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Why not ask your neighbor...

Reblogger
Real Estate Agent

I know we all fall prey on this subject.   Giving free advice to friends and neighbors only to have them maybe disagree but call someone else to list their home or help them purchase.

Bill does something that many of wish we could, BUT then takes the advantage and turns the tables and gets referrals back.

A great read for this morning...

Original content by William Feela 20398180

I met with a couple and went over all the issues to be concerned about when selling.

Disclosures, certifications, water tests, just to name a few.

When I called a couple of days later...I was told by the seller that I was wrong...He didn't have to have the septic certified.

Who told you that?

My neighbor behind me.

So, we are going to sell our home ourselves.

A couple of months later, I got a call...WE sold the house.  But the buyer is suing us now because we didn't have the septic certified.  What should we do.

HMMMM, That is really to bad...What I think you should do is contact your neighbor across the fence and ask him.  He was the Professional that you took advice from before. (I really enjoyed telling him that.)

NO!  We are serious...we messed up...we will hire you to help fix the issue.

 

OK...I did help the guy.  It was really simple...he was at fault, He needed to put in the new septic, which now  was harder to get at and cost more.

When all was said and done, I had made him do the work...I didn't charge him...Good will will always get you farther.

 

This happened last summer and I have receive 2 referrals from him.

Comments (6)

Bob Publicover
Publicover Realty Group, inc - Stuart, FL
Thinking outside the box

Morning Vern, This is so typical of friends and neighbors, giving "free" advice that many times is inaccurate and detrimental. I find people always telling others what the law is, about one thing or another. really?  It's like everyone in the neighborhood is a "street corner"  lawyer, doctor, real estate professional. 

 

 

Mar 28, 2015 11:46 PM
Shuchi Agrawal
Kanam Realty Group/Kanam Commercial - Flower Mound, TX
Serving Dallas / Ft. Worth

Hi Vern Eaton, great blog... With real estate it seems like everyone has some advice to give.  Many rely on opinions of friends and neighbors because they have the mindset that REALTORs only want to make money off them... They don't realize like dentists, doctors, lawyers, real estate professionals have been trained to give you the proper advice about homes..

Mar 29, 2015 01:56 AM
Michael Dagner
Brokers Guild Classic - Denver, CO
Your Denver Homes Realty Expert

Hi Vern, from time to time it helps to do a little community service.  We'll hope this particular seller is generous with a few referrals.  Best wishes!

Mar 29, 2015 11:35 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Thanks for the re-blog Vern...I think most if not all of us has run into something like this.

Mar 29, 2015 11:39 AM
Vern Eaton
Askov, MN
Realtor 651-674-7449

Bill...I got that up here a lot.  People remember hwo they used to be able to do things but are not up on the new changes.

Mar 30, 2015 11:58 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

This was quite the story, Vern.

Apr 06, 2015 09:08 PM