Consult and Advise -- Don't make decisions for your Clients!
I overheard two Agents talking awhile back, and I was disappointed to hear one of them say: "I just told the Listing Agent, 'I don't need to ask them, my Clients aren't going to do that; I won't let them.'" Sadly, this isn't the first time I've heard an Agent say something like this.
Seems someone has forgotten for whom they work. We are facilitators, not the
decision makers. Our job is to consult and advise, not make decisions for our Clients. We may be the expert, we may have the entire alphabet after our names, but it's not our call. Unless you are the one buying or selling the home, you can't speak for your Clients. Of course, you can relay their information along to other parties, but you'd best ensure you remember who's in charge.
I'm all for being an advocate for our Clients. Do your best to give them all the facts before they make decisions; do your best to protect their interests. But to step in and decide, without consulting them, what they will or won't do is outside your purview.
Remember your job and your fiduciary responsibilities. Didn't they hire you to help them find the home of their dreams? Keep getting in the way and making decisions for them based upon your likes, wants and desires and once they've lost out because of your decisions, you can rest assured: You won't have that problem any longer; they will have moved along to an Agent who puts them first.
Oh, yeah, and do you want to talk about all of the violations you could face by not submitting any and all offers and counters directly . . . nevermind, that probably isn't a concern. After all, didn't you take that seminar about proving yourself and how much more you know -- you'll tell them; yep.
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