Should I Hire My Friend To Buy Or Sell A House?

Margaret, I worked with two friends in the past. I had no reason to believe it would not work out well. Did I learn something new about those friends?  Yes. The listing were canceled by me and we are not friends anymore.  Can it work with the right people? Absolutely yes!

Working with friends, no problem for me.  I agree it isnt for everyone and I wouldnt recomend it for the most likely person to be in that position: new agents.  Imagine being a new agent and making all your rookie mistakes on a friend :(

Well put, Margaret.  If the friend isn't the best Realtor you know who could sell your home ... then find the best qualified person.  If they do happen to be the best, then why not?

Friends can be a good thing....or not.  I've had both situations.  I did not know one friend was a closet alcoholic.  That was a heartbreaker.  She didn't listen to some key advice about talking to an accountant about capital gain on her home.   Against my advice, she stretched on a home that she really couldn't afford insisting she buy a four bedroom instead of a three with with two kids about to go to college.  Long story short, the tax hit on the capital gain was enormous and it turned out, she had to later short sale her house.  She went with another agent to even though I was focusing on short sales at the time and the agent she selected was not. I later found out from friends that she blamed me for the very things I advised her on!  I was actually grateful to not have to sell the short sale house as she was a difficult client, especially after 5 pm.  I had to stop taking those calls.  It was awful.  Needless to say, we are cordial to one another but it's not the same as it was before.

I believe I can work with my friends as most of them have a good value system and will do what they say they will do.

Friends can sometimes be tough. Sometimes it`s just worth doing a referral and explaining up front that transactions can go great or go south .

Sometimes you find out who your friends really are in this business!

Unless your friend is a successful real estate agent, hiring them to sell your home is only hurting you.

yes, if they are as good as you and I.

Margaret Rome, Baltimore Maryland - well, I work by referrals and I work mostly with friends and family and friends of friends.....

(And that's the best lead, correct?)

Now if we goof up, we should have a courage to say 'sorry' to our friend....

What a great question.. I think sometimes it is a good idea and other times it may not be.. Especially if the friend is unrealistic.

If the friend or family member is the best person for the job, then by all means hire them. 

I'd say 99% of the people who approach me are not my friend but they become my friend during the transaction, and I've decided that is OK with me. So, I guess that's an opposite twitch.

You have the most succinct , perfect way of saying things. 

As long as you can be honest with your friend and they are a professional. Do not hire a friend if they are a part-timer. Never ends well. Friend ends up hiring me.