Home > Blogs > Alan May > What the heck am I doing here?

It ain't eavesdropping if they're talkin' loud enough for me to overhear, in public.

By Alan May

Real Estate Agent with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty

February 08, 2011 01:20 AM

Leslie Ebersole raised an interesting conundrum, this morning, in her featured post about eavesdropping.

She outlines a scenario that occurred to her, where she was in a Panera restaurant, and happened to sit at the very-close, next table to a couple and their Realtor, who were discussing their listing strategy in great detail. After overhearing the address, Leslie realized that she had a competing property listed in the same development, she high-tailed it out of the restaurant so that she didn't accidentally overhear any more.

Leslie's high moral code, and standard of ethics wouldn't allow her to stay and overhear any more details. I imagine that Leslie was reversing the situation, and thinking: "I would hope, that if it was me, in the restaurant with my clients, that any other Realtor would do the same".

I don't think they would. In fact I can tell you that I would have stayed, and while I wouldn't have "leaned in" to the conversation, I would have welcomed any "overheard information" that might bring my seller an edge in today's market.

The agent, having that conversation with his clients, in a public place, they had no reasonable expectation that this would be a private discussion. In fact having that discussion in their own general neighbourhood, they had a reasonable expectation that it would probably be overheard.

Maybe I just don't have Leslie's high moral standards, maybe I'm just a big buttinsky, or maybe I like to get every legal and allowable edge for my clients. I hear "real estate related" conversations in public all the time, especially at restaurants. I have yet to overhear one that directly impacts me or my clients... but I wouldn't leave if I did, in fact I might start chewing more quietly.

I know where Leslie's coming from, and I applaud her moral fiber (is that a new breakfast cereal for the baby boomers?), but I would have stayed right where I was, and finished my meal.

(266 -18)
thanks for the blog fodder, Leslie. I was a little "blocked" this a.m.

Re-Blog

Featured

Comments(85)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Pamela Seley

West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA

Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

I probably would not have stayed to listen. I would have moved to another table, or left as Leslie did. It would be too uncomfortable for me to listen to their "listing plan". What I don't get is why anyone would talk about that in a public place? I guess they weren't thinking.

Feb 09, 2011 03:11 AM

Jackie Connelly-Fornuff

Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Babylon NY - Babylon, NY

"Moving at The Speed of YOU!"

Hi Alan, I would have stayed. I told Leslie that they were practically sitting in her lap and you can't help but overhear. A public place is just that, public.

Feb 09, 2011 03:19 AM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Michelle - we should always be aware of where we are.

Pamela - clearly they weren't thinking.

Jackie - a public place, is just that... a public place!

Feb 09, 2011 03:25 AM

Cory Barbee

San Diego, CA

Broker (760) 563-4022

Nice post.. she did the right thing but I'm not sure there is a secret listing strategy...price is only an issue in the absence of value...nice job..

Feb 09, 2011 04:19 AM

Leslie Ebersole

Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL

I help brokers build businesses they love.

Hi Alan: I got a lot out of this...but mostly an important note to myself: no matter where you are, beware of frumpy looking ladies in bad hats and dirty boots -- you never know who might be an agent!

Feb 09, 2011 04:33 AM

Brent Wells

The LivingWell Team - Prosper, TX

Dallas - Fort Worth

Alan,

I would have collected as much info as they were willing to share in a public place. I said public right???

-Brent

Feb 09, 2011 04:54 AM

Bryan Robertson

Los Altos, CA

I'm with you Alan, anything said in public is fair game. It's bad practice to have a strategy discussion in such a place anyway. I think it's fine signing papers at Starbucks but discussing pricing strategy is another matter altogether. Whatever information was made available in that conversation becomes useful to Leslie's client. There's no ethics violation in listening to a conversation in public place.

Feb 09, 2011 09:04 AM

Amy Law

Alliance Properties - Crosby, TX

All I can say is Wow! Ya'll got to eat in a resturant and were LUCKY enough to get to overhear a Real Estate conversation! That's like hitting the JACKPOT!!! congratulations!

Feb 09, 2011 09:08 AM

Susan Mangigian

RE/MAX Preferred - West Chester, PA

Chester & Delaware County Homes, Delaware and Ches

Being hearing impaired, one of my biggest regrets is that I can't easedrop! lol! I marvel at folks who can be sitting with me but listening to a conversation two tables away. The only way I could do that is if I first walked over to them and asked them not to eat for a bit to allow me to read their lips! hahahah! That would go over very big, I'm sure!

Feb 09, 2011 12:39 PM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Cory - no, not a secret listing strategy... but oftentime they will discuss price, and what their bottom line is at that meeting.

Leslie - you're right... you've learned not all of us are fashion-plates. (hey, think I can convince you to come north and work for Coldwell??)

Brent - not sure if you mentioned "public place".

Bryan - it's fair game.... truth fact.

Amy - you need to get out a bit more, if you think that was a jackpot.

Susan - I actually thought about you, when writing this, 'cause you CAN eavesdrop, without hearing.. by reading their lips... a little secret weapon.

Feb 09, 2011 12:50 PM

Leslie Ebersole

Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL

I help brokers build businesses they love.

No way would I take on the north shore agents...I'm pretty sure most of you don't consider muck boots acceptable showing attire ;-)

Nice header. Wanna go to lunch and snag a few clients? I'll start on one side of the room, you on the other. We'll meet in the middle and see what we get.

Feb 09, 2011 02:19 PM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Leslie - You betcha... I'll bring my bionic ear! And muck boots... sure they're acceptable attire... isn't that what the ladies wear to garden on the patio?

Feb 10, 2011 12:33 AM

Bob Sooy

Realty World Northeast LLC - Sugarloaf, PA

Your New cereal slogan:

Moral Fiber, no. Delicious information, Yes.

Feb 10, 2011 02:01 AM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Bob - I like it.

Feb 10, 2011 02:32 AM

Not a real person

San Diego, CA

Oh, I’m definitely a stayer, unless it’s at the movie or the Joshua Bell concert. Then I’m asking the usher to take action.

Feb 10, 2011 08:42 PM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Russel - a fair mode of operation.

Feb 11, 2011 12:37 AM

Elizabeth Cooper-Golden

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate, (@ Homes Realty Group) - Huntsville, AL

Huntsville AL MLS

ROTFL...You couldn't have blasted me off my seat with dynamite. Ha ha ha..I'm far to nosy and would have loved every minute of it :)

Feb 11, 2011 02:36 PM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Elizabeth - whoop, there it is.

Feb 11, 2011 03:40 PM

Jon Kolsky

Kolsky Realty & Management - Long Beach, CA

Licensed California Real Estate Broker

The funny thing is information....

Leslie mentioned (declaring the need to quickly get home )you assumed it to be so certain, is it possible Leslie had different motives for leaving? I don't think it's as cut and dry, but your drama is clever.

Judging seems so high and mighty, excepting and helping is great. It is amazing to really help a person, it's Always easy to make fun of a person, to each is own.

Feb 23, 2011 03:54 AM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Jon - "Judging seems so high and mighty" - you're teetering on the edge of deletion.

Feb 23, 2011 04:56 AM