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Blessed are the Peacemakers

Dove One role of the REALTOR as ringmaster to a transaction between buyer and seller that is vastly undervalued and not well understood is that of

PEACEMAKER.

This is important during a negotiation. Our negotiating skills, honed over time from our life, family, and work experience, should be something we point out as a strength during a listing presentation or when trying to move a For Sale By Owner advertised property to a full service agent representation. Do not underestimate the skill you bring as a REALTOR to get both sides to some happy mid point where it is a WIN / WIN deal for all parties. Hopefully the agent on the other side works with you as well.

Balance Scales

I have always been a natural peacemaker. I don't understand astrological signs probably as well as many here reading this do, but I am a LIBRA, and they say they seek harmony in all things. I have always been able to see big pictures and weighing the two sides of something has been fairly straightforward for me. A weakness has been avoiding confrontation which you really can't do if you are going to be a good negotiatior. So my natural calm comes into play and I point out where each side has a point and where they are flexible to move toward the other's position.

Unfortunately in the real world some people on one side or the other can be completely irrational. Like sending out trial balloon low ball offers, getting a counter, and then running away. What was that all about?

Being a peacemaker involves lots of listening between the lines and finding out what's really important to someone. I think they say blessed are the peacemakers because if they achieve what they are trying to do the result is happiness and no more tension. Only some have the ability to pull this off.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. So there must be a little bit of the divine in all those that keep us out of the wars in life. Have peace in your heart and spread it to all you encounter each and every day. This will make it just a little better for all the rest of us to find a bit of heaven here on earth.

Posted by Gary Woltal - Associate Broker REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth on 05/04/2008 12:13 AM

Comments (13)

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13 Comments on Blessed are the Peacemakers

MAY

2008

Gary, Great post! I really liked it. You're so right, it is our job to make sure that everyone wins in the transaction, and too many Realtors forget that! Thanks for pointing this out!

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall get paid! LoL Hope I don't get struck by lightning.

This is so true. And with mortgages getting more difficult to complete these days, we as agents need to work together to keep our clients calm, cool and collected. I consistently see agents that want to get angry and aggressive at the loan officers, when it is not their fault that Fannie Mae is changing underwriting guidelines several times per hour. It is our job in these types of situations to keep everyone informed and relaxed. Letting them "spin up" just makes matters worse! Thanks for the reminder Gary!

Gary--I too am a Libra and I have not considered myself as a peacemaker but as one who helps find balance and what is fair....Peacemaker is a good word for it! Nice post!

Tony & Darcy: Win / Win is what it always shouldbe about whent the transaction is completed.

Pam: Getting paid is good : ) Dodging lightning bolts? Now that is a sport I stay away from.

Steve: The stricter lending requirements do make being a peacemaker more of a challenge and keeping everyone calm.

Teri: Balance is when all parties get to that happy agreement level. I wonder if many Libras and others that have the same signs have much in common?

Gary,

From one Libra to another...great post!!! Thanks, Fran

Gary, like you I have always been the peacemaker in my family. I also avoid confrontation. It's hard for me to listen to some people's stories because I always want to know the other side and attempt to make peace. Some people would prefer to just be right and not consider the possibility that there may be some middle ground where everyone will feel like they won. I may have to forgive you now for making fun of Hillary! I'm a Virgo, although, I believe they are supposed to be neat and that is something that I definitely am not!

As a peacemaker, I often feel like the calm in the eye of the storm.

Fran: Another "balanced" one out there?

Susan: I agree, some people don't want to move to a middle ground and that makes doing the peacemaker Win / Win negotiator role harder. Don't shoot me the messenger for Hillary jokes, I just pass them along. That's me, always the risk taker. I guess for equal time I should provide Obama and McCain jokes at the same time. You get to practice your forgiveness skills on me. Maybe with your Virgo-ness, you are on the cusp of another sign because you resist being neat : )

Rosario: It's a great ability to be the one that is the calm in the eye of the storm. People gravitate toward that.

I often feel like the peacemaker when working with the attorneys for the buyers and sellers. At times it is difficult to keep an open productive line of communications going between the two.

Derrick: There is a humorous old expression with attorneys and that is they are "deal killers" so it is no wonder that being between two of them is a tough assignment.

I've found over the years that being the peacemaker can often be an essential management tool. Problem is when you fail both sides think you've sold out, but I keep trying.

Hugh: If you are trying for both sides and it fails, I am comforted by knowing it is THEM, not me. At least that's what I tell myself. : )

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