Sometimes, a conversation with someone outside the 'industry' can put a fresh perspective on things. This week, I had one such encounter. In talking with some longtime clients, I had a discussion about the history of the Grand Rapids real estate market and one mans' experiences as one of the first minority agents in the area. It was fascinating and educational.
During the conversation, I remarked about how much I would have loved to talk with some of the pioneers of that era who were now gone. It struck me that this history might likely be lost forever, because it is largely oral history, consigned to the memories of those who were there at the time.
Having grown up in the African continent, I'm very familiar with oral history. This is the method by which the tradition of African culture has been passed down for hundreds of generations. And although oral history has its own richness and cadence, one of the challenges that oral historians face is that their stories are always in danger of dying with them if they are not embraced and retold by the next generation.
Written history does not come without its own issues, namely the tendency for it to be re-written and falsified, but it has proved to be more endearing. And although it might not be as interesting in the re-telling, written history has the advantage of being able to be cataloged and preserved.
Have you ever considered that those of us who are in the real estate and financial sector right now are bearing witness to significant events that have never occurred before? Never in the history of our nation has so much happened so quickly with such destructive force. Never before has so little been done with so much and so many acquiesced to avoid glaring realities with stubborn ignorance.
Will the bloggers of today be considered the written historians of tomorrow? In a sense, aren't we the ones who were there, documenting everyday life in everyday terms as the real life crisis unfolded? Have you considered the fact that through our blogs, we are piecing together a broad mosaic which details how the events of our times unfolded in our local areas? Kinda puts things in a different perspective doesn't it?
But our history will be so much richer in the telling. For in addition to computers, real estate agents are documenting the local market scene with pictures, videos and podcasts. The tools of analysis which are available today make it possible for us to give a detailed overview of different segments of our industry.
For the first time, at least on a wide scale, the public has the chance to gain perspective into the personal life and challenges that agents face everyday. This history will include professional connections and social connections as more professionals interact online.
That being the case, what would you want the next generation to know about what happened during our watch?
Up to this time, there has never been a forum in which information that was so specific to the real estate industry was being created and deciminated to the extent that it is today. Active Rain has been a big part of making this possible. Now, it's our job to make sure that we tell the stories as only those of us who are here today can!
Copyright 2009 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved
Lola Audu, is the Designated Broker & Owner of Audu Real Estate. Our company specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in the greater Grand Rapids, West Michigan area. We've had the privilege of helping hundreds of clients succeed in their goals of purchasing and selling property including demonstrated success in the negotiation of Short Sale Transactions. You can contact us via e-mail @ info@auduhomes.com or by phone at 616-791-0511.
Lola - "Have you ever considered that those of us who are in the real estate and financial sector right now are bearing witness to significant events that have never occurred before?" You know what, you may be onto something here. When you really think about it, you probably are. There's a hefty perspective on these current times that we are wielding... I suppose it's time to keep on making sure we are doing our very best in documenting a remarkable time in the history of our crazy species:)
Wow ... Lola- I never thought about blogging in this fashion before. Thank you for sharing this perspective with me!
Passion Rules!
Tom Ferry
Jason, thanks for stopping by. When you think about it, many of the items we now look at in museums were personal letters and other items. I think that blogs will provide tremendous insight into our times too.
Tom...appreciate your comment. Glad this post made you think. :)
Lola, I'd love to see you write a post about the challenges faced by those early pioneers and how things have (or have not) changed over the years. I'm sure you would bring out a side that some have never considered.
Blogs, if they don't end up in the dumpster on some server are actually written history you are right Lola.
Lola - The whole on-line, real-time history that will now exist will bring a whole new dimension to readers of the future. And certainly it has tremendous impact on us now. The whole notion of blogging, tweeting or other on-line writing has also changed how we think about the world and what is happening in it, the relationships we have with others over time, and much more. It is fascinating even to go back 2 + years ago to see what was going on here on AR, to gain a perspective on where we have evolved from.
Things like the Mumbai tragedy and our recent election adn inauguration bring to mind the typical cover page articles on Time or Newsweek, which now will exist in a very different format, and context.
Jeff
My son's Godmother was the first black female Municpal Court Judge in Los Angeles! She later became a Superior Court judge and retired from the bench in '04. Back in the late '50's early '60's women weren't judges, let alone African-American females!! I used to work for an attorney who was one of the first Jewish lawyers in Los Angeles -- believe it or not! He told me about how transcription machines used to be wax, and to "erase" them you would tell your secretary to clean the wax! (Round cylinders of wax that recorded the voice, later to be played back to be typed.)
