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Turning Around IS an Option!

One day while in a meeting I had a call from an out of state agent who wanted to know if I would be interested in a referral. Her clients needed to move to Baltimore by May and had a "bad" experience with another agent. She quizzed me on my internet savvy and I suggested she email me the clients' info so we could decide how best to proceed. I also suggested she "Google" me, but I am not sure she understood what that meant.

It was a couple of days before the potential buyer contacted me, and it turned out they were to be renters, not buyers. The wife called and told me what she wanted, a 3-4 bedroom house on a quiet street, 20-minute commute from BWI airport, and up to $2,000/month for a 6 month lease. Their present home was not sold yet but the husband is already working here and they want to all be together with their two small boys. Oh, and the husband wanted a garage. The wife made it clear that she was not happy with a previous agent because that agent did not return calls, plus other complaints. You may wonder – why was I working with a potential buyer renter at this moment? Because another agent asked for my help.

So let's give this couple a name - "Jack and Jill." Jill said that Jack had Monday and Tuesday to find a place. I set Jill up with my automated email search through my website with the Homes Prospector under Search All Listings. I emailed her the instructions and spent time on phone helping her set this search up. She was really pleased (the other agent did not have this service) she now knew someone was helping her find a home.

Late Night Late on Sunday night I received an email from Jill, "Sorry it's taken me a couple days to get back to you…. Jack's best days are now Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the places we are interested in...." along with a list of 14 MLS numbers in three different counties. "Give 'Jack' a call and let him know what works for you." Remember this is 10:21 on Sunday night.

OK, so now I knew that I had my Monday free which was good since I had a wonderfully busy day. Late that night I make contact with Jack and Jill, she tells me that he is available all day Tuesday anytime. Great! I have someone flexible to work with, or so I thought. I suggested we get together around 11 am that would give me time to call these 14 listings and set up showings. I was able to make seven showings, the CSS person was wonderful, all the properties were vacant and on Sentri lockboxes – a big help.

Angry man on phone I called Jack and offered to pick him up at his hotel at 11:30. Nope, he'd rather meet me at the property. OK, so there I was in my car and the GPS would not take the first address. So I entered the nearest intersection and found out that I was 20 minutes away. Yep, I was going to be late. I called Jack to tell him I was running a few minutes late, and he was NOT pleased. " I am going to have lunch and you are just wasting my day."

Whoa.... Contract This was not the way to start a relationship. I was doing him and the other agent a favor (yes, she had already asked for the commission on this rental agreement).

What does one do in this situation? I promised to find them a house, had seven appointments set up, was already on the highway…hmmm. I apologized for being late, did not remind him that wife said he was available all day, and joked that maybe he got another "bad" agent. No humor, just anger. And that's when I made the decision. I suggested if he were that unhappy with me that I just turn around now.

He hung up, and I did just that - I turned around and went home. I did call him back to apologize again for being late, confirm that I would not be meeting him, and to let him know I would not accept him hanging up on me. A fifteen minute leeway was not out of the question when we going to see 7 properties.

U Turn I did the right thing. I asked myself WIN – What's Important Now? And my answer was that turning around and coming home felt right. I called "Jill" (no answer) and called and emailed the agent wishing them luck in finding a home in Baltimore.

A deep breath...NEXT!

Did you know that turning around is also an option for you?

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400

Posted by Margaret Rome-- HomeRome Realty Baltimore, Md. on 03/09/2009 07:07 PM

Comments (78)

Time Management in the ActiveRain Channel

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Originally posted at: Margaret Rome's Blog: Turning Around IS an Option!

This post has been included in Maryland Information
Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: LATE NIGHT - EARLY MORNING AT ACTIVERAIN
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78 Comments on Turning Around IS an Option!

MAR

This is a business Margaret. Firmness saves lots of time on all parties parts. Some of us are NOT meant to work together despite us being the best REALTOR in the world.

Hey Margaret,

That's a crazy story...I'm sure there were times that I wanted to turn around too.

Margaret, sometimes you've got to follow your instincts. I know this was not easy, but perhaps it was necessary for something far more important than one deal...your sense of peace and sanity.

Good for you Margaret! I told a buyer the other day that I couldn't afford to work for free and I'm sure that he wouldn't either. This was after he told me that he didn't want to sign any agreement with me. (I hadn't even discussed that.) He said that I could drive him around and if he chose a place that I showed him then it would be OK if I got paid. So, it was obvious that he would be working with other agents. He even said that he was an agent in California. He wanted the offers we submitted to be 50% of the listing price. I thought I can't waste my time with this guy. As an agent, he should know better than to try to work with multiple agents. I reminded him that a bunch of people would be spending their time researching and working for him and only 1 would get paid. I told him he should find someone else to work with. What was he thinking???

