Pay It Forward – Sorry, you will have to find another REALTOR®.
There is a real estate company in Florida whose main business focus is drumming up business around the country and then referring it out. Unlike some companies that want you to pay an upfront fee, they only want a referral fee if a transaction closes. I am okay with that. They have scrubbed the leads and so far all have been genuine, viable real estate leads.
This week when they called, they said it was imperative that I reach ‘Mary’ before noon. If she did not hear from me, she would be contacting other
agents. I called immediately and a very sweet, older sounding woman answered the phone. While we talked, I pulled up her property in the tax records and from there, the history of the community. Home values are currently at half their original value from five years ago. It was a relief for me to hear Mary say she was aware of that.
I told her I would be able to assist her with a short sale. It was then she mentioned that she had an Indiana Real Estate license placed in referrals. That was the show stopper. I told her that she is entitled to a referral fee from any agent who assists her with any real estate transaction. I also told her that since I would have to pay the Florida company a fee, I could not also pay her a fee. Mary said no one had ever told her she was entitled to a referral fee on the sale or purchase of her own property.
I recommended several agents in her immediate area and wished her the best. She would not let me hang up without giving her all of my contact information. She said no one had ever been so honest with her. She wanted to be able to recommend me to others.
I paid it forward by passing up a commission so it could go to the person entitled to it! I paid it forward by telling Mary, “Sorry, you will have to find another REALTOR®.”
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