Month: August 2025

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Originally posted at: Katie Ginella’s Printed Corset Top and Brown Fur Jacket

Picture this: you’re driving through a neighborhood you love, and there it is – the house. You’re in your 60s, so this is your final move.

Perfect backyard. Beautiful landscaping. Maybe even an extended screened-in area or a pool.

In the yard is a big “For Sale” sign with a smiling face and a phone number.

It feels natural to want to call, right? After all, who knows more about the house than the agent on the sign?

Well, that’s not the smartest move – and here’s why.

The Listing Agent Represents the Seller First

In Florida, most real estate agents work as transaction brokers.

That means they can assist both the seller and the buyer in the same deal, but they don’t owe full fiduciary loyalty to either side.

The listing agent’s first job is to help the seller market their home and get the best price and terms possible.

Sure, they can answer your questions and write the contract for you, but they can’t be your personal advocate in negotiations.

Why would they help you? Because they will most likely collect a higher compensation if there is no other agent involved.

How Can This Hurt You

A buyer I am working with texted me about a house that just hit the market today. She’s out of town and her phone went off. “And it has a new roof!”

So, I proceeded to look into the property, and this is what I found: The house had previously been on the market from February through May with no sale. The listing was canceled in May, but in the broker remarks it said, “Please Note: Mold is Present inside house.”

The new listing went up today with a “new roof in 2025, new carpeting in the bedrooms, a/c less than one year old, brand new stainless steel appliances and freshly painted.” But no mention of mold or any remediation of mold.

Any buyer who calls this listing agent will only be given the new listing – not the old one – just as my buyer saw it. Do you see where I’m going here?

And yes, the listing agent is the same on both listings.

A Buyer’s Agent Works for You

Buying a home is exciting – but it can also be overwhelming. There’s a lot going on, and in Florida real estate moves fast.

You need someone in your corner. Someone who’s watching out for your interests. You need a buyer’s agent.

I once had a woman call me in tears. She was under contract and through the inspection when she found out that the community she was buying in only took one dog and she had three. It happens. That’s when she started looking for pet-friendly realtors and found me. But she should have looked first and saved herself a lot of money and a lot of misery.

Ask me – the stories I can tell you!

When you call the listing agent, you’re stepping into a situation where the advice you get is limited by their obligations to the seller.

Limited Representation Means Limited Advice

As a transaction broker, the listing agent has to treat both sides fairly – but they can’t tell you anything that would hurt the seller’s position.

Need to know if you’re offering too much? Or whether the seller might take less? Or how to push for better repair terms?

The listing agent can’t give you those answers.

Your buyer’s agent can.

It Could Cost You More Than You Think

Without a buyer’s agent running the numbers and advising you, it’s easy to overpay – or miss issues that could cost you down the road – like the mold.

Remember – the listing agent’s job is to get the seller the best possible deal, not to save you money.

Talking Too Much Might Work Against You

Tell the listing agent, “I have to have this house!” and – whether they mean to or not – your enthusiasm may make its way to the seller. That can weaken your negotiating power.

Listing agents also like to engage you in conversation as soon as you walk in the door. Oh, where are you from? Do you know so and so? Do you have dogs? Why are you moving? The more you say, the more it can hurt you.

I heard one seller say, “I heard where he was from. I knew he could pay more.”

The Bottom Line

In Florida or any other state, calling the number on the For Sale sign doesn’t mean you’re saving money. It means you’re entering into a transaction where you don’t have full, loyal representation.

The smarter move? Find your own buyer’s agent – someone whose only job is to protect your interests and fight for the best outcome for you. And if you have pets, find yourself a pet-friendly buyer’s agent!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Are you a baby boomer looking to buy a home with or without pets? Are you planning a move in the near future? Do you have any questions that might help make your home purchase easier? Let’s talk about it!

A lot has changed for me since a few years ago.

When I look back at how I was feeling then compared to now, the shift has been incredible.

My career, my outlook, my direction, my happiness, and my sense of fulfilment all took a turn for the better.

I suppose you could say I feel calmer, clearer, and more aligned than I’ve ever been.

And that all came from a change in environment, a change in perspective…

And boarding a plane in January 2024 with a one-way ticket to Peru.

Waking Up to Dullness

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut, at a crossroads, or a bit lost? Like you’re waking up to the nemesis of repetition? It’s like Groundhog Day – the same routine, the same four walls, the same thoughts – just a different day. Robotic almost. No feeling. No excitement. Just existing.

