You Can’t be Everything to Everyone
I got a call from a young man who had gone through several agents everywhere in Oregon it seems in search of the perfect water property. He was frustrated because they weren’t sending him what he wanted. He said that every time he did his own searching, Fishhawk Lake kept cropping up. So, he called me.
As our conversation ensued, he wanted me to send him ANYTHING in Oregon on a lake or river that would suit his needs for about $120,000. After he explained how frustrated he was by agents and that if he didn’t find anything by spring he’d give up, I decided to share a little Real Estate 101 with him. I explained that for the most part, if a realtor is trying to be everything for everyone, he/she can’t be effective. Usually we have a niche that we specialize in. That if there is a relationship established and a property is found that’s not in that niche, then I, as an agent could refer him to someone in that area that would know the area better than me. Fishhawk Lake is my niche and I also could help him with properties in Vernonia. Otherwise, I would need to allow him to look elsewhere. Because I know that if I spread myself too thin, I won’t be effective for him and I will be setting myself (and him) up for failure, adding to his frustration.
So many people don’t understand the intricacies of our business, and every now and then the opportunity comes along to share a bit of knowledge to ease the angst of a buyer while paving the way for other realtors they may end up working with. If he wants to buy property at Fishhawk Lake or in Vernonia, I’ll be there for him. But, I know my boundaries!
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