Be careful when buying dogs through kijiji but its ok to buy/sell your home through them?!?
I was just driving home with Bruce, who most of you many know by now is not only a Realtor himself but also my husband and we were talking. We were discussing how much we love our careers and not because of the money aspect. Some of you may choose to believe otherwise but I can and do honestly say that the money comes secondary and is really an added and of course much needed perk. None of us can survive without money to live that is. In any case, we were discussing how much we love doing what we are doing...working with different types of people everyday, meeting new people everyday, showing and buying houses (which is truly exciting) Its like shoe shopping only for really expensive shoes that I am not going to be wearing. There is a thrill everyday to find houses for people you get to know and like, to help them sell the homes that they have outgrown and find them a new one that they will enjoy many many years in. To know that you have helped a person,couple or family to find their first home and that they won't be throwing money away on rent any longer and that we have helped them to make one of the best investments in their lives. I honestly could go on and on but won't for fear of boring you. I feel most days if not all and I know that Bruce does too that I was meant for this job and in thinking lastnight realized that one of my first jobs was in sales (smart set to be exact) and I was REALLY REALLY good at it. I loved it then because of how it made me feel and how I made others feel. To get to my point though we were discussing this and I said " I didn't understand why people would use kijiji to buy or sell their homes themselves." I use it for other stuff of course and I don't say this out of fear for my career in any way. I am a part of one of the longest standing professions and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon or ever for all I am concerned about it. I followed this statement by a comment to Bruce about how does Kijiji send out a warning awhile back now about purchasing animals (specifically dogs, I think) on kijiji. Something to the effect that people should be warned when purchasing dogs from kijiji that they don't know the dogs health issues, breeding issues etc and that they are not responsible for such. My question would be the same with regard to selling or purhasing your home through this website. Are they continuously educated every single year in the ways of real estate? Do they make guarentees and warranties to the condition of the home you are purhasing, Is a buyer or seller knowledgable in fair marked value for a home and if a buyer gets taken to the cleaner who is to blame? I don't understand why people underestimate a Realtors worth. We are professionals. We take continual mandatory education every year. We make sure that our clients, whether they be buying or selling are represented to the best of our abilities, we make referrals to 3rd party tradesmen that we have knowledge of their work and we are familiar with their practises. Kijiji explains not to buy animals from their site because people won't know the condition of the animal...why should people ever be buying and selling real estate through it would be my question. For most buying a house or selling one will be the biggest investment of their lives and yet they are willing to trust anyone. I just don't understand this. We work really hard for our clients. We make sure that they are protected in every way that we can. We want them happy and we honestly strive to ensure that they are. My goal in blogging about this is not to convert anyone or sway them either way but I think that it definately should be pointed out that whether buying a dog or buying or selling a home kijiji has no stake in it. They offer no assistance, they offer not warranties, they have no education or facalties to offer. Why would people choose not to trust this site to purchase an animal but trust this way to purchase or sell a home. It seems rather ridiculous to me and I am certain that anyone who has been burned doing so, bought a home plaqued with issues, spent too much, didn't ask for enough, etc. etc. will tell you the same. In talking this morning with Bruce in the car he said "ya know that makes so much sense it's ridiculous and you should blog about it" So here I am blogging.