How often do real estate sellers, buyers, agents and those other parties involved in real estate among other industries sometime fail to realize that everything has a cost.
Believe it or not, there is an actual acronym for this saying “TANSTAAFL.”
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
All of our choices especially when we hear the word "FREE" have hidden costs, opportunities costs to even tradeoffs. Sometimes those tradeoffs might be our own internal moral code or code of ethics.
Of course, some believe that we as professional real estate agents are overpaid and our work is quite simple in that anyone can list or buy real property. Possibly this is anyone can buy property over the Internet much like buying a vehicle has become somewhat popular. However, we who have been in this industry realize the value we bring cannot be found via AI search.
What would happen if during our conversations with potential clients we share in an emotionally intelligent way how we do what we do? Would clients have a different understanding of our role as professional real estate agents?
One of my standard questions is:
Would you mind sharing why this is important to you?
Then we have clients who want us to undertake competitive market analysis, show properties, etc. and suddenly go dark after we invest our time, energy and emotions to respond to their requests. Even with signed buyer/broker agreements, there are numerous clients going dark.
Maybe it is time to start asking for retainers as lawyers do. Then we truly are embracing there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Yes, everything does have a cost. Maybe this is why per the NAR real estate compensation rates have show a slight increase from 2025 to 2026. That increase is from 2.43% to 2.67%.
P.S. Please consider checking out my Facebook business page, The Grit and Gratitude Agent that will focus on the Dirt Roads in Mohave County as well local real estate, lots of dirt or vacant land parcels as some of the local attractions.
#LetsGetBackToRealConversations #WeDoThingsDifferently #BuyerEducation #RealEstateGuidance #LandOfferPocess #ArizonaRealEstate #TheHelpfulAgent #GoldenValleyAZHomesAndLand #KingmanHomesAndLand
Leanne M Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Mile Because Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends.
Feature Photo Courtesy of ChatGPT
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