Becoming a REALTOR® contrary to popular belief is not a fall-back position, it's a choice. There are classes that you can take. And, of course you need to pass an exam and pay your license fees. But, it takes something more. It takes some qualities that cannot be learned or imitated. They just have to be there to begin with. As I read a couple of blogs this evening, it occurred to me that one of the qualities that is needed to be a great REALTOR® is compassion. There's no class or training for this. You either have it or you don't.
Tonight, I read a couple of articles that exemplify the meaning of compassion in business. One was written by the beloved Broker Bryant Sally's eyes will make a grown man cry! We all love his funny videos, but inside that barrel chest beats a heart of pure gold. I look forward to meeting him one day. Tonight as I read Broker Bryant's account of helping the three daughters of parents who died in a murder-suicide, tears came to my eyes for the girls, yes, but also for Broker Bryant. He thought he had "lost it" when he was moved to tears by the girls' plight. Instead of "losing it", I would argue that that's just when he "got it". All too often in the course of business, we can become calloused and forget that we are working with people and the major decisions of their lives.
Another blog caught my eye tonight. It was written by a newbie here on Active Rain. He is a man whom I've come to respect in our service on the grievance committee for our real estate board. Glenn Gaspar's article Lack of Flexibility! is about an insensitive person at a mortgage company. They lacked compassion and as a consequence a family will now have to re-establish themselves after a foreclosure. It was within this person's power to delay the foreclosure for a few days to allow the family to sell their home...instead, they took the easy way...no empathy, no compassion.
To those who think this job is easy and that we make too much money for what we do as REALTORS®, I politely beg to differ. Many times our jobs are so difficult in touching people where they hurt that no amount of money would begin to compensate. Yet, there is nothing so rewarding as knowing that because of what we do, the people we serve can live a little better.
The word for today is compassion. Can you remember a time when someone extended compassion to you? Can you remember the last time compassion won out over logic in your business? I hope so.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Marlene Bridges, REALTOR® 800 777-1775
South Orange County Real Estate Website
Orange County Seniors Lifestyles Blog
SRES - Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
CRS-Certified Residential Specialist®
President - Laguna Hills/Laguna Woods Chamber of Commerce
Marlene is a highly experienced South Orange County CA REALTOR® specializing in residential Real Estate and the sale of Homes and Condos in South Orange County, California and Saddleback Valley cities of: Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Comments (20)Subscribe to CommentsComment