Some People Don't Want the Truth
I like to pass on good posts and this is one of them. Jeff Dowler, an excellent real estate agent in Carlsbad Ca is the author. His words are my words! My clients know that I will always speak the truth - and sometimes they don't want to hear it. But they know we have their best interests at heart.
I like to tell the truth.
Sometimes I don't like the truth I have to tell, but it's part of my role as a California licensed real estate agent. It has to be done or I am doing my clients a disservice. And ethically I am bound to be truthful.
Some people don't want to hear the truth.
I get that, because the truth can hurt, or be a disappointment. It shatters the illusions or dreams we have owning a particular kind of house. Or how much we can sell our homes for. Or even if we can buy a home.
Some buyers don't want to hear that the home they want does not exist in their price range.
Or that a particular community or neighborhood is beyond their budget, and that their price range will be mostly distress sales needing work.
They don't want the truth:
- about the difficulties in buying short sales
- or having to deal with multiple offers on REOs
- or that a 75% offer on a property will not work
- or that the home will not appraise for what they are willing to spend
- or that their budget will not translate into an offer on a more expensive home that the seller will accept
Other buyers don't want the truth their credit will not allow them to qualify for a loan right now, or that the loan they qualify for is far less than what they need for that dream home. Or even that they need to get pre-approved, since "there won't be any issues."
There are many sellers, especially in markets shifting downward, who do not want to hear the truth:
- About the likely value of their home
- That the condition, location or deferred maintenance will significantly impact the value in a negative way
- And that the market will determine that value despite what they feel it's worth or what they need to get out of it to buy their next property
Understandably folks don't like hearing they cannot sell their home for what they paid for it, or that the likely sales price will not give them enough money to move up. Who really wants that bit of truth?
Telling the truth is important, and ethically the right thing to do. To not do so means not fulfilling our fiduciary responsibilities, and our clients are NOT better off by not knowing the truth.
But it's not easy sometimes because the truth hurts, and disappoints, and shatters dreams. And who likes to do that intentionally?
Our parents told us to always tell the truth. It's a good principle to live by. And I believe that many folks really DO want to know the truth at some level, even though it may be painful. But it sure is tough, and unpleasant, sometimes. Particularly when folks don't want to hear it, and just need to find out for themselves.
They still deserve the truth.
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