That almost makes my last month's ordeal palatable. You did the right thing!

Amen sister. Buyers don't think twice about being late to meet us and not calling or apologizing. Good decision.....

I think you did the right thing...most important is that you know you did the right thing.

Gary, You have to know that I did bend over backwards to make the appointments. It was obvious that I was not going to please this person.

Neal, Just glad I turned around without "wasting" my time.

Lola, I cannot remember ever doing this before...but it felt good and I never looked back.

Jan, Good for you. We cannot work with everyone, nor should we even try.

Tim and Pam, Please share last month's ordeal.

Kelly, Thanks for stopping by.

Michael, I did make the right decision. And it felt good.

Margaret - You did just what you sould have done. They are obviously not willing to work as part of the home finding team and it would only serve to irritate and aggravate all involved to try to resuscitate this relationship. Good for you!

And yes - I have turned around several time. And never looked back.

I think you made the right decision. I haven't done that much but I have done it. Life's too short to work with people like that. I think you're last statement said it all..."Next!"

John Holloway, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, RE/MAX Realty One, Crystal River, Florida

I think learning when to say, "Thanks, but no thanks" is incredibly important. Good Call! -Erika

Margaret,

I have to hand it to you - what a gracious lady for calling him back AFTER he hung up on you. I can't say I would have gone as far as YOU did. You did the right thing and IMO more than you needed to.

Margaret - it's wise to know when we can't win. If a prospective client (buyer or seller - or renter) doesn't appreciate what we do and what we have to offer - we have better uses for our time, even if it's curling up with a good book.

Good call, Margaret!

Atta girl. Life is far too short to be wasted with people that insist on doing things only their way and screwing it up.

My pet peeve is buyers that want to drive their own vehicle and follow me to 6 - 10 showings. Not workable in my opinion. I offer to ride with them if they want to drive.

Wow, that is a crazy story! I think you did the right thing, good for you!

Margaret - I feel your pain, too many of us have been down this road. "Next" - I have used this expression on the last three (yes, I can count them) transactions. You did not deserve to be treated like that, and Your time is valuable. You made the right choice. - Judy

Carol, Guess turning around is sometimes the right thing to do.

John, One of my favorite four letter words....NEXT.

Erika, Thanks but no thanks.

Debbie, I needed to call back. I could not end a relationship with him hanging up on me. Just not acceptable. But I did want to confirm that it was ended.

Sharon, Curling up with with a good Kindle, in your case.

Margaret, I knew you would approve.

Jim, Taking charge is what we are doing.

Thanks for stopping by, Mike

Good for you. NEXT!!!

And remember...he could have been an ax murderer. When I'm meeting someone for the first time, my husband always calls me to inquire "if its an ax murderer"---you just never know...And common curtesy doesn't cost a dime...

Judy, Thanks for stopping by. Everyone must take a minute to view your post WARNING - Dangerous Form of Breast Cancer - Please Watch

Tere, Good for all of us to say NEXT.

Good for you!!

Margaret,

Gary is right this is a business. Firmness saves alot of time for all the parties. Good for you!

Margaret,

You did the right thing! I'll bet your day was better because you made a U-turn. Smiles to you.

Mike in Tucson

That you were going to drive to seven homes that were merely a rental shows what a gracious person you are. I don't think the commission after the referral would have covered your gas, let alone your time! Good for you.

I routinely drop clients who aren't really clients or who annoy me. I figure I deserve to:

a) work with people who conform to the market

b) not be annoyed.

Good for you! It should be done more often than it is! people don't treat their doctors or lawyers like that! Why should we take it?

How many "bad agents" do you think Jack and Jill will go through before they recognize the common denominator in the equation? Oh, that's right, it's probably just their bad luck to always get the bad agent, and eat at restaurants with the worst servers, and send their kids to schools with the worst teachers. It's about time people started taking responsibility for their side of the professional realtionship. Just because they are the customer doesn't necessarily mean they are always right. People deserve the same level of respect that they give, regardless of who they are...or think they are.

Well done. Life is too short!

Some people are jerks and don't realize that they are the problem. I don't get many but once every few years you do.

By the way, and for whatever it's worth, a friend of mine (Linda Carlson) used to be a well-known, very in demand quilter. Whenever she had a particularily difficult customer, she would add a PITA* service chargeof between $100 to $200 to their invoice.

