" The extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland... Most people who go there think, "Wait... no one else is here... why am I doing this?" and leave. Make the extra phone call. Send the extra email. Do the extra research... Don't wait to be asked; offer. Every time you do something, think of one extra thing you can do..."
- Kamari
Going the extra mile is a subject that has been beaten to death with quotes and blogs. But I have a story to share about going the extra mile…and how I learned to stay there for my clients.
Make a connection.
I took a listing about 10 years ago. The seller had requested a CMA (he was a walk-in...remember those? HA!). I was working with a partner at the time but I went on the listing appointment solo. The sellers were both in their early 60's and very pleasant. As it turned out, the property was an estate sale. They were siblings who had just lost their Mom. She sounded like a great woman from what I could gather through the stories and the tears. The kind of lady who lived through the Great Depression, seen several world conflicts, buried a son during the Vietnam War, lost her husband to cancer. Yet she persevered as the matriarch of the family for several decades, living well into her 90's, on her own! Both siblings lived out of state and they wanted to list Mom's house to begin the healing process. The house was't just filled with furniture and belongings. It was filled with memories of a life well lived. I felt so much compassion for this family, it reminded me of my own. And like most people, I would do anything for my family.
Be sincere.
"We have one more agent to interview and we'll call you." I gave it my best shot and I felt good. I remember walking out and saying to myself ….."Self…whether or not you get this listing, you met a wonderful family today." About a week later they called me and I signed them up for a six month listing. We marketed the home for about 2 months before we got an offer....our buyer. After we had the accepted offer, I spoke with the sellers about cleaning out the house. Since they both lived out of state, I offered my help. I contacted several local churches until I found one that needed furniture and clothing and arranged to be there while they emptied most of the house. I organized a crew to help clean out the rest of the house which included renting a dumpster, all on my dollar - which they reimbursed me for. It's amazing what you accumulate in a lifetime. There was A LOT of stuff in this house!
Do it because you want to…not because you have to.
When I asked my partner to get involved, he respectfully declined. "That's not our job Herman." You know what? He's right. It's not my job. But I made it my job. I believe with everything inside me that this is a big part of why I have found some success in the real estate business. Too many agents (and people in general) say "it's not my job…it's not my problem." Make it your job! A few weeks later we closed escrow on that deal with very satisfied clients. And I decided that my partner was not the right fit for my business model and we parted ways.
Take it to the next level and lead the pack.
My Dad and I recently had a conversation about my retirement plans. I told him I retired 10 years ago when I got into real estate. This isn't work for me. It's a part of my life. My clients become my friends. My agents and co-workers become my family. And I'm never going to retire. When you discover what your true passions in life are, you can't fail. It's virtually impossible to fail at anything you do when you pour your heart into it.
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