Are You a Provider?

THE QUESTION

It happened to me just a few weeks ago.  One of those ah-hah moments, which I'm sure you've all had.

I was walking out the door from my condo, and a fellow approached me with a question: "Who's the cable t.v. provider in this area?"  An innocuous question, to be sure.  I quickly answered Comcast, who's been my cable t.v. provider for as long as I could remember.

THE WORD

Immediately thereafter, one word kept ringing in my head.  Provider.  Provider.  Provider.  Hmmm...

The dictionary has several definitions of the word "provider".  Among those definitions are these: "One who supplies a means of substinence," and "One that makes something, such as a service, available."

Now granted, the cable companies operate as a government induced pseudo-monopoly.  Depending on where you live, there may be no choice of which cable company serves your home.  You're basically forced to get your cable from the single company providing service to the town in which you live.  Of course, you are not required to have cable television or television at all, or you may choose to get satellite t.v. service.  That's up to you.  However, if you choose cable, you've got a provider.

The word provider has another, more nurturing definition: "a person who supports a family or another person," and "a person who provides" (DISCLOSURE: That's from Random House Dictionary.  My first grade English teacher taught me never to use a word in its own definition.)

In other words, it's good to be a provider.  The word itself has a happy connotation.

THE AH-HAH MOMENT

As real estate professionals, it should be our goal to be looked upon as providers. 

We are providers of market information -- what's for sale, what's selling, prices, inventory, neighborhood data.

We are providers of knowledge and expertise -- about the selling process, about the buying process, about current rules and regulations affecting real estate.

We are providers of counsel and support -- home buying and selling can be a very emotional time with ups and downs throughout the transaction.  We're here to both empathize with our clients' emotions regarding their purchase or sale and to break through those emotions and see clearly to negotiate the best deals for our clients.

Unlike cable television, you've got many choices when it comes to your real estate broker.

If you're ready to buy or sell a home in Northern Virginia, or D.C., I'd love to be your provider.