Ask An Ambassador: Giving A Scorpion A Ride

There's a fable about a frog giving a scorpion a ride across the river after the scorpion promises not to sting the frog.

It ends with "I couldn't help it.  It's in my nature."

 

Now you might look at me and see an engineer and figure out I'm not about touchy feely stuff, and you'd be mostly right, but that doesn't make me absent of emotion.

But my engineering nature does give me a tendency to run the numbers with every call, prospect email and interaction. 

 

Am I about to give a scorpion a ride?

 

I'm careful not to put out food that attracts scorpions.  In general our blog posts, our websites, my personal Facebook wall, are designed not to attract the venomous types.

And after being in this business for almost 17 years, I've learned a thing or two about avoiding scorpion types.

 

I ask questions at first contact to make sure I'm not doing pro bono work for another agent.  If you listen closely for the response, there's often a telltale.  A long pause in response..."do I admit my cousin Jeff is an agent?"...before giving you an answer.  Realistically, I don't think MOST consumers understand how things work and figure it's your job to open the door if they ask (even if it's NOT your own listing).

But that initial conversation can provide key clues.  Do they have a posse of agents working for them?  You mention a home for sale and they say "I saw that one already."   ummm....with whom???

And sometimes the scorpion is right out there. 

"I'll work with you if you give me x% as a rebate." 

I'll admit that I've run the math and rolled those dice once or twice.  And I did get paid.  But it was painful.  I did get stung.  There was no respect from them to me, but why should I have been surprised?  It was just their nature.  They told me right at the beginning.

 

So we live and learn.  I try to minimize the number of scorpions I give rides to, and sometimes we get to the other shore just fine.

So how do you avoid giving scorpions a ride?

Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,

Bill & Liz aka BLiz

Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

 

The Liz Spear Team of RE/MAX Elite
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, CRS, Ohio License SAL.2002007747
William (Bill) Spear, CRS, Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!
Two locations: Lebanon & Mason, OH
Bill Direct:  513-520-5305
Liz Direct: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418
MailTo:  Liz@LizSpear.com

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