I got a phone call yesterday from a Realtor who was in the process of taking an offer on a condominium in Boston. He told me the Buyers were with him, and they had a few questions about where things went from there, and could I assist them with the purchase. When I answered the Realtors call, the first thing he said to me was "I hope I am not bothering you by calling on a Saturday". I answered the Buyers' questions, obtained the Buyers' email, sent out my introductory email and fully expect that I will be involved in this engagement, perhaps with dual respresentation of the Buyer and the Lender.
In a market which is not exactly "booming", I can tell you that this conversation "made my day", and I look forward to working with the Realtor and the Buyer on the purchase.
Once the conversation ended, it occurred to me that my being available, and prepared, on a weekend day was really part of what I do as a Massachusetts real estate attorney. Much of residential real estate is conducted on the weekends. Open Houses generally take place on Sunday, and people are doing second and third showings on both Saturday and Sunday. My beloved Patriots crashed and burned last Sunday. That removes one more excuse for looking at new homes on Sunday afternoons, at least in Massachustts.
When I was General Counsel for a mortgage company some years back, one of my friends, a Senior Executive, told me a story about when when she used to be a loan originator. Her husband had planned a Saturday evening "night on the town" with a meal at their favorite restaurant followed by roof-top dancing. At about 6:00PM on that Saturday, one of this person's favorite Realtors called her. A couple from England was in town just until tomorrow morning, and they had made an Offer on a Townhouse. The Realtor asked if the loan originator could come to her office to meet the couple and take an application.
The loan originator was torn. Her husband had made these plans a long time ago. She could tell the Realtor that she was unavailable, and the Realotr would understand. Perhaps, the next time this type of opporutnity came up, the Realtor would spin her Rolodex to the next loan originator. My freind broke the date with her husband and took the application. She decided that geeting the business was more important to her family than the pleasant evening she was giving up.
I am in the unique position of having no kids at home and a wife who has just started out as a real estate broker. I have more time on the weekends than I used to have. But whether I have the time or not, it has not been atypical to be called upon in the evening or on Saturday and Sunday. I, for one, view these calls as opportuities to provide service, part of our business. I am sure most of you made, and continue to make, the same choices,
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