Best Friends or Family make the Worst Clients

Best Friends and Family can make the worst clients.  I would much rather work with strangers than with loved ones.  Why, you ask?  Friends and family always expect more from you and many times expect to pay less for the same services.  I learned this lesson very early in my real estate career.

My best friends decided they wanted to buy a home in the country.  I was in the process of remodeling a home for myself at that time.  It was a complete redo and was going to be perfect for me and my family.  They kept insisting and so after it was complete, I sold it to them instead of moving in myself.  One thing after another and things went very south.  I was barely able to keep the friendship.

Another instance came when a young family (more friends)  wanted to move to the country.  I sold them a new home in a new rural subdivision and they enjoyed it for several years but when the children were older and had activities in town, gas prices went up, etc, they wanted to move back to town.  I became the bad guy because I had sold them just what they wanted at the time but they decided later it was not what they wanted at all.  How could people blame me for something like this?  I don't know, but they did and I lost the friendship over it.

So now, when family and friends want to do business with me, I am hesitant.  I know the things that can go wrong.  I recently had to tell a relative, "they expected to get paid when I used their services, so why shouldn't I get paid when they used my services?"

Why should they be surprised at this?  Many times, they are.  If you are new to this business, you will eventually understand what I am talking about.  It will happen to you.  It is just a matter of time.

Then there are the out of town clients that want their agents to get paid for your work.  That's another blog!

Be careful!  Don't give your services away for FREE.  You are the one who went to school, learned the business, keeps your CE going, continually improves yourself to be a better agent, is studying the market everyday.  You deserve to be paid for your Valuable Services, no matter who the client is!

 

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection                       www.reretx.com

953 Main                                                                     

Kerrville, TX  78028

(830)257-2520