Michigan Lakefront Property

I've often thought about it. In a word, how do I define what I do. The State of Michigan issued me a license that says I'm a Real Estate Broker. But to get that, I had to fist achieve three years experience as a Real Estate Salesperson. Well the jokes on them! I never sold anything. All I did was to provide accurate information when asked. I've always equated selling with something to be cautious about, something less than honorable. We've all heard, Buyer Beware! To me, a salesperson at an auto dealership sells. He's likely a good guy, but we all understand, his purpose is to extract as much cash from you as possible. The guy who offers, at three o'clock in the morning, to show you how to make million$ buying real estate with no money down is a "Salesman". In the event you become his Buyer, and go broke implemmenting his system, you will no doubt be a prospective Buyer for another Salesman, the guy with the Chapter 13 Bankrupcy Tapes.  It's 'kind of a "Chicken or Egg" thing. Do you think they share leads?

Maybe I just don't understand what selling was. I'll look it up in the dictionary and see what it says.

The very first line states... "1 : to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and especially for personal gain : BETRAY -often used with out (sell out their country)".

Ok, I know some words can have more than one meaning so let's read the whole thing. One of these definitions has to accurately describe what I do for a living, right? The State of Michigan says it must be so. Ok, here are the remaining definitions.

2 a : to give up (property) to another for something of value (as money)
b : to offer for sale
c : to give up in return for something else especially foolishly or dishonorably (sold his birthright for a mess of pottage)
d : to exact a price for (sold their lives dearly)

3 - a : to deliver into slavery for money - b : to give into the power of another (sold his soul to the devil) - c : to deliver the personal services of for money

4 : to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty (sold their votes)

5 - a : to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for (trying to sell a program to the Congress) - b : to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something (sell children on reading)

6 : to impose on : CHEAT

7 - a : to cause or promote the sale of (using television advertising to sell cereal)
- b : to make or attempt to make sales to
- c : to influence or induce to make a purchase

8 : to achieve a sale of (sold a million copies) intransitive verb

9 - a : to dispose of something by sale (thinks now is a good time to sell)
- b : to achieve a sale; also : to achieve satisfactory sales (hoped that the new line would sell)
- c : to have a specified price
- d : sell·able \'se-l?-b?l\ adjective
- e : sell down the river : to betray the faith of
- f : sell short
- g : to make a short sale
- h : to fail to value properly : UNDERESTIMATE 

Ok, so I was right afterall.  Which makes me wonder why the State of Michigan feels it needs to license such a profession.  Apparently they do not understand what I actually do in the normal cource of business.  More important, do YOU know what I do?  Do most real estate brokers and agents understand?

 To be serious, my profession has much more in common with practicing law tha it does with any type of sales.  I would even argue that a good real estate broker is just as, or even more important than a good lawyer.