We've all done it, lied to be polite. Skirted around an issue for fear we might offend the gentle sensibilities of our clients. Well not any more. From now on it's honesty to the point of rudeness for me.
This is a recap of the day I learned that all that posturing, pampering and mollycoddling of my clients was a waste of the their time and my money and I resolved never to do it again. Cute young couple looking for their dream home. Their specifications were simple, minimum 5 acres, minimum 2000 square feet, price not to exceed $250,000. Ok - let's get busy. We spent the day looking at some wonderful properties, and they bickered and squabbled and quibbled all day long. If he liked it, she hated it, if she liked it he hated it, by 4:00 that afternoon I was ready to leave them on the side of the road, but I smiled and pretended not to notice that they were being a royal pain in my backside and we went back to the office to call it a day. They followed me in, sat down across from my desk and asked me to find more houses for them to look at THAT DAY!!!!!!
That is when I lost it and said "NO - I am not showing you another house until you two figure out what you want" . At which point she looked at me like I was the meanest person in the whole world and starting crying, not sweet gentle little tears of insult, but big sobbing, gasping for air crying. Well great Vickie there you go, make your clients cry, you can kiss this commission goodbye. BUT WAIT --- as the husband was consoling her, asking what was wrong, she said between gasps - I WANT TO LIVE ON THE LAKE!!!!!!!! WHAT - HOW - WHEN - WHY and then to my utter astonishment he replied SO DO I.
He thought she wanted to live in the country - she thought he did. If I had not been rude and refused to show them anymore houses, they might never have found their dream home. As it was, we found them the perfect house on the lake, they bought it immediately and for all I know I saved their marriage as well!
MORAL OF THE STORY: Being rude is not always a bad thing and it is almost always honest!
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