On our back deck we currently have 6 tomato, 2 bell pepper and 3 jalapeno pepper plants in containers. My parents had extra starters for the tomato plants and gave me 2 each of 3 varieties. The peppers we planted from seed and they've got a lot of growing yet to provide fresh peppers, but we know they will in due time and long before the first frosts of the year.
In a box we've stored many seed packets from a heirloom seed place in Michigan (it's where our pepper seeds came from), but those seeds are being saved for our next home (next year?). Being more self-sufficient is a big part of our plan for our next home. Solar panels and batteries, a well (well not much choice about that on the mountaintop if you want water!), a greenhouse, plant some fruit trees, and our bees will have a new home. Obviously those plans involve more effort than just going to the local grocer, but the net is we get to pick (literally) what we want to eat.
Some of those things will pay off quickly. Stored electricity and being prepared to be off-grid as needed has immediate feedback. Growing some of our own food obviously has a lead time of several months or years. The fruit trees won't be bearing quickly, and our bees have provided us honey for years, and can continue to do so.
In real estate, we have the option of going to the real estate "grocer" to purchase what we need. Zillow, Realtor.com and a bazillion lead companies are more than happy to help us gain business for a healthy share of that closing table check. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, it's a business model that works for plenty of agents.
However, just like the tomato plants on our back deck, we also have the option of growing our own. You can start from seed, or starter plants, or transplant an entire business, but you can be independent of others' fees for business.
Planting blog posts and IDX pages may take months, even years to start to fully pay off, but doing the research and directing your blogging efforts to meet consumer needs can provide "ready now" and "needs nurtured" leads for your business ONCE you have sufficient evergreen work established. Coupled with maintaining your sphere, referral network and other business sources and you can maintain a nice pipeline of business no matter the twists and turns of real estate cycles.
The return on investment is significantly positive once you learn how to grow your own business.
Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,
Bill & Liz aka Bliz
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