Brentwood TN Real Estate

I am constantly baffled and appalled at the variation I see and hear about in the commitment, communication and service levels of real estate agents. Case in point, I took a listing on once that was repped by another agent for 6 months previously. The seller found me on an Internet search and contacted me. They told me the contract was up shortly(but did not know exactly when as they did not have a copy of the listing agreement) and they were very dissatisfied with the representation they had received. The home had not been marketed aggressively and even so several contracts had been on the table, most with terms unacceptable. Without getting specific and destroying confidentiality, I will give the short and not so sweet version.

This seller would have happily continued the listing had the agent communicated more effectively. There were phone calls never made, documents not forwarded and as the end drew near a seeming retreat from all activities having to do with the house. The seller felt that they had to do more work in suggesting their own price reductions, possible advertising venues(including free ones they found and passed on) and attempting to muddle through a last minute offer without an agent to advise, although the agent sent it via email. I gave them my listing presentation outlining the massive web presence I have and the very aggressive marketing style I have developed as well as an outline of what to expect of me and what I expect as well. A nice home, a nice commission is at stake here, but more importantly a consumer who needs direction and assistance in the largest transaction they will likely be involved in. They must trust that we will be there when we are needed, that we will rise above our own issues and do our fiduciary duty, regardless.

Sellers want to see a Pitt Bull not a Toy Poodle!  I am not afraid of other agents not liking me or that the buyer will think I am a hard ass. My job, first and always is to represent my clients best interests. I work for my client! NOT the other agent, myself, the buyer, my broker etc..If a client truly feels I am on their side to help and protect them in what can, especially in this market, be a hard and legally slippery battle, then chances are they will stay loyal. The tricky part is how to get that trust soon enough to ensure the loyalty edge.

I will admit that every client I have ever had has not loved me, I know, hard to imagine right? Nevertheless it is true. However, 99% do and are still friendly with me and send referrals to me. Why? Because I do what I say if humanly possible, I am a "go getter" , I am thorough too. But the single biggest plus I have been told by clients is my honesty. Integrity is priceless! Sometimes it will lose me the deal, but it never loses me respect. I can and have admitted when I was wrong, at fault or did not know something. I then go about fixing, amending or learning the thing. I tell my clients up front that I may not be the oldest agent, the most successful etc, but I will ALWAYS give 110%! Those that stick around long enough to see me in action concur. Those that don't may come back later. I recently wrote a blog basically lambasting the public about the lack of respect they show agents in general, but there are two sides to every coin and there are agents who do not show the respect deserved to the client who is responsible for them having a job to do or to the laws which govern that job. That is unacceptable. We must all do the right things, have integrity and be willing to admit it when we get it wrong. In the end I am finding these are the things I am remembered for. How about you? What shortcomings do you see out there everyday and what greatness of yours is often remarked on.?

Vanessa Stalets

Brentwood TN Real Estate

RE/MAX Elite

615-957-6333/615-661-4400