Sometimes The Most Powerful Thing I Do Is NothingI have a challenge for you. Do nothing for a minute. How about five? Could you make it to fifteen? Turns out doing nothing at all is harder than it
November 2025 Newsletter - The Side of Real Estate Most People Never See
Dated: November 19 2025
Views: 618
I received my health insurance renewal letter in the mail today. My premiums are going up 39%. You might think that my benefits are also going up, but you would be wrong - those are actually getting worse. This is also not for the best insurance available; this is for the cheapest premium, super high deductible, only-covers-anything-if-it’s-catastrophic-type of insurance. You know, just in case I get hit by a bus or something.
This is not about politics - I don’t qualify for subsidies or any assistance; this is just a regular expense for me. But it is a reminder about how the real estate agent business works. We are independent contractors. Essentially, we own our own businesses, and along with that, we carry all of our own expenses. There are no benefits like health insurance. I also don’t receive life or disability insurance. I don’t have any PTO or sick time. Any money that goes into a 401k is put there by me alone. And there’s definitely no vacation time. In fact, I usually work while I travel, and if I can't handle things remotely, I pay someone to help me out. One time I had so much activity while I was gone that it actually cost me more to pay the agent who covered for me than the cost of my trip!
You might be wondering what I receive from RE/Max Advantage Plus. Don’t I work for them? They offer me the absolute best business tools in the industry. World-class support and an amazing reputation. We have over 20 offices I can work out of throughout the state. No other brokerage offers successful agents the type of venue to achieve their goals. In my opinion, they are the premier real estate brokerage in the Twin Cities. But I pay them, not the other way around.
Real estate agents don’t get paid up front or even along the way through the process. We don’t receive anything until the end, once the transaction successfully closes. It’s common for me to have hundreds if not thousands of dollars invested into a client by the time our relationship comes to a close. For some buyers, I will have put 1000 miles on my vehicle, showing them houses and logging hundreds of work hours by the time we close. I never want to pressure my clients to move faster, and that has led me to work with some people for years prior to them moving.
Please don’t read any of this as a complaint; it’s just the reality of being your own boss or owning your own business, especially a small business. I wouldn’t have it any other way! But it is a good reminder that if you ever think that hiring a high-quality real estate agent is expensive, keep in mind the many other costs involved that you might not be aware of.
Given all of those factors, it’s understandable that some agents can come across as pushy. They are under a lot of pressure. That’s where I strive to be different. I want you to feel comfortable and confident throughout your moving experience. It’s challenging enough to try to buy or sell real estate, and your agent making you feel stressed just makes things worse. For a calm, easy move, get in contact with me. I’ll help transition you to your next home in your own timeline and make it as simple and stress-free as possible.
Clint Kuipers
Clint Kuipers
Clint Kuipers specializes in complex and emotionally significant real estate transitions in the Twin Cities, including divorce, estate sales, downsizing, and buying and selling at the same time. With ....
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