I just had my clients finally finish signing a lease for a home that they will occupy soon.  It  was the most difficult and time consuming endeavor that Ihave ever experienced. I represnted a family of ten who are relocating from Florida, a most difficult situation for not only them, but also for me.  Not too many landlords want 12 people in their home for any length of time- not family, not tenants.  But, I must explain, this is a special family. The mom worked in Florida with the legal system who placed children for adoption in private homes.  Four of my client's ten children are  biological, the other six children are adopted children who had minor mental or physical disabilities.

The problems began with the  posting of the property on Craig's list.  Sandy, the listing agent, did her job and posted it both in the MLS and on Craig's List; however, the landlord also posted it, too.  Unfortunately in the middle of  negotiating the terms, my client decided to call the landlord to try to explain her situation.   Of course neither I nor the other agent knew this was happening.

It became "the telephone game."  He said, she said, with words getting misconstrued and anxieties growing by leaps and bounds.  How simple it would have been to allow the professionals to do the negotiating.  The situation and terms of the contract would have been resolved easily. 

This became the perfect example of what can go wrong when verbal agreements and obligations are left to  the tenants, landlords, buyers or sellers.  Everything looks simple enough.  A lease is pretty straight forward.  However, verbal offers are nonbinding; therefore when contracts are written and terms are in writing, agreements become clear and precise.  With verbal agreements, words are clouded by the tonal influences of speech, inflection, etc.  obligations, agreements, and people are caught in the moment. Communication and terms in a contract are precise and well thought -out    It is so important, even in lease agreements, that the art of communication be given to the professionals and terms they negotiate are in writing. 

Professional dancers make dancing look easy; professionals do just that, they make it look easy.  However, we all know that education, practice, and the ability to do the things we do take skill and practice. Let us do our jobs so tenants, landlords, buyers, and sellers can benefit from the service we provide and the experience and knowledge we have.