The LaGarde Family

Dear Chris LaGarde,
Hi, I’m Reggie (a Dachshund) and I live in Pennsylvania. I would really like to find a good real estate agent but lately I have had a lot of bad luck getting anybody to write back to me. HEY look at this face. How can you resist?!?!? I have tried and tried but everything I do just seems to go wrong. Read on…

I thought it might be a good idea to ask Mr. Goat to be my real estate agent but all I got was a good “head butt”. Ouch, that hurt! So I guess I won’t be selling my house through Mr. Goat.

I have heard that you can get a good real estate agent in China. So I decided that I would just dig my way through the earth and see if I can find someone in China to be my real estate agent. Unfortunately, I hit rock and couldn’t get very deep.

I often thought it would be nice to have a swan or two for a real estate agent. It just so happens that I saw two swans the other day and I anxiously went up to them to ask them to be my real estate agent. But I guess I approached them a little fast because they flew away. Sigh….

HEY! There’s Charlie Cat on the Bulldozer!
I’ll ask him to be my real estate agent !!!
Well… Charlie wasn’t interested in doing business with a Dachshund and he punched me in the nose. Ouch! That hurt worse than Mr. Goat.

I could ask this Bubble Bee to be my real estate agent, but I’m afraid I might get stung with that deal.

I considered having a cow for a real estate agent but those guys really smell bad! Not to mention they aren’t quite up to my level of intellect.

Well, as of this time I’m still looking for a real estate agent. I just haven’t had any good luck I’m afraid.

Hey, my master is home from work!!!
I’ll ask him what real estate agent to use!!!!!
Oh boy!! I’m sure this is going to work out great!!!
I just know he’ll have the right answer.

My master Bill told me to use Chris LaGarde of the Cindy Dickerman Keller Williams Real Estate team.
Signed Reggie
- Bill, thank you for writing that. I need to hire you to do some marketing work for us, maybe we can do a photoshoot of Reggie for our marketing. lol.
For those who don’t know, Reggie is our Dachshunds, Ashlea’s, father. Thanks again Bill!

It’s been a while since I, Chris, have written. My deepest apologies, but I have to say – that April does a darn good job at it, so I don’t feel I really have to do much.

Anyway, I feel the need to say to the public, at least the public that sees my site – that CBS has done a major DIS-service to the public and Real Estate Professionals across the country. In their story that they aired on 60 Minutes this past weekend called “Chipping away at Realtor’s 6 percent”, they talk about how “screwed” up the real estate industry is and paint Realtors, like myself, as greedy, money hogging people who just care about getting our oversized commission check. I am deeply offended by their VERY slanted story.

If anyone watched it, which I highly doubt many my age did, b/c we see the show as “aged”, please know that their portrayal of the Real Estate industry was one-sided, and very misrepresenting. Yes – as with any profession – Real Estate agents can be greedy pricks, but for the most part, they are honest, VERY hard working people, who do it mostly because they love the job.

For more info on how wrong CBS is, please click here to see the FACTS.

I know I am such a mean mother =)

Well, it is my second mothers day, and I have to say I love this day more than my birthday. Logan has made me a mom, as I have said so many times before- a job I love more than any other in the world. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways and I am so proud to be “Just a mom”

I got this email and I have read this thing so many times before, but I thought for all you moms out there and all you “soon to be or eventually will be” moms- here is what you are getting your self into =)

A woman, renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job or are you just a…?” “Of course I have a job,” snapped the woman. “I’m a Mom.”

“We don’t list ‘Mom’ as an occupation, “housewife covers it,” said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day..I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar.”

“What is your occupation?” she probed. What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire. “Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?” Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself
reply, “I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn’t) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors nd out). I’m working for my Masters, (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. ! I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “just another Mom.” Motherhood! . What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers “Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations” and great grandmothers “Executive Senior Research Associates”? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts “Associate Research Assistants.

Now that I am a mom, I know how wonderful my mom was and how very wonderful Chris’ mom is, and I am sure with the wonderful son she turned out, and all the great things Chris tells me about her, she was always a wonderful mom! Thank you mom, and Peggy- you are such a Blessing! Happy Mothers Day!

Thank you Lord for making me a mom!