This is an open letter to everyone who knows someone who is a real estate agent. You might be their neighbor, friend, or even family. Pretty much everyone knows someone who is a real estate professional. But maybe when it was time for you to buy or sell your home, you didn’t call that agent and instead hired someone else; maybe someone you didn’t even know.
First of all it’s okay. As real estate professionals we know that there are many different reasons for selecting an agent. Maybe you felt it was important to use a listing agent who specializes in your neighborhood or type of home, or maybe you’re buying and just didn’t want to share your personal financial information with someone you know.
What’s not okay is to ignore the fact that you know that person is an active real estate professional. Let’s use an example. Pretend you’re a house painter. Your neighbor Joe asks you over for a BBQ and you walk in the front door and notice that Joe has had the entire interior of his home painted. Joe didn’t even ask you for a quote and you know Joe is aware of your profession as your truck is parked out on the street every day, full of paint cans and ladders. How do you feel looking at Joe’s freshly painted walls? Probably hurt and confused.
Or maybe you’re a real estate agent who receives a holiday card from a friend with a new return address, only to hear through the grapevine that your friend sold their old home and bought a new place without even giving you a call.
So here is the deal. If you are going to sell or buy a home and you have a reasonably close relationship with a real estate agent, please don’t ignore them. Call them and be frank. Ideally, give them a chance to show you why they are best for the job. Remember, if they know you well, they will likely be motivated to go the extra mile for you, or even offer a ‘friends and family’ discount. Or if you have specific selection criteria that would eliminate that agent, like using a neighborhood specialist, please let them know why you aren’t hiring them for the job. It might feel a bit awkward, but please don’t cast a shadow on your relationship. It is far better to share and discuss your thoughts and feelings than let an agent’s profession become the elephant in the room that no one will mention.
Photo courtesy of Realtor.com
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