He laughed, I laughed, I played it off and just wrote another one, correctly this time after a quick lesson.

My secret was the first lesson my Mentor "David" told me to never forget. 

But after I had measured several dozen of these houses I could see the patterns of construction and had a better understanding of how things were built.I still think back to the lessons I learned measuring those houses in my work now. ( maybe even more than my architecture classes in college)

They're simply paying less on the listing side, in exchange for less service. 

I think the biggest lesson was that we should have contracted out almost everything.

We have learned a valuable, potentially expensive, lesson.  

Then @Jim K. says he can help the three of you syndicate the deal with his special "McRib Mentorship program" He gives away the first two lesson for free: #1.

The very first electrician that I hired by the hour taught me that valuable lesson.

Less than even a surf lesson:) I will check again.

As a teacher, I do not like how they lay out the lessons.