Back then, I didn’t know what was wrong. I knew I wanted more, and I knew something wasn’t quite right, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

At the time, I was working for a great coaching company that specialised in going into organisations and changing the energy and culture of the people. Ironic, right? I was working for a company that was all about getting your energy right, yet mine was so off. The job was great, the people were great, the perks were great, but inside I wasn’t feeling great. My energy had plummeted to an all-time low.

At first, my energy was high. The job was amazing, and it ticked all the boxes – the dream job. I had everything… on paper. But bit by bit, I started falling into a dark hole that no one noticed – not even me – until it was too late.

Towards the end of the year, I was depleted. I wasn’t myself. I woke up crying each morning, wondering what was wrong with me. I had no motivation, no desire to be there, and I had lost my mojo.

So when my planned trip to South America finally came around, it couldn’t have been better timed.

The Energy Was Waiting for Me

Despite the tiredness from over 24 hours of travel, as soon as I stepped onto the cobbled streets of Cuzco near my guest house, I felt it – the energy. I felt alive, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt light, happy, and excited for the first time in months.

What followed were trips into nature, constantly changing environments, and the ability to really see myself again.

The change from the four walls of my bedroom did something amazing to me. I felt different. I thought differently. I acted differently. And I noticed. Others noticed too.

I began to enjoy work again, even though I was waking up at 2am to keep UK hours. It was a small sacrifice for the joy of finishing at 11am or 12pm and exploring my surroundings all afternoon. I was happier, more content, and more productive than ever. I woke up eager to start the day instead of dreading it.

Over time, I realised that what I was missing was a sense of impact. So, I decided to go all-in on a year-long mastermind to start sharing my knowledge and helping others. I wanted to become a coach. I attended sessions, did the work, and defined my niche – all while travelling and working. It was full-on, but I was finally on the right path.

It’s All About a Change in Environment

All of this came about because I changed my environment. I swapped the four walls of my bedroom for the ever-changing landscapes of the South American countries I visited. It gave me the chance to think differently, to see and feel things in a new way.

We all think differently depending on where we are. While you can take a laptop anywhere and it will work the same way, our brains are affected by the setting we operate in. Changing your environment – particularly getting into nature – provides rich, fertile surroundings for thought.

Our bodies and brains are meant to thrive outdoors, thanks to hundreds of thousands of years of dwelling outside. We’re naturally tuned to the frequencies of the organic world.

From swapping the built environment for nature to simply changing your setting, countless studies have shown that our surroundings shape how we behave, act, and think.

One such study by psychologist Roger Barker and referenced in The Extended Mind, set out to understand why people behave as they do by recording their daily activities in minute detail. Barker and his colleague Herbert Wright followed a group of children from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed. They found that “the characteristics of the behaviour of the child often changed dramatically when he moved from one region to another e.g. from classroom, to hall, to playground, from drugstore to street, from baseball game to shower room.”

Our surroundings really do have the ability to change our behaviour and our thinking.

Different Surroundings Matter

If you’re feeling a bit flat lately, changing your environment could do you the world of good. You don’t have to travel thousands of miles to get results. Just shifting your routine and getting into nature, combined with some reflective questions, can be enough:

A Solo Day Trip

Take yourself somewhere new. It doesn’t have to be far – a new park, a new neighbourhood –somewhere you haven’t been before that sparks emotion, excitement, or perspective.

Try a Different Café, Library, or Walking Route

If you can’t spare a whole day, small changes still count. Choose a café, walking route, or meeting spot you’ve never been to before.

Spend Time in a New Natural Setting

We were born to be outside, so if you can opt for a new natural environment, all the better.

Once you’ve changed your environment, take time to reflect:

• How do you feel?
• What have you noticed about your surroundings?
• What do you like?
• In your life, what’s missing or what needs to change?

Ask yourself or journal:

• What makes you smile?
• What makes you happy?
• When was the last time you felt this way?
• If you could do anything tomorrow, what would it be?
• What can you do tomorrow differently from today?
• What do you need to stop doing?
• What do you need to start doing?
• What promise will you make to yourself this year?
• What are you going to do for you?

Sometimes we just need an “interrupt mode,” a disruption to our routines, thinking, and patterns. One of the best ways to do this is to change our environment and then reflect on what we truly want.

Whatever chapter of life you’re in, a change of environment can be the fresh start you didn’t know you needed.

Sometimes the clearest answers come not from thinking harder but from walking a different path, sitting in a new seat, or simply letting yourself breathe somewhere new.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

So what’s one thing you discovered that you are going to work on from now on? Have you practiced the “change of environment” therapy method? Where do you feel most energized? What environments affect you most – positively and negatively?

Who’s that with him?