The Other Agent Is Your Real Client
Real estate is often described as a business built around buyers and sellers. That is true, but another relationship can make or break a transaction.
The other agent.
Once a property is under contract, the agent on the other side becomes one of the most important people in getting that transaction to closing.
You Do Not Have to Agree on Everything
The listing agent and buyer's agent represent different clients. Their responsibilities differ, and they will often disagree.
That does not mean the transaction has to become difficult.
Professional agents know how to advocate for their own clients while still treating the other agent with respect.
You may disagree over repairs, dates, inspections, financing, personal property, or contract terms. The key is to keep the conversation focused on solving the problem instead of winning the argument.
Accommodation Can Save a Transaction
Real estate transactions rarely go exactly as planned.
A lender may need another day. An inspector may have to reschedule. A repair could take longer than expected. The closing attorney may need additional paperwork. A buyer or seller may simply need a little flexibility.
Sometimes moving a date by a day or two, helping coordinate access, or answering a phone call quickly can keep a deal together.
That does not mean ignoring the contract or giving away your client's position. It means recognizing when a reasonable accommodation can move everyone closer to closing.
Communication Matters More Than Most People Realize
One unanswered phone call can create hours of confusion.
One short conversation can solve a problem that might otherwise turn into several emails and a lot of frustration.
Good agents return calls, answer questions, explain what is happening, and keep the other side informed.
Even when the news is not good, communication makes the situation easier to manage.
Silence usually makes everything worse.
The Goal Is the Closing Table
By the time a property goes under contract, everyone has invested something in the transaction.
The seller has made plans.
The buyer may have arranged financing, inspections, insurance, movers, and utilities.
Both agents have spent time putting the transaction together.
When a problem appears, the question should be, "How do we solve this?" rather than, "Whose fault is this?"
That mindset can make all the difference.
Good Agent Relationships Help Clients
After nearly four decades in real estate, I have learned that the agents who are easiest to work with are not necessarily the ones who agree with you all the time.
They communicate, stay professional, honor their commitments, and work toward solutions.
Your buyer or seller is your client, but during a transaction, the other agent becomes your working partner.
Treat that relationship carefully.
Because sometimes the difference between a contract that falls apart and a successful closing is simply two agents who are willing to accommodate each other, communicate, and keep the deal moving forward.
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