Let me tell you a story on real and fake agents. About a year ago, I was out scouting properties for an elderly client of mine. A sweet woman who needed to downsize but wanted to stay an independent homeowner. She lived in a spacious Victorian home. Her needs had become more of a “ranch” kind or better yet, a “condo” style. She loved to plant flowers, talk with neighbors and take walks around the neighborhood. However due to her knees not being what they used to be, she kindly asked me to begin doing the work for her.
So there I went and previewed many properties. One afternoon as I was driving by an “Open House” sign, I thought: This one looks perfect! I went in. The listing agent greeted me happily. I introduced myself as what I am: a real estate agent. I told her my client’s story and the reason why I was “shopping” for her. What follows is very real. No kidding. The listing agent took a good look at me after taking my business card and said: “I have never seen you around “my” town. You are obviously new.” I recognized the fact that I had been in the business for a relatively short time but that I have been around “this” town for many years. She “strongly” recommended (read: strrrrrrrongly) that I take my client next time instead of shopping for her. I did not bother repeating the reason why I was doing what I was doing. I left the condo as she was asking me about the reasons why my client would want to live in her town. You read this right: Why choose her town?
Around the same time, my office was expending rapidly. My broker was (and still is) taking pride in welcoming new (or newer agents) and showing them the ropes of the real estate business. Each new agent was matched with one that had a few years behind them. Like a “fairy real estate mother” sort of thing. To this day, I will tell you that our “old timers” are always (and I mean always) happy and prompt to answer all questions asked. One of them will ask me every week: “How are things for you? Is there anything you need?” One time I apologized for having some of the same names on our mutual spheres, she replied: “This town is big enough for all of us”. THIS town. Not her town. Not my town. Our town.
You see, there is a difference between real and fake real estate agents. Real agents have an ethic. They have respect for the profession and their peers. Potential clients know who has been in the business for too long and who is in the business to stay and make dreams come true. Your peers know that too. You cannot hide who you are. Take a side: Real or Fake? Who do you want to represent you?
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