I'll probably be telling my grandchildren about my days in real estate . . . "Why we didn't even have faxes back then!" HA HA HA
Good post!
Lisa, every single person who is blogging is a pioneer! I always enjoyed reading stories about the early settlers. Their courage and bravery continues to inspire. This makes me wonder about the mark that we are making...will future generations give us a passing grade?
Gary...they say the Internet is forever. I guess time will tell. :)
Jeff, excellent points. Which also brings to mind the ease with which things can be changed and the fact that changes can be traced in a way which was almost impossible for historians in previous eras. Transparency, in some ways, is a by-product of the technology and may be more reflective of the tools we use than our moral ethics. The Internet is changing much more than most of us are consciously aware of.
Carla, your comments brought back memories of my first fax machine...the one with thermal paper. :) Even within the past decade, there have been enormous advances in technology. It's fascinating to see how even social media has evolved. Five years ago, there was no Active Rain, Twitter or Facebook....sites which we all take for granted now.
When put that way, I feel even better about the blogs that I have posted, mostly about family or listings! All a relevent place somewhere in history.
Lola, some of us have emerged out of our closets and have made voices heard that normally would have remained silent... And as different views are expressed, creativity unfolds.... at a speedier rate than ever before. This impact that you've inspired us to think about is HUGE!
I remember when you first shyly came to Active Rain - You are one of the best examples of won respect as a result of the valuable contributions made from telling YOUR stories and thoughts like this one....
Oh I just love your writing...so down to earth real. Yup...it's US who can tell the story...and this is what history is about.... and I like REAL. No whispering false tales through cupped hands to the next person only for it to get 'around the block' with some distorted half truths being told.
I'll still continue on....telling my story right along with you...and all I 'grew up with'...here in the Rain.
What a great perspective!
I'm so glad this got featured as it gave me the opportunity to "meet" you!
To think bloggers are the new historians is like watching history unfold
Hey Lola, I have never thought of blogging this way either but you are so right. I have read so many of your posts that I know, without a doubt, that yours will be seen as rich in real estate history. Keep blogging.... because you are one of my favorites and you have a lot to share!!
I had never looked at blogging before in this way, but it makes a lot of sense, in the same way we now witness history on television rather than just with words.
Wow Lola. This is an incredible post. For starters, I'm amazed that you actually grew up in Africa. And I like the passing down of history by word-of-mouth. And you're so right about written history being changed. We're seeing evidence of that in Englad right now.
Incredible, Lola! We are the historians, currently documenting one of the worst financial times in history and "soon" to be documenting the recovery and successes along the way. Thank you for sharing your heart and unique perspective!
Beautifully written, Lola. You're right... We are the historians detailing the events of our lives for the future.
Lola, actually, I have thought about that and I think future generations will probably study the blogs of today in college. Maybe Anthropology or Sociology.
what a great way to look at something as simple as blogging - thanks for the post
Great post..Never thought about this, but I like the thought of being a historian for real estate events.
We could all learn great lessons from this and I too believe we are recording history and pass it down...so that we can always state just as our parents and their parents...back in my day! :) What a wonderful post...
It is a great way to pass down the process we have gone through in the last few years and hopefully future generations can learn from it. New title"Historian" I will have to be more careful in what I present.
Lola,
You are so right. If blogs are not lost in the future there will much information to sort through on what we are feeling and seeing in history right now!
Lola - Funny I was actually thinking about that the other day. We were talking about people who wrote textbooks for schools and I wondered where they got their info then as opposed to where they get it now. Then I let my mind wonder even further . . how long until there are no textbooks?
Wonderful post!
We are writing history every day! Tami is right in her comment above - textbooks are quickly taking the form of CD's and online password sites as supplemental material and soon will be gone completely, especially for older students. Lola, thanks for your perspective and for the post!
Lola:
My congratulations, this is a very profound and noteworthy post. I had not yet seen it until I saw it referenced in Jason Sardi's most recent post. I thank him! With this I would like to share my perspective that somewhat speaks to what you write about.
From the dawn of recorded history, beginning with the drawings of cave men up until this precise point in time of recorded history there was a pivotal point in going from somewhat a steady forward pace in time and events to an era of "quantum leaps" or maybe a "quickening".
