I was looking for one of my client’s addresses in order to send her a Christmas card. Not all the addresses had made it onto my new laptop so I looked through that transparent plastic file box marked “real estate archive.” Next thing you know I spent nearly three hours wading through these papers, reading a phrase here and there and tossing out duplicate documents.
What struck me again is that I am not nearly as interested in the properties as I am in the people who buy and sell them. Surely, I remember that the crawlspace in that remodeled rambler needed a vapor barrier installed. What makes this more than a mere transaction but really memorable, is that I was able to find a first-time buyer a reasonably priced home in the right school district so that their son did not have to change schools in his senior year.
What really mattered was that this other young family was able to find a home under $200,000 in a hot Seattle market, especially at this price level. Yes, it was a double-wide manufactured home but it was in a good location on a large lot, the kind that is bought by investors for the value of the land.
One of the thickest files was that of a relocation seller. I had helped this couple sell their respective condos before they got married, buy their first home together and then sell it. I was a bit sore about the commission cut I agreed to pay to the relocation sharks. That, however, is of no consequence when compared with the loss of my clients' first child just two weeks old. They have moved to the Midwest but the little girl’s grave is still here.
Having a genuine interest in my clients is not some marketing ploy but it is essential for me to keep being interested in doing the very best for them. It is rewarding emotionally and financially.
About three years ago an out-of-state owner asked me if I could find a renter for his home. The renters I found had two Rottweilers so the fenced backyard was perfect. A year later the renters asked me to help them buy a home and the absent owner asked me to sell his. Why? Because they believed that I was not only competent at my job but was able to put myself in their shoes. To top things of, my wife, the mortgage consultant, who had arranged the financing for the former renters, was asked to help a relative with the refinancing of a home.
There are many more human interest stories in these files. A more recent one involves an out-of-state seller who “met” me on my website. The property was not in good condition. I took pictures of it, emailed them to her and was very frank about what it would take to sell. She appreciated that. After the deal closed she sent me a very nice email shown with this blog.
This was a small condo and the commission was very modest. What matters is that I was able to bring the transaction to a successful end. What matters more is that this woman no longer needs to worry about a burdensome property and can go on with her life happier than before. She’ll remember me for that. That’s how I define success.
© 2006, Gerhard N. Ade
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