My First Listing Appointment: West Roxbury, MA
This was a long time ago, but it is still fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday. Keep in mind I have been in the Los Angeles Real Estate Market for over 20+ years, prior to relocating to Los Angeles, I was a Realtor in Boston, Massachusetts. When I started out my goal was to practice Real Estate within the city proper. Not having had any experience, I thought it would be great to work for a local and reputable regional company and ‘learn the ropes’ outside of the city.
As it turned out, my Broker had a very short interview with me. First she checked out, that yes I am a brand new licensee. Then she suggested I take shifts answering the phone. Now that my training was completeJ I realized, it is up to me and it will be sink or swim. I sat hearing distance from the “phone” so I could learn how to answer the phone.
I listened to this agent as she was answering the phone, this was before, Internet and direct extensions. Two phone calls later she looked at me and said,” … look I have to run and pick up my daughter from school cover me, since you look like you have nothing to do but hang around, might as well be productive and answer the phone….”
So now that I was ‘empowered’ I sat behind the desk with a paper and pen. The next phone call came was a client for another agent. I took the message on a message pad and was glad that it was not something important to break the ice.
The next call came from a very nice lady, we talked for a few minutes and then she said’… I would like you to come over this evening and ‘list our home’... “I took down the address, her name and number. After I regained my breath and composure I walked in to the Broker’s Office and asked her what to do next.
She gave me a one-page form “the listing agreement” and called one of her “seasoned old timer” into her office and said to him ‘… go with Endre and show him what to do…’ needless to say without preparation, he said to me, that he will meet me 20 min before the appointment in our office, since the property is only five minutes from us.
I had three hours before the appointment, so I drove around and checked out the house from the outside as well as three or four blocks to see some of the other homes that were on the market and the ones recently sold. Keep in mind we had a tiny booklet that came out once a month and it had one picture (black & white) and two lines describing the house with the headline’ For Sale and Sold’.
I realized this house was much more formal, older, and statelier than the nearby ones with one drawback it was four houses from the West Roxbury, MA Fire Station.
My ‘trainer’ and I arrived five minutes early, I was all pumped ready to go, as we were welcomed the seller was charming and very sophisticated, she realized that I must be new in the business…. She took over and my ‘trainer’ was totally out of his element. She showed us her home and by the time we got back from the ‘tour’ I could see my ‘trainer’ had stage fright. As we were touring the home, I was making conversation about the artwork, the porcelain nick knacks. She said she was ready to list at a price, which I thought was a fair, but bit higher than what I had in mind. I mentioned the drawback and she agreed. She said she wants me to know that there is a “buyer” who was willing to pay her price and if he does not buy it, then we will have the listing. So we walked out with “nothing” my trainer did not write up the listing agreement with “an exclusion” to the one buyer. Next day I got a call from the “nice lady” and she told me how much she enjoyed meeting me, but wanted to let me know the “buyer” was buying her home at my suggested “list price”. She wished me luck and said ‘…you do not need a “trainer” you were fine on your own….’
The next day I left this Broker and started working in Boston, MA at a very small boutique Real Estate Brokerage on Beacon Hill on Charles St. The rest is history….
If you are considering buying or selling a home, a luxury home, luxury investment real estate, luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu, feel free to contact me at310.486.1002 (m) or homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at http://www.endrebarath.com. I am a Pet Friendly Realtor and I contribute a portion of my commission to local animal rescue organizations.
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