one.
In my opinion, there is a right and a wrong way to buy and sell real estate. Every transaction should be a collaboration between many different parties with the client intimately involved at every stage. I feel it is at the root of my professional responsibility to teach my clients the right way the first time (that whole primacy thing). Through setting realistic expectations, communicating diligently and clearly understanding my client"s objectives, buying or selling can in fact be enjoyable!
“Hire a Teacher, Not a Salesperson." - Dave Ramsey
A true professional values education. I also feel that a true professional values acting as a consultant rather than a salesperson. I value that my brief participation in someone"s real estate experience may have benefited them or even propelled them into a better position in life. I value being a trusted advisor and a visionary with sight of, and insight to, their “big picture." Solving problems and setting a plan of action to achieve a common goal via a logical process are also things I enjoy. I am a people person through and through, and I am mindful of the responsibilities I have to my clients in every transaction and with every referral I receive. My clients continue to bless me through their willingness to refer me, and I can proudly say that 95%+ of my business is by referral. I am in this business for you, and I am committed to being your life long real estate resource. Thank you!