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Why not use several agents to find you a home?
By Michelle Shelton, REALTOR
When I was a brand new agent, I wanted to offer my best to my clients. They would call and I would drop everything, I mean EVERYTHING to serve them. After all, I was fully committed to finding them their next home.
One woman kept telling me how great I was and how she wanted me as her REALTOR. She said I knew my stuff and she could see that I loved my job. Of course, this is what I wanted to hear and what I wanted her to see.
I would spend hours pouring over the MLS looking for a home for her. Hours away from my children both driving her around and researching. Then one day while I was showing another property, I saw her driving in a car with another REALTOR that I knew. I called him up the next day and asked if he knew she was also working with me.
"Yes. She is working with about five Realtors." He said.
"Why?" I asked incredulously.
He continued. "She told me whoever finds her a home will get her business."
Wow. What a blow. I felt the same way I felt in high school when I saw my high school sweetheart kissing another girl. Betrayed. I was fully committed to her and finding her a home. I neglected to teach her how to treat me. As a professional, we have an obligation to educate clients and potential clients on how real estate works.
Needless to say, this woman called me on Thanksgiving weekend and said, I want to list my home today...can you come over and do it? Of course I said yes. I spent three hours getting ready with research, signs, and a lockbox. I spent the rest of the weekend away from my children building fliers and getting her home on the MLS and making sure she was getting maximum exposure on the web.
Guess what? She called me on Tuesday morning after I had spent $100 on fliers and delivered the fliers, paid for the post to be installed and guess what? She canceled. She had another Realtor that was going to list her home with a guaranteed sale program. They would give her 20% less than market value if they couldn't sell her home. One word came to me. Betrayed. My mother's words rang in my ears.
"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!"
So....please understand when we commit our time to you, we ask for the same in return. It is respectful, honest and a good way to do business. Earning your business is important, feeding our families is important, seeing your home sale through to completion and having you write a great testimonial about your experience....PRICELESS!
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About the Author
© 2007 Michelle Shelton
Michelle Shelton, is a licensed REALTOR®, Marketing and Listing Specialist with Keller Williams Realty Southeast Valley in Gilbert, Arizona. Michelle is the CEO of AZ Mastermind Group, LLC. She is also a Certified Negotiations Expert, Certified T-3 Trainer and recruiter for Keller Williams International. Michelle lives in Gilbert with her husband Paul Shelton and their five children - Marie, Phillip, Sam, Josephine and Emma Shelton. Michelle's parenting, employment and real estate articles have been published in various publications throughout the country and on the Internet. |