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Kids... If Only They Lied Like Adults

By
Title Insurance with First American Title

My eight year old's Sunday School teacher just couldn't resist letting us know how much fun Parker is to have in class.  She started the conversation by saying, "Parker always tells it how it is".

The lesson on Sunday was on recognizing when there's a need and then helping out.  The teacher asked the question "What do you do if you notice your mom is really tired and needs some help" and then gave every child an opportunity to reply.  In turn the kids gave answers such as "give her a hug", "tell her I love her", "ask her how I can help".  The teacher stated that she knew Parker had a great answer prepared as he could hardly contain himself in his chair.  He was practically jumping out of the seat with excitement to tell everyone how to solve moms need for help.  When it came to his turn he stated, "Get her a Diet Coke".

Parker is always one to give us a good laugh, most of the time because he simply calls it how he sees it.  As I've thought about the pure truths that children often speak I've also considered how easy it is for adults, or maybe it's just me, to sugar coat the truth or even twist it a bit to make someone feel better about themselves or what they're doing.  The fact is, we often do others a disservice when we do this.  When someone asks our opinion we should tell it as it is, and with compassion so that they know we're not their enemy.  They took the time to ask and we owe it to them to give our honest opinion.

Top Listing Agents have found a way to master the skill of telling sellers the "cold hard truth" without causing offense.  You are the expert.  For this reason they've chosen you as their realtor.  You owe it to the client to tell them what it will take to sell the home.  If you hold back you're not only doing yourself a disservice but you're doing the client a disservice as well.  Honesty is the best policy. 

Posted by

 

 

 Max VanNatter

                                                                                                                                                      

Francine Viola
Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA - Olympia, WA
REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs

You make an excellent point when you wrote, "when someone asks our opinion we should tell it as it is, and with compassion."  Well put!  Sometimes we forget there is a middle ground.  Yes, we should be honest with our clients but that doesn't mean we need to be nasty and beat them over the head with our "honesty!"  

Sep 27, 2011 03:27 PM
Christine Smith
Buyers Brokers Only LLC - www.BuyersBrokersOnly.com - Canton, MA
Exclusive Buyer Agent & Attorney, Canton, MA
I had to laugh....I think my kids (older than Parker) would say the same thing about getting me a Diet Coke! Sorry, I know that was not your point!
Sep 27, 2011 03:28 PM
Evelyn Kennedy
Alain Pinel Realtors - Alameda, CA
Alameda, Real Estate, Alameda, CA

Max:

What adorable kids you have.  Very young kids don't lie very well, but the older they get the better they are at it.

Sep 27, 2011 04:24 PM
Bruce Kunz
C21 Solid Gold Realty, Brick, NJ, 732-920-2100 - Howell, NJ
REALTOR®, Brick & Howell NJ Homes for Sale

Well said, Max. As cliche as they are, "Say what you mean but don't say it mean" and "honesty is the best policy" are two great rules to live by. Easy to say; harder to do... Sugar coating things usually leads to bigger problems later.
Bruce

Sep 27, 2011 04:47 PM
Bill Warner
BC Warner Inspections - Dayton, OH
Infrared Thermal Inspector

Kids certainly help the world go around... and can teach us things we've long forgotten.

Sep 27, 2011 05:27 PM
Ron T. Weems Jr.
Weems Property Group | KW North Sound - Bothell, WA
Managing the details one home at a time.

Max,

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Sep 27, 2011 06:26 PM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

Kids are fun because they have not yet been tainted by the "real" world.  Telling it like it is, without a sugar coating, but with compassion is my standard.

Sep 28, 2011 12:18 AM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

Max, as much as they tire me out, I wish my own kids wouldn't grow up quite so fast. 

Sep 28, 2011 12:35 AM
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Max great point, often soem agents will not only not tell them like it is, they goveteh seller a higher value to get the listing, the home often stays unsold for that much longer. It is important to tell it like it is and provide a solution to it.

Sep 28, 2011 01:54 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Moral of he story:  If you don't want to know the truth, don't ask a kid.  The truth is always better than a lie, but we've just got to be diplomatic in the way that we approach and convey it.

Sep 28, 2011 02:38 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Good for Parker.  He sounds like he's going to be a visionary.  I do love the innocence of children. 

Sep 28, 2011 02:38 AM
Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON
I think most sellers appreciate it when you tell them exactly what you feel it will take to sell a home rather than repeating the same thing most agents will tell them.
Sep 28, 2011 03:35 AM
Max VanNatter
First American Title - Kingwood, TX

I truly appreciate everyone's comments.  Most often I find my blog is a great sounding board that allows me to know if I'm heading in the right direction or not.

Eileen - I agree and believe sellers do appreciate the truth and often the truth is refreshing. 

Sep 28, 2011 03:49 AM
Carolyn Nelson
Realty One Carolina, LLC - Burlington, NC
Your Triangle to Triad Real Estate Expert!

Tell the truth and tell it with love, understanding, and with the plan for growth and positive results in mind. Sugar coating the truth is a temporary fix to a major problem.

Sep 28, 2011 04:33 AM
Aaron Seekford
Arlington Realty, Inc. - Arlington, VA
Ranked Top 1% Nationwide 703-836-6116

Glad to hear others believe honesty is a good policy. There are way too many liars out there in the world and within our profession. It's sad.

Sep 28, 2011 04:45 AM
Mike Yeo
3:16 team REALTY - Frisco, TX

Honesty is the best policy but we need to do it with a correct tone. Not telling the entire truth will only hurt the relationship.

Sep 28, 2011 05:04 AM
Kerissa Payne
The Kerissa Payne Team at eXp Realty - Tyler, TX
ABR, SRS, e-PRO, SRES

This is a great piece of advice!  Honesty with tact is always best.

 

Sep 28, 2011 05:59 AM
Rick Payne
REeBroker Group - San Diego, CA
Downtown San Diego Condo Expert

Being honest may turn some people away at first, but in the long run the clients you keep will be that much more loyal because they know you tell it like it is and have their best interests at heart.  

Sep 28, 2011 05:59 AM
John Mosier
Realty ONE Group Mountain Desert - Prescott, AZ
Prescott's Patriot Agent 928 533-8142

Great post, Max, and a great story.  I am a listing specialist and I want to tell my sellers the truth. I am now taking it farther than that. I do an evaluation of the market for the specific property, determine what I think is the right price, find out the Seller's situation, then give them my opinion. It the sellers do not accept my opinion, I decline to take the listing. Listing and proper marketing is too much work to put it into a property that is not likely to sell.

Sep 28, 2011 07:16 AM
Max VanNatter
First American Title - Kingwood, TX

Rick - great point.  My guess is that you have "life customers".  There's no doubt that some people just don't want the truth.  Those that accept what you have to tell them, listen and do, will forever be grateful.  This is an excellent way to build real relatioships of trust.

Sep 28, 2011 10:53 AM