Issue Date: October 18, 2006

Cliff Loss shared his wit and wisdom with all

By Jody Zink
Licensed Realtor in Ohio & Michigan

Cliff Loss was a teacher, even though his business card said something else. His classroom was everywhere he went. He taught across a kitchen table with a young family nervously buying their first home. Or on a golf course with friends and business associates. He even provided timely personal instruction to a newly-minted real estate agent whose enthusiasm occasionally outpaced her experience.

Cliff Loss taught life lessons -- honesty, commitment, faith and family -- because he lived them.

All of us at Loss Realty Group are deeply saddened by the passing of Cliff Loss, Broker/Realtor and Founder of Loss Realty Group, mentor and close friend to many of us. Although I didn't know Cliff for very long, it was very clear to me from the beginning why he was so adored and respected.

The first time I met Cliff was at a Tuesday morning sales meeting. He was looked to for advice and his son Jim always called him Cliffy. I loved that Cliffy always turned pitfalls into positives. Working in real estate, I've learned that buyers perceive homes sitting on a slab as inferior to those on a crawl. Cliff's take on slabs? No-squeak floors.

Cliff laughed at himself. He was loved for his compassion, sense of humor, and sincere optimism. He gave confidence to newer real estate agents. He sincerely believed that if you did a good, honest job for people, they would respect you for it and the business would be yours. He always wanted Realtors who followed that same philosophy because once it became all about money and less about helping people, then the whole business of real estate became distorted.

Cliff had a way of making people feel special. He gave them hope and was enormously generous. After learning that a special agent in our office was living with diabetes and may need a kidney transplant, Cliff was immediately on the phone making calls. He made it his mission to do everything he could to make life better for someone.

So many people these days long for something to be passionate about. Cliff was passionate about everything. A master of the English language, his vocabulary was impeccable. I remember going to dictionary.com to learn a new word that he had said while leaving a voice message.

Throughout his life, Cliff dealt with his fair share of health issues and traumas, including a kidney transplant and impaired vision. Self pity played no role. He faced his challenges head on and with charisma. Attitude was everything. If we could all take a page out of Cliff's book, we'd all be better off.

Although Cliff was retired, he still had a desk at Loss Realty Group. Walking by it, I'd often catch myself curiously nosing around. I suppose I figured I might learn something. It definitely looked like a working desk, filled with papers, files and photos of friends and family. A paper that had been folded many times and xeroxed even more was attached with a push pin to his bulletin board highlighting the government survey system: Townships divided into 36 sections, sections divided into 640 acres and so forth down to calculating square feet of an acre. If I ever needed a quick reference for this info, I made a mental note that I could walk over to Cliff's desk for a refresher.

After learning that Cliff was gone, during my next trip to the office I sought comfort in going over to his desk. Seeing his things boxed up left me stunned and very sad. I will always think of him as one of those unforgettable people you are lucky enough to have the pleasure of knowing.

Cliff Loss found the best in everyone. His memory will be celebrated. His legacy will live on. In fact, I know of at least one young real estate agent who will benefit from his wise teachings for the rest of her life.

Got a Cliff Loss story? You're invited to send it in so we can share it with his family and friends. Please send to jody@jodyzinkrealtor.com.

Jody Zink is a licensed REALTOR in Ohio and Michigan with the Loss Realty Group. Her column appears every other week in the Toledo Free Press. She can be reached at jody@jodyzinkrealtor.com or 419-725-1881.