My house is almost ready to go to market. I'm leaning against using an agent, because they get big bucks that I'd rather see riding on my own hip. But they do know the market and I thought they might have a better idea of target price and what not. Yesterday I met with a married couple from Remax. They gave me the subtle version of the hard sell. They came with an impressive packet full of material, but their 5% commission is a bit much. In fact, I could list the house myself and not sell it for 9 months and still make more money.
Today Al from Century 21 came by to meet me. I was changing the lightbulb on the front porch when he walked up all unassuming. He just stood and waited for me to finish. I took him through the house with the tour and he gave me a similar packet of information with comps and what not. He asked how long I thought it would be and I said it would be done in the next few weeks. He was wearing a name tage that Al Osuna.
Tom: Wasn't there a ballplayer named Al Osuna. He played for the White Sox.
Al: You're thinking of Antonio Osuna.
Tom: That's right, but I seem to remember an Al Osuna too.
Al: Yeah, I retired from baseball and do Real Estate full time now.
Tom: So you use to play ball? ( His deadpan delivery made me think he was joking)
Al: Yeah, I played with the Astros. I'm familiar with the area from Spring Training.
Tom: Middle Reliever?
Al: Yeah
Tom: I think I had you in the baseball league.
Al: I was a cheap guy that could fill out a roster.
Tom: You had a great WHIP. (He laughs)
Al: I haven't played in a long time. I started getting into real estate back then and I don't think I'd be in it now without baseball.
Tom: You use to eat up some innings.
Al: Yeah. You want me to call you in a few weeks?
Tom: That's not a bad idea. Your number is in this packet?
Al: Yeah
Tom: We'll talk soon.
Later I looked Al Osuna up and he was right. I had Antonio Osuna, who had a much better WHIP.
2 comments:
You crack me up, Sir Stamper.
Points of interest:
- Antonio did play with the White Sox in 2002, but he played with your very own Yankees the next season. You must have really enjoyed those 11 saves in '02 to make that the hallmark season.
- Antonio's WHIP that season was 1.360, very near to Al's career 1.375 WHIP.
- Antonio came up with and played his first six years with the Dodgers. Al played with the Dodgers in 1994. If you had said Dodgers instead of White Sox, you might have backdoored your way into the right fella.
- You should write a book about your run-ins with mediocre ballplayers and how your mutant ability is calling out the mediocrity of their second careers.
Also, this would have been ever so slightly a better story if you had glimpsed his name tag just as the light bulb over your head went on. Just something to think about for future tellings.
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