I’m channeling Jimmy Buffett to remind you of my calling
1 month ago to the day, the beloved Jimmy Buffett passed away. I grew up listening to his music (at first not by choice, but eventually my own “Parrothead” wings grew in), so his death is fairly significant for my family.
20 years ago to the month, I sold my first house as a real estate agent. It has been a wild ride ever since with market ups & downs, starting a business, and growing a team.
To commemorate both anniversaries, I wanted to share a message laced around a Jimmy Buffett tune that tells of a person’s misunderstood calling. The message is worth a read and the song worth a listen, especially if you’re a Jimmy Buffett fan!
Jimmy Buffett wrote a song in his 20s titled “A Pirate Looks at Forty.” It tells of a modern-day man who is a pirate at heart. The lyrics go,
“Yes I am a pirate,
200 years too late.”
You can listen to it at the bottom of this post. In short, the character (which is apparently a real guy Jimmy knew in Key West back in the 70s) feels his calling isn’t fully valued in modern society.
I occasionally feel similar as a real estate professional who acts as both a REALTOR and a Mortgage Broker. Since selling that first house way back in 2003, I’ve helped buyers and sellers as their REALTOR on nearly 200 properties worth a combined $90,000,000+. For 11-years in a row, I’ve been recognized as a Five-Star Real Estate Agent in the Sacramento region. I even put the words “Real Estate” in my own company name so you couldn’t forget what we do. And yet still to this day, sometimes folks will say “I thought Matt just does loans!”
AHHH, what’s a guy to do??!!
It’s a teeny-tiny bit understandable for clients to sometimes forget that I am also a REALTOR. After all, nearly everyone in real estate chooses to be a REALTOR or a Mortgage Broker. Its easy to be labeled as one OR the other. But just because my combined “occupation’s just not around” does not make it obscure. In fact, my one-stop-shop model is what makes us a better choice over traditional real estate companies. It is truly my calling to work for you in both capacities.
Having a REALTOR who is also an expert in mortgage financing helps buyers navigate the buying process more efficiently, and helps sellers better understand the potential obstacles of proposed offers that require financing. And you’ll quickly see having a REALTOR who has an analytical and data-driven disposition is way better than one who’s a “Selling the OC” reality show wanna-be. So the next time you or a loved one needs to buy or sell a home, don’t forget that
“Yes I am a REALTOR,
20 years in my wake!”
RIP Jimmy! Your music will always take me to the water, and still can mange to inspire a Matt’s Memos blog post!
Matt Sundermier's Memos on Real Estate & on Life 
Honey likes your song choice!