Real estate agents make their livings by forming relationships with strangers. My real estate
career began in 2004 and I know that I've been unbelievably fortunate that most of the strangers I've formed relationships with turned out to be interesting and bonafide clients. Many of those people have become lifelong good friends.
career began in 2004 and I know that I've been unbelievably fortunate that most of the strangers I've formed relationships with turned out to be interesting and bonafide clients. Many of those people have become lifelong good friends.There have however been a few odd ones, not quirky odd...I like quirky odd, but a few that turned out to be not sincere and one who was almost scary weird. Early on in my career there was the guy who on our way to look at vacant secluded land asked me if I minded if he took a "power nap" in the car while I was driving. Yeah, I minded and returned him to the office pronto. Creepy. Of course, everything about the guy made my spidey senses tingle. Thankfully, he has been the only scary dude. He is the reason though that I never go out with people without someone else knowing who I'm out with and roughly where we are going.
Since consumers check agents out via the internet, it only makes sense that we do the same. It is amazing what is out there. I recently googled a caller using their phone number since I couldn't make out their name on the recording. Believe me, "bon jour" (pop reference to a current commercial - those of you who "get it" will understand), I know you can't belive everything on the internet but I also believe where there is smoke there is fire. This caller has had some issues with the public in the past. More than one comment on more than one site from different people warning others to never do business with this person. Wow.
- Is what I find on the internet enough to not do business with someone? No, but it is enough to enter that information into the equation of whether I want to do business with someone.
- If the person is claiming they can pay cash AND has odd things in their internet presence, I exercise caution.
- If they've been pre-approved through a verifiable lender, I relax a little.
- If their emails are all compressed into a 4200 character single paragraph, I'm tense about them.
- If their written correspondence is well written, I breathe easier.
- If I've asked defining questions about their needs and they respond without addressing any of the questions, it has always been a recipe for a disastrous relationship and I no longer tolerate it.
- If they respond to the questions with thoughtful responses, there is a good chance we can move forward.
- If they do not provide a phone number, forget about it.
- If they provide a phone number but are unwilling to have a give and take conversation, it's been proven over and over that it won't work out.
The big thing for me going forward though, is IF there was disconcerting information on the internet about someone BUT everything else felt okay...I'm going to ask about the internet thing, otherwise it becomes the 800 pound gorilla in the car. Nothing is more important than an agent's safety and the truly intentional buyer should understand. Buyers and agents are working with strangers and buyers have every right to check us out to make sure they can trust us with their biggest investment...we have the same right and responsibility to ourselves to do the same.
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