But first, visualize a yardstick (36 in) in front of you. The first tick (far left) of this yardstick being the moment that the first caveman drawing occurred many thousand of years ago. The last tick (far right), right now, right here! I would boldly suggest that this pivotal point for all practical purposes might be the ushering in of the "atomic age" (1945). For after the two bombs leveled Hiroshima and Nagasaki the world would never be the same!
Now let's place this 1945 event within the scale of the yardstick. IMO, maybe somewhere around the 2 inch mark. To me this last 34 inches is the contrast to the first 2 inches. This event was the onset of the Information and Technology Age. This age has caused our world to leap forward at Warp speed with each new discovery. It's not from warp 1 to warp 2 but successive jumps have been quantum in nature. Again, by quantum, I am contrasting the first two inches of recorded history against the latter. What will the next 5- 10 years bring, will it be a blessing or a curse? It will be what it will be for I believe we make our destiny.
This is very thought provoking. I keep thinking waaaay back to the 1980s, when real estate also took a nation-wide dump. I wasn't in the biz, but was a homeowner. I feel sure it was worse then, but that people didn't rely so heavily on 'Big Brother' to solve all their problems. We just dealt with it as best we could. But memory can be a fickle thing. It would be fascinating if we had a wealth of blog posts to look back on, wouldn't it?
very true. I often think about the legacy I am leaving when I type a blog, or send a note on facebook. I try to stay relevant and original, as I want to leave a positive mark on history
Lola: I also came to you from Sardi's post.
Blogs will change the way history is written. For proof, read any newspaper this morning, then read some blogs. So different! Almost like, "Let the truth be known!"
I also have had the vision of many years forward, when I am gone, my children reading my blogs (finally) and knowing me a little better than they do now and with a little more appreciation.
Uh...maybe not? LOL
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Regards
The Editor
Nice perspective, you're right we are documenting history as we tell our stories.
Marilyn, that's an important thing to do before clicking on the post button..."do I feel good/right about what I'm about to do?
Diane...This rings so true..."And as different views are expressed, creativity unfolds.... at a speedier rate than ever before." The diversity of expression has been a bonus for creativity, just like the diversity of our experience is to life in general. When we understand and embrace this truth, many things change...Thank you so much for your kind encouragement in the early days. I will always remember.
Sally, I just read you latest blog about marketing ourselves @ any cost. Very, very thought provoking. Thanks for stopping here to share your insights. It's amazing how quickly one 'grows up' online isn't it? 2-3 years is now old! :)
JoAnna, pleased to make your acquaintance as well. Thanks for stopping by today.
Michael...so true. When we read history, we tend to think it's about other people. All of us are making history and if you're blogging, perhaps you're even recording it. Thanks for your comment.
Teresa, always appreciate your stopping by. What's unique about this opportunity is that so many aspects of life which were never recorded before will be as everyday people begin to report what they see happening around them...not just what the professionals interpret reality as being.
Christine...absolutely! Great example.
Thank you Lisa. Yes, I actually grew up in Africa and as a result am far more aware of how differently things are portrayed by observers than they are experienced by those who actually live the reality. In the real estate industry, this is definitely the case. For instance...real estate agents on the ground KNEW there was a recession long before the 'R' word was declared official.
Angel...you may have forgotten, but this is actually your second visit! I remember this because I visited your site after your initial comment. I appreciate the fact that you enjoy this blog, but would prefer that you comment without personal advertising in the future. Thanks.
JB...AMEN! It wouldn't surprise me if bloggers are the first to begin to report the shift in the market...long before the media gets wind of the story.
Jesse...Thank you.
Maria...I think you're right. However, it may be that the relevance of the writing of blogs may extend far beyond the subject areas you mentioned simply because so many areas of life are now being blogged about.
You're welcome Randall. Thanks for stopping to read and comment.
Rebecca...kind of cool isn't it? :)
Midori...Thank you. :) Way back when is getting shorter & shorter isn't it?
Terry...LOL "New title" ~ HISTORIAN. Wonder if we can add that to GRI, CRS, ABR, e-PRO???
Absolutely Dorie. Electronic media may prove to be more enduring than any other previous form of communication.
Tami...that trend is already happening (the move away from textbooks) Many assignments that our kids have now necessitate research from the Internet...there's too much knowledge and it's changing too quickly for textbooks to be printed fast enough!
Bruce & Mary...thanks for stopping to read and comment.
