Defacing the Competition

Undoubtedly, you'll be at a crossroads where you pick up the pieces after someone else. 

• Personality differences and the listing relationship didn't work out and you become the next in line.
• The listing expires and the homeowner has sour grapes about what did or didn't happen.
• The homeowner relays what they "heard" about another agent, and why they didn't call them.

What do you do?  Whether some of the rumors and sour grapes are true or not, you're sitting there with someone who is usually unhappy and letting you know all the sordid details. 

1. First, sometimes personalities clash.  For whatever reason people don't get along. There is a difference of opinion between homeowner and listing agent.  In a slower market the tensile strength of patience is tested and homeowners may feel the slower market indicates the agent isn't doing their job.
2. Second, an expired listing is like a divorce.  Nobody ever has anything good to say.  Did you ever hear of a good divorce?  How about hearing a homeowner say, "Well, "So-in-So" tried soooo hard and we just want to try a fresh approach."  Unfortunately, it is always easy to blame someone that isn't their to defend themselves.
3. Last, rumors abound, especially in gated or enclave type communities.  An agent can just find themselves on the wrong side of a rumor or supposition because the "quilting bee" got together and spun the yarn.

Have you been at the crossroads of this before? At risk of looking bad by defacing the competition, quietly sit there. 

• Let the person vent.  If you know what got them hot, you'll know what NOT to do. 
• Don't contribute to the gripes or rumors - you can never look good if you're making someone else look bad.
• Explain in detail what you'll do that is different.

So what do you do when you're face to face with a homeowner who starts sharing the dirt about another profession?