What? Did I say, "Thankfully, buyers and sellers can be difficult?"
Bet you thought, "Why should I be thankful for that ! ? ! ?"
Well, let's look at this from a distance for a moment. If all buyers and sellers were smart, resourceful, educated, logical and cooperative.... why would they need a real estate agent to sell their house? Or if they did need one, would the agent be as valuable and, in turn, compensated the same?
Okay, let's consider that even if the buyer and seller are all of the above, they may still need consulting about market trends, neighborhoods, contracts, negotiations, staging, etc... MAYBE... Or MAYBE NOT. And that is why we should be thankful.
You see, in all our efforts in my business ventures, we see the difficult folks as the people that ultimately create the real value for our services and efforts.
I bring this up because I see many posts on AR discussing in dismay or disgust the challenges that buyers and seller create. What??? Does it create more effort for you to resolve? Sure. But this is that golden, wonderful opportunity to bring value to the table... and bringing value is why we all ultimately get paid.
Do difficult folks sometimes makes deals come apart or fail? Sure! But if you know when to cut loose from a deal, you can limit your loss. More importantly, it is these bad behaviors (and real-life horror stories) that lead the smart folks to you and your council.
You see, it is not the time we get paid for, it is the value we bring to that time. And if this were all as easy as we want our clients to see it is, then what would be our value? It might be some value, but not what it is when we help folks navigate difficult waters.
Sometimes we all get smart, informed clients that are easy to work with and that is great. But it is the challenging situations that allow us to show we are true professionals that can address the tough problems and really bring value to the table to benefit all.
Do you agree? Do not disagree? You can tell me I'm wrong. Really.
I always tell everyone "if this were a piece of cake you would not need me!"
I agree Glenn, these are the exact situations we all need to grow and to improve. When we are faced with a challenging and dificult circumstance, that is exactly the time that we determine or ability. We either rise to the occasion or we walk away b/c it was too hard. Me?.....I prefer difficult.
Nice post
Bo
Glenn - I do agree. I welcome a challenge which is definitely an opportunity for growth. My personal experience is that other agents are more difficult and present more challenges than my buyers and sellers. The value I bring to my clients in dealing with other agents is a high level of professionalism, years of experience, and training which allow me to manage the challenges and move the transaction to a successful close and at the same time provide a good buying and selling experience for my clients.
Glenn. That was some well said points. I agree with you. If you went to see the doctor for a problem that you were having and you saw that there were two doctors available to see, which one would you pick? The one that charges $75.00 for the check-up or $125.00 from the other one. I would only assume that the one that charges $125.00 has more experience and/or has more references. Royal...
Wow! Great post -- it is about the value that we bring to the equation. Thanks for sharing your point of view!
Excellent thought. If there are no problems to solve, we are out of a job.
I like the way you look at things. I try to see difficult situations as future stories I can talk about to clients. I can tell them how I helped get over the problem.
I reblogged this at my blog "Just Real Estate". It's my blog of my favorite posts that I read here at ActiveRain.
Anna Matsunaga (Team Momentum Keller Williams Realty Tacoma) Exactly!!!
Bo Hussung/ Title services in all 50 states (Cogent Closing Associates) Thanks Bo! Anyone can do easy but when the market is tough, not everyone can deal with that. Right on!
Kathleen Daniels (San Jose ~ Silicon Valley Real Estate ) Kathleen, you make a great point. The biggest challenge can come for other agents. I see some agents that even seem to make a deal harder and the take credit for coming to the rescue... while others save deals that seem impossible. I see the "difficult" agents as an opportunity as well and give a metric by which value can be established by those that excell for their customers. Great post. Thanks!!
Royal Goodman @ GI Group, LLC (GI Group, LLC.) Hi Royal, I think your concept is at the least a good starting point for comparison. What will the market bear for each professional? This can be one possible indicator of value or at least, perceived value. Thanks!! G
Li Read at RE/MAX Li, Thank you much and yes, it is about the value we each bring!
Tim Maitski~editor of MaitskiREport.com (HomeAtlanta.com) Thanks Tim! And every industry is really there to solve a problem or meet a need or desire. Sometimes folks get busy and don't remember that.
Glenn - as always - brilliant. Even I get terribly frustrated with my difficult clients, but this is the attitude we need to have with them to keep a smile on our faces. If it were easy, it wouldn't pay so well!
What is really important to me is my team. Finding the house is just one step, keeping the deal together is another skill. The lender and closer that I use know each other and cooperate with each other. I have a great team and could not do it without them.
Jennifer Allan, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul) Jennifer, as always I'm flattered and appreciate the time you take to visit my posts. I used to tell a former employer, "I can smile and nod with the best of them."
Edie Lomason, BA, ABR (Venice Florida - Horizon Realty) Edie, you make a great point... surrounding yourself with others that are succesful does make it all work so much better and for such a more enjoyable experience for you and the clients. Great point!! G
Thanks for putting it into perspective for me. I needed to remember this again. It can be hard when those emotional rants take place I am stuck in the middle of it.
I crack up later when my client s has a rant with the emotional idea that "it is the principle of the matter," Then sleeps on it all and listens to my advise to FOCUS! In between that time, it can get a bit hairy though.
My complaint isn't in the value we serve to "difficult clients"...my complaint is when clients are unappreciative "know it alls"...the ones that think they don't need us but waste our valuable time and energy daily (needing us) that we could be spending with the less than affluent "difficult clients" that will appreciate us in the end.
My complaint isn't in the value we serve to "difficult clients"...my complaint is when clients are unappreciative "know it alls"...the ones that think they don't need us but waste our valuable time and energy daily (needing us) that we could be spending with the less than affluent "difficult clients" that will appreciate us in the end.
If this job was the same everyday and not a challenge I would not be doing it. I have a very low thresh hold of boredom.
Carol NovaStar Alexandria VA.
Marlene Pellegrini REALTOR® ERA REALTY PROs - Eastern Connecticut (The Dan Sperduto Home Selling Team) Hi Marlene, we call help each other remember to focus on the important things and not the millions of distractions! Good info! Thanks! G
Team Honeycutt (Allen Tate) Allan, I always keep in mind that is some one is unappreciative then either (1) we did not do enough or (and more likely) (2) their lack of appreciation has nothing to do with us at all. The latter are the folks who need to attempt to boost their own self-esteem by one-upping others. Nothing I can do about that, so I don't let it concern me. Just recognize it and move on along. Thanks! G
Hi Carol,
"the very low threshold of boredom"... that is fantastic! Yes, the go-getters want a challenge! Thanks! G