Let me start out by saying that Real Estate agents do not come in different colors like blue, red, yellow and orange let alone green lol. The green I am alluding to here is not knowing what I was doing but worse than that. I didn't know that I didn't know with a touch of I don't care thrown in! This is not a good life combination
WAKE-UP CALL
In my early no-nothing days as a licensed Real Estate agent, I learned something that helped me become not only a better person but a more successful businessman too. It was a lesson that you learn by trial and error, by living life and was not expected which to me are the best kind. Those types sort of just sneak-up and then wake-up the unsuspecting. That be me in this case
I GOT THE GOLD
Lets go back decades ago and visit with this scenario. I had a home for sale over-priced and whether it sold or not didn't matter. What mattered was if it commanded top dollar when it did. It was near new, in perfect shape, and the first of its kind for the neighborhood to ask that type of money
HARD SELL
I was told that it would be difficult to sell for two reasons. First, it was overbuilt for the area and its time meaning it was a non-conforming product and two, I was asking for more money than any other home had sold for in this area. In my thinking, if there was to be a breakthrough, this property would do it
KNOCK-KNOCK
I had a short man, sloppily dressed in an unpressed suit, thick glasses, goofy smile, unkempt hair and poor posture who spoke a type of slow-broken English knock on the door when I was in a hurry multi-tasking. You know how we hear so much about first impressions? Well this was a very poor first impression alright. I pegged it for waste of time!
I ANSWERED...
Yes what is it sez I as I answered the door and held it half open, body language ready to close the door as I was in a hurry to go to my next task and this was keeping me from it. The man smiling broadly, tried to form words and I only got more impatient as I heard him say... "this house for sale"?
I AM BOTHERED
This guy had no agent, couldn't be a buyer so what was he? Yes it is for sale abruptly was said by me! He stammers out slowly he would like to see the home. NO, no no I am too busy right now. Come back later and I closed the door. He left. However, he did come back later.
THIS GUY AGAIN?
I was not happy to see him and again was curt and abrupt. He managed to say that he was interested in the house and would like to see it. I said okay reluctantly and shooed him in, through the house and then shooed him out. I thought this would get rid of him. He asked me a very unusual question that I never heard before
PRICE INCLUDE ALL?
Can include the furniture and all things in the house, he says in broken English? I really took to impatience and having never heard this type of inquiry, I said this is not a Hotel it is a home for sale c'mon and dismissed him & let him go. Meanwhile, I had other leads and pursuits and went about them
NO BITES AS TIME WENT ON
The house stayed available but got a lot of attention which encouraged me so we held to the pricing and position hoping for the best. Many weeks later, this guy comes back out of the blue and he is ticked off but with dignity and reserve dressed shabbily. He had my full attention as I thought he was a nut case
IT ALL COMES OUT
He was a highly rated professor at the local college and wanted to pay all cash for the property, wanted it furnished, would pay extra and just wanted to move right in. NOW... He just wanted me to know who he was, what he was doing there and more importantly how rude I was and how he wouldn't buy this home right now no matter what. The way he said it left no doubt as to what he said was true
LESSON LEARNED
LESSON #1: The problem anyone will encounter when out there in the real world is themselves. That be me and my lesson learned here. I had a buyer who would close in record time if only I knew what I was doing and looking for. Instead, the house stayed on the market longer than it should have by my fault entirely
LESSON #2: Customer service would have revealed this man and his intent in seconds if I would have practiced it. Instead, I was judgmental and arrogant in the course of my duties. I was paid in like kind for being that way by being denied my asked for results. Don't play games with the Universe!
LESSON #3: I couldn't believe how badly I botched this and then asked a very probing question about my young ignorant selfish self. I wonder what type of other non-performing beliefs I had and how they were all working against me. This pause and reflect caused me to change my ways. Humility visited with me
RESPECT AND YOU'LL BE RESPECTED
The house sold but it took months. That's because I took months to wake-up & get the lessons hidden within this business transaction that would change my personal & professional life for the better. I discovered that a RESULTS flow was hidden in everything everywhere & anyone could access it providing you show it some respect.
The thing is that it doesn't reward bad behavior. I got the message! I did show respect and... it did too
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