*PITA..."Pain In The A--"

I've learned a couple of things along the way ...1) just because another agent refers someone, it doesn't me the referral is a good one ... 2) iIf the consumer is complaining about another agent it often is the consumer not the agent that was the problem 3) if someone is unrealsonable - it is OKAY to say bye bye.. adios .. hasta la vista!

Rich, Agreed! Life is too short.

Russ, I think the important thing is to recognize the "toxic" clients.

Richard, I have used a shorter form of that coding...PIA

Joan, You are so right but I like to think when another agent asks for a favor.....we try to accomodate.

Sometimes we just have to learn to say no. So glad you had the guts to do it before you you took him out and wasted an entire day. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to tell him to walk when you did. And, calling him to apologize was really gracious, though I'm sure he thought he deserved at tleast that from you.

Hi Margaret,

First of all..those poor people. Do they even know whom they just lost as their potential Realtor?!!

Second, there is so much Floyd Wickman in this post it's crazy:

NEXT!
No one slaps me around anymore!
If you're going to lose them Friday anyway, lost them Tuesday!

I could go on and on but you already know what I'd say. You do our industry proud everyday Miss M!

Love,

Jason

I am sure I made more comments....but they were lost. Hope I haven't missed anyone.

Elizabeth, And we all deserve to work with people that we like and respect

Ed Thanks for your support

Ellie, It was not about the commission, it was about doing a favor for another agent.

Mike, The rest of my day was much better and my hubby was proud of me. I shared some of day with him.

Pat, We make the decision of who we choose to work with.

Hi Margaret, Just think how much better the real estate business would be if we all took a stand like this. Great move!

Way to go girl! We need to stand up for ourselves. Let the bottom feeders find like minded agents to work with. I had a call last week from my web site wanting to look at a home that was a 45 minute drive for me. I began to ask him the qualifying questions and of course, he "did have an agent in mind" (his wife's cousin) but hadn't signed yet and also a home in another state that wasn't even on the market yet. I told him he needed to call the agent that had been showing him for the past 2 months. He was MAD. He screamed "you want me to call THAT agent?". Yes sir, I do :)

Ann, Tell us more about Real Living.

Lora, It felt good even though I spent a lot of time getting ready for the showings. "Know when to hold em, know when to fold em"

Jason, I adore you, Floyd and all our wisdom. Just so happy we had the opportunity to learn from the best. You really have a gift knowing how to make me feel so special.

Teresa, Thank you for sharing this.

Excellent! Many agents need to learn this lesson. I hear too many stories of 'buyers/tenants' using or abusing agents and I believe that no one can do anything to you that you do not allow.

Elizabeth, What a great response: "Yes Sir I Do" And way to go yourself!!

Margaret,

That must have been a tough call to make but I think anyone that it going to hang up on you like that is probably not worth dealing with in the long run. Take care and happy blogging!

Susan, I am not sure I could have done this early on in my career. So many of us work so hard to please everyone.

Margaret - seems to me you made the right decision. They made their choice, you made yours. Not everyone's needs are compatible with our ability to fulfill them.

Jeff

Hi Margaret,

Good girl. You "treated yourself" as I mentioned in a recent posting about those types of situations.

You are ready for a "Ta-da" moment!!

Margaret,

I think my first year in real estate I thought I had to work with anyone who called or emailed me. But then I quickly realized that I had a choice.

Luckily, I was working in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country at the time so I did have options.

I see the oposite though too, people too scared of 'not getting paid' that they emit that (neediness)from themselves to the potential customer and are a complete turn off.

Margaret, even agreeing to go to 14 places in three counties for NO commission says a lot about your character and dedication to your business. People like this would have let you take them to 14 places and then find a FSBO rental and never call you back. Like Jason said...lose them on Tuesday!

Excellent work on your part. Our customers need to understand that are not hiring "staff." They are hiring real estate professionals who deserve respect and will guide them through to a successful transaction. Thanks for posting this great lesson.

Jason, I appreciate you stopping by. After I made the decision, it was so obvious the right one.

Jeff, You have such a way with words!

Jenny, Ta Da!!! I will be sure to check out your post

Hi Margaret,

My admiration for you has grown even more (if that's possible). Seems to me like you already went above and beyond. Every now and then it's a no-win situation and too many agents take much my cr_p than they should.

I too have my own personal boundaries...whey they're compromised beyond being reasonable...we're done.

MAR

Margaret: How great that you made that move and chose to "take care of yourself" by not letting some fool verbally attack you. I am proud of you for doing that. If we don't respect ourselves... why should anyone else ? Take care... be well...