Hi Lola, Your post brought back some wonderful memories for me ! My wifes' family grew up in Grand Rapids during a time when family, home, neighborhood and " us " were what defined who you were and why it mattered. During their visits with us my father-in-law would tell me stories of what it was like growing up and how much family meant to them. I survived many re-telling of the same stories in order to hear and feel the depth of emotion in these oral histories. Thanks for the memories !!!
Lola, What great insight! Actually, capturing oral histories is a big part of what our local community is doing right now as many of our original families are dying off and with them the loss of so much! Yes, today we might be guilty of sharing too much information rather than not enough. It certainly will be interesting for our children's children to go back and read our blogs! I had never thought of it that way before. Beautiful post as always.
Lola I had never looked at it before like that, but you are right, the blogs written today may play an important part in the how Historians will view us in the future.
Lola, What a beautiful perspective, I had not looked at blogging that way before. I'd thought of it as a legacy--or perhaps information but not real documentation and that's exactly what it is. Beautiful post, thank you!
neat idea for a post. nicely done!!
Lola, what an inspiring post! It makes blogging important on so many levels.
Judaism also has a rich history of oral tradition. Stories teach us, engage us, and tend to stay with us. I told my grandkiddles a story recently about growing up in Miami. My daughter was stunned. She couldn't believe how much she didn't know about her own mother. I'm so glad that my father is emailing stories and some of my cousins are posting old family pictures on Facebook.
Blogging is recording so many details of our bizarre financial scene, that would surely be lost if left to the college textbook historians. Thanks for your ever fresh perspective.
I've wished for years that I had listened more closely to my parents stories, and I've been trying to write mine over the years. Hadn't thought of the real estate blog as part of that - and yet, of course it is, anytime anyone writes something from their perspective, it is story. thanks for pointing it out, the future enthnographers will have a field day!
You speak exauctly like you write and I say that because I knew your written words first. Wonderful wonderful stories and inspiration.
This post is very very true. I was thinking of the "Depression" yesterday and the people who were just so down when they lost it all and they were in their own depression. The stories would have been more clear to us all if they had blogged.
Lola, I love this post. We are bearing witness to today's events. What an interesting concept. I always thought about how different school will be for younger children because they will learn history from Video as opposed to still photos and text books. It is neat that you met one of the first minority agents from your area. Years ago, I did a deal with a wonderful broker who was one of the first two female agents in the Washington DC metro area. She is no longer with us but she had quite a story.
I always enjoy your post. I journal regularly but never thought about blogging this way. Since I have started blogging I usually write about useful information or topics in which I have knowledge that may be of interest to others. I am going to make a note to begin to add some stories to my blog.
Hi Lola, I, (like Karen above) feel that you speak just as you write. That is indeed a compliment my dear! It was wonderful to meet you in person today. This is a fascinating subject. We are the historians of today. Marvelous. BTW, I wrote a post about your class :~)
The blogs tell a story - sort of like the posters and calanders and town criers of the days before printing of daily newspapers. I have often found that the first place I've gotten the latest breaking news is from a post I've read on AR!
Lola-Great food for thought! I've just recently thought about my blogging adventures and the fact that it's really a testament of myself and how I see things professionally and personally. I bet blogs will be used years from now as history lessons in schools. Best to you~
Lola,
I so agree with this and when I first felt like this with blogging was when I went to Blogworld and took the Citizen Journalism Workshop. You realize the ultimate responsibility to be responsible through blogging and the impact you can have. Then it was when I had some readers following a series I had on the first $7500 tax credit and then the LIHEAp....most recently it was with a post I wrote on Short sales.
Oh yes, bloggers do have an impact and they are recorders of history.
Lola - our written word should still be there, but there are so many changes in videos, recordings, etc., how do we know that anyone will have the archaic technology to see/hear them a few decades from now?
Sharon, what a fascinating point...technology is changing rapidly. I think I still have one roll of thermal fax paper somewhere.
I think so too Rebecca. It gives you a different perespective on how the history we now read may have been created.
Mary, appreciate your comment. Sometimes the history is personal...
Lora...very true, and now with twitter, one can get updates in real time.
Marian...thanks for the blog post about the class. Really enjoyed my time with you all in Ann Arbor.
This is one great post. I hate it when people revise or try to spin history. Yes, we are a part of history being in the business we are in. Sadly, with Dodd and Frank in Washington I see history repeating itself.