So what are you seeing?

So what are you seeing???

Are your eyes wide open?  I  mean REALLY wide open?  What are you seeing in your community?  Are the blinders up to the special needs community?  I hope not, however many people with special needs are treated as invisible.

It was amazing today because in our yard I saw a small pack of deer.  We have about 9 deer in our small suburban yard at random times.  The incredible part was today one of the deer was missing part of its back right hoof.  The deer had a special need!  What was even more special was how the pack treated this deer.  I watched in amazement how the other deer did not abandon the deer with the need.  The deer all stayed in the pack helping each other, in spite of need.

They treated the special deer like all the other deer!  Why can’t we do this as humans?  I watch as people with special needs get left behind, talked down to, and disregarded.  So now is the time where this stops!  Look around you and your community.  If you see a person with special needs just remember treat the like a person!  The feeling you will give the other person is immeasurable.  Your community will thank you, you will be the ambassador for a new way of accepting all people, as PEOPLE. 

Remember the deer.  Look around your community and see what the housing needs are in your WHOLE community and start with one step toward becoming the advocates of fair housing for all.

What does the special needs community want from real estate?

What do families with special needs in the community want?  Overall it is to be included and treated like everyone else while having the real estate world understand that families with special needs may take a little to buy a home but we are extremely loyal!!  In fact since we have so few people who work to understand our world we typically use a small but loyal group of providers.  So if you are an awesome resource to the special needs community then we will refer you around our group!  It does not matter what challenge you are facing, it matters that you cared and took an extra half second to help.  The more you help, the more we give back.  And give back we do.
Though it was not my intent to focus on this area of real estate, the families with special needs are growing around us at an incredible rate and have become an amazing source of referrals. Also it provides an incredible amount of joy to help this community feel like a part of the larger community, to be accepted!
The focus on families with special needs has allowed a greater understanding of many types of challenges and the real estate issues faced.  It has also opened my eyes to the community at large.  We are constantly looking at ways for inclusion for our son and his friends in our community.  One of the most exciting area of inclusion is being built right now it is called LifeTown.  I encourage you to check out what this 45,000 sq foot city will be at www.LifeTownNJ.com and see what happens when the community comes together to make ALL people  feel like everyone included.
You can also check out a video of LifeTown at http://youtu.be/PCGNPHTnqjk.  It is amazing when people come together what can be accomplished.

How to make the person feel whole

What works and what doesn’t.  The number one thing I can implore upon you is to ask questions, ask questions, and ask questions!  The right questions will always get you the appropriate response. What I mean is that to help understand the special needs community is to understand that you must use PEOPLE first language.  If you focus on the PERSON and not the issue, challenge, or disability you will always receive a great outcome.   Here is an example…”What are your child’s challenges?”  Or, “what housing challenges are you facing?”  Instead of “what is wrong with him/her?”  The first two question will receive a much better response than the last question. 

One of my favorite questions to ask a family is, “Which of your children will have a more difficult time with your move?”  This one simple question usually reveals something they don’t want to share (but makes the client comfortable to share).  By asking I was able to have a family open up about their child’s challenges and turn them onto resources they so desperately needed, such as doctors, schools, hospitals, therapists, and support groups.  When they first reached out to me to move to the area they had no idea I had Josh.  I had no idea they had a child with some similar issues!  It was just an internet lead that turned into a special needs situation because I kept asking questions.  Once they felt comfortable and we were on the same page everything opened up and I found them the RIGHT home!!

If you think you have asked enough questions keep asking.  Make your clients feel important, focus on the person and not the challenge or disability, by doing this we make the person feel whole.  More importantly we as real estate professionals are recognizing we are not just selling a house but helping a family make a smooth transition to a home.

Overall what I learned is that to become the best real estate professional you can, you must keep asking questions!  The more questions the better.  Not the rapid fire kind but the conversational, curious, and inquisitive kind that makes your clients feel special and safe.  The more you work on mastering this skill the better you will be at helping your clients facing a challenge or special need.