t's always struck me that every single real-estate transaction is like a little project (software, construction, event planning, you name it) that needs some good old fashioned project management skills to be successful. And one of the hallmarks of a good project manager is someone who communicates effectively with all the stakeholders on that project. And guess who the project manager is on a real estate transaction? If you guessed anyone other than the agent, you're wrong :).
When I worked at Microsoft they sent all the new program managers to "boot camp" (no push-ups required), and one of the wise old owls who had worked at Microsoft for years gave a quick lesson on how to communicate with all your project stakeholders effectively. His golden rule was the three C's of communication: consistent, constant, and captured.
- Consistent: You should think through the issues ahead of time so you give everyone the same information without waffling. It doesn't mean you can't be wrong or change your mind if you get new information, if just means you think through all the angles ahead of time so you can be consistent with everyone.
- Constant: Not too much explanation required here. Communication should be regular, probably daily, through the negotiation and contingency periods and as appropriate earlier in the process.
- Captured: This one is often over-looked especially when you're busy and moving fast, but just because you told someone something over the phone, don't assume it stuck. Remember they're busy too. For important issues make sure you follow every critical phone call with an email to summarize the status of the project, the action items, and the deadlines. That'll head off misunderstandings and reduce dropped balls.
So that's a long intro to Redfin's partner review of the week. We survey every client our partner agents work with whether they close or not. and each week we pick the best review that we feel shows off our partners' committment to customer service. This week's review goes to Dan LoCascio from Great Western Real Estate in Riverside County, CA. Dan hits all the high notes on this transaction, but it was his communication that really made it stand out.
Here's what the happy home-buyer had to say:
"In a market like this you really need an agent that will do anything to get you into your dream home. Dan is that agent. We went through three different agents before finding Dan. Dan won us over with his great personality, fast responses to our questions, and ease of contact...He also followed up with the listing agents to update us on the status of our offers. We never felt out of the loop. I would highly recommend Dan LoCascio to anyone looking to buy a home in this competitive market."
This was a long one so I edited it down a bit. Check out the full review on Redfin
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