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Health & Fitness

PLEASE SPELL IT OUT FOR ME

I’ve been working with some younger clients, both buyers and sellers. Their way of life is all electronic. Twitter, Facebook and text have become the way of doing business for this type of clientele. They look at houses online and sign documents on their phone or tablet. They get advice from their friends in online chat rooms. It is their way of life. Different from when I started in the business but we learn and grow with the times. Or so I thought.

With the limited number of characters allowed in a text message an entire new language has developed. One without grammar or punctuation. With words (?) like LOL, IMHO, OTOH and SMH. Most of the time based on context I can figure out what they mean, but SMH? I had to look that one up (shaking my head, in case you haven’t looked it up yet.) 

Just about the time I started thinking how much easier it would be to understand the meaning if they would just spell it out I realized how often I do the same in my business. I tell clients that I would be happy to show them that HUD house. Or FNMA home or REO property without ever thinking to explain what that means. I imagine most people understand what a foreclosed home is, but what would make it HUD, FNMA or REO and should they even care? 

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Then, as I was talking to a lender friend of mine about a transaction we have together she said how pleased she was that the “GFE was almost to the penny!” And it occurred to me that lenders have those types of acronyms too. LTV, MIP, DU and HELOC. 

And don’t even get me started about the acronyms and abbreviations on MLS sheets (yep, I said it, MLS). Sometimes I can’t figure out what they mean and I have been in the business for years. I understand the need for brevity in print and on social media, really I do. Sometimes though, I think people miss the point entirely when they have to spend time trying to figure out “what did they mean by that?”

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So, I’ll make a deal with you (we can even pinky swear). If you and I work together we can do it the short, up to date, social media way OR we can do it the old fashioned SPELL IT OUT way. Either way, I hope we get an opportunity to work together soon.

(check out our great new door sign/lettering courtesy of Jeff at SIGN*A*RAMA in Allen Park)

Until next time, Celia

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