There are those small, precious moments that are just priceless.

Well, it would be easy to put a value on them, but that's not really what it is all about, anyway.

We have what we affectionately refer to as "melt-down" hour in our house. That's the time of evening when everything is happening at once--dinner is being prepared, dogs are getting fed, children are looking for attention, and we're all trying to share our day with each other.  It's the busiest time of the day, and as stressful as it can be, it's also family time, and we love it.

But be warned, and make no mistake about it, getting little Faith fed, bathed and ready for bed is top priority. If you fail to complete that task by the required time, just like a nuclear reactor that gets too hot, you don't want to be anywhere around! The melt-down is a terrible thing to see...

Last night, during melt-down hour, the phone rang. I was in the middle of making a Chinese stir fry, my husband was trying to feed the baby, and Abuela was chopping vegetables. Like all good real estate agents (probably more like Pavlov's dogs!) I reached for the phone. "Baby, let it ring," my husband said. Wise man.

Except it was my Google Voice number, which we use on all our marketing pieces and on my website, and it is programmed to ring on all of our phones--home phone, cell phones. They were all ringing at once, but I really could not stop and answer it.

So, we finished our work and I went to put the baby down. My husband checked the email transcript (I love that about Google Voice) and called me over as soon as I had finished with Faith. This is what every real estate agent loves to see:

"Hi, Julissa, this is ________. I'm calling because the __________s gave me your number. They said you were the best Realtor and we have to find a house by the middle of September and so we need the best Realtor..."

That's priceless!  On so many different levels, that is just the best!

First, after a long, hard, stressful day, it's just really personally confirming to see something like that. I felt really special.

Also, it's wonderful that staying in touch with my clients produces the results it is supposed to. And it has.  Over 80% of my business comes from friend and client referrals.

But this is the spectacular part. I'm not really the best agent, but these were GREAT clients! They were referred to me and I sold their house when they were starting to believe that it wouldn't get sold. I did some good marketing on that house, but they did the work. They listened to everything I told them to do, they prepared the house like I asked them to, and it sold in days, instead of lingering on the market like the other homes in their neighborhood. In fact, they had to move in such as hurry that my husband and son had to get a truck and move their furniture for them, as they were out of town and couldn't complete it before the house closed.

That transaction took place at least 4 years ago. Those clients have referred several other clients to me in the past, and I can't wait to get to work with these latest ones, helping them buy their new home.

It's true that giving your clients great customer service is what it is all about, and when you do, your great clients are the gift that keeps on giving.

It's priceless.