This week I actually got the gumption up to fire a client of my own. Very different circumstances, but who needs a client like that! No thank you and yes...NEXT! We are people too and should be treated as such!

Margaret - Well done. The irony is they sought you out for your professional experience and good judgement and then you demonstrated both in a manner that they wont forget for awhile.

You definitely did the right thing. Relationships that start this way seldom get better. I'm sure houses in 3 counties are not all within 20 minutes if BWI. You have a skill some people never master, you know when to fire a client.

Crazy story...sometimes things can't be helped and you are late. Happens to everyone!

Margaret, I couldn't comprehend asking for a referral fee for a rental, and I would never contemplate giving one either. I wouldn't have even made it to the car if I knew the other agent expected a referral.

If the renter couldn't accord the smallest amount of respect, they didn't deserve any either. Rich

I have been working with a buyer who decided he'd rather be a renter and sometimes I question doing this, but he is very nice and he needs my help. If he treated me this way it would be another story!

Margaret,

Good for you:

Just as customers have a choice who they employ I certainly have a choice who I work for.

Margaret those darn GPS's don't find all the streets, do they?

If he was going to be late, would he have expected you to say, "I'm going to lunch?" Nope don't think so.

To say they were going to be a pain in the butt is an understatement and 4 counties, NO way I would have even taken the referral for a rental.

I bet your gut told you not to do it too, and his behavior made it easy.

Sometimes we can win not matter how hard we try. We all need to determine where our time is best spent. Have a great day!

Good for you girl! I hope I have the same nerve when I get stuck in the same type of situation. No one deserves to be treated that way.

I wish more agents would have the guts to do what you did. People need to realize we are professionals and value our time. Way to go!!!

Yes and it is an option we should take more offen. It is hard to make a sale unless both the buyer and sellers are motivated.

If nothing else all parties have a right to respect.

You Da Best, my friend! Ever notice how top agents take control while struggline agents ask "How high should I jump?" Of course you do, my CyberStar(r) you!

Best to you and Lee!

Hugs,

Allen

You defenitely made the right decision. If you had given into his anger and met with him, you would have let yourself down, and in this business you need to set your limits!!!

There are so many kind appreciative people, that losingl one bad one is no big deal

Absolutely. . . you did the right thing under the circumstances. I applaud your professionalism (and patient attitude too)!

Good for you Margaret! I recently had the same thing happen to me and I decided he was such a jerk that I did NOT want to work with him and I was proud of myself for having the guts to turn around!

Frank and Sharon, Thanks for your encouragement.

Nancy, We need to expect respect! We may be the "hired" help but we do not need to be treated like such.

Lynda, And you are so very special!

My Dear Karen Ann, You words are so true.

Bruce and Sandy, You have now made room for some special clients. Good move.

George, I do feel like they need help, just not from me.

Margaret,

I completely agree with you that turning around is an option. I been there and done that. One thing I learn is -- you cant make chicken salad out of chicken s#&t !!!

Dumping a pain in the back side is much better than dealing with the dreaded calls, email and time working together.

Ross, It was a busy morning. We all have that choice.

George, Hope they were able to find a home and settle down with their family.

Richard, We have to make the decisions that are right for all.

Ann, We all like helping appreciative people, especially when they are so nice.

Rich, Thanks for stopping by.

Missy, You always know exactly what to say.

Irene, Hope you never get into this situation.

Kristi, I appreciate your comment.

Norma, We all have the right to respect.

Allen, You know I adore and admire you!

Stephanie, Sometimes their "unkindness" comes from the stress of the move. I never got the chance to help them.

Tom, Why, thank you, Sir.

Pippa, Good for you. BTW, I love your Texas photos.

Steve, Just when I think I am caught up with all the comments, you sneak one in. I learned your chicken salad quote early on in my career.

MAR

Good for you. We have to set boundries and ground rules. One of my ground rules is that I will not work with rude people. There were many red flags in this situation that would make me feel very confident in firing this client.

Doug, I don't feel good about this. Trying to help people is what we do. Who knows what was going on in his mind. Something more important and more serious than my being 20 minutes late.

MAR

Hi again Margaret,

I heard this song on the radio today and instantly thought of you lol. Turn the car around.

Cheers

Jenny

Jenny, What a perfect song to go with this post. Thanks for sharing the link and the words.

MAR

Good for you - life is too short to spend with ruthless, inconsiderate people if you can do otherwise. Turning the car around was a great choice.

MAR

Dawn, In this case, turning around was the right choice. Thanks for stopping by.

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