Can I Be Honest With You? Nah... Lie Like You Usually Do!

  Can I Be Honest With You? Nah... Lie Like You Usually Do!

When someone says,   Trust Me, Let Me Tell You the Truth or Can I Be Honest With You? my reaction:    What have you been doing up until now?

Professing honesty or integrity does not make it so.

                                            

When thinking about truth and real estate, I am remembering this situation.

"Jane" called asking for help with the sale of  her contemporary  home. It was a property that I was quite familiar. You see I was the listing agent when "Jane" purchased.  Why didn't "Jane" call her buyer agent?  "Jane" said  it was evident that I was working for the seller and she wanted that kind of strong representation.

During the routine interview questions,  'Why are you  moving? How much do you owe?'  'Jane' told me that she needed to get the maximum for the house and I did not need know any of this information.   One of her statements caught me  off guard.

"I don't trust anyone!"  When that statement was made a second time,  I closed my folder, gathered my things and stood up. She acted a bit surprised. I thanked her for her time. 

When someone does not trust others, I find them not to be trustworthy. That was the best listing that I did not take!

When representing a client, trust is not taken lightly. It is what Real Estate is built on. If I tell you something, I will put it in writing but I will never say these words....Trust Me, To Tell You the Truth or Can I Be Honest With You?

So to be totally honest... I have to say...

''This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here''

When someone says,   Trust Me, Let Me Tell You the Truth or Can I Be Honest With You, my reaction:   What have you been doing up until now? 

 Can I Be Honest With You? Nah Lie Like You Usually Do!

The One That Got Away.

Quite a few years ago my friend and neighbor called asking  my opinion about whether or not to sell her Baltimore home. We visited over coffee and some good conversation.

Since she owned her home out right, her only expenses were utilities, taxes and upkeep. She loved her home which was  a rancher..all on one floor and was very happy there. Family members were suggesting it was time to make a move to an apartment.

I shared my feelings since she specifically asked. This was not the time to move. She was living well within her means, capable of caring for herself and she was making the decision because of others and not for herself. She was very appreciative of my honesty and told me how others only wanted to list her home.

A few weeks later...you guessed it..A FOR SALE SIGN (not mine) was in front of her house. A family member had suggested her friend the real estate agent..who "talked" her into signing.  To this day when I see her, she tells me what a mistake and wonders why she didn't  listen. She is not happy in her apartment. She is just not happy.

I am writing this for

The One That Got Away - A Contest For Learning 

 Looking back, I would have still given the same advice. No, that does not help my bottom line as far a commission goes..but it was the right thing to do. I know I could have gotten that listing. It was not the business practice that I wanted to be known for. I have talked many people out of listing their homes when I felt the timing was not right. I always ask...Are you 100% sure you want to sell your home?

We need to make sure we are doing what the client needs...not what we need!

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Thank you Tom Drechsler

Thank you Tom Drechsler for a well presented session.

I have been wonderfully busy with my listings, contracts, home inspections, coordinating settlements and even blogging every day.

Today, I took a few hours and attended a continuing education class on Code of Ethics and Predatory Lending. This course was presented by Tom Drechsler Esq. who is such a good instructor. When time permits, I go to any of his classes ...like this one back in 2008. 

Tom has the ability to take a mundane...even boring subject and keep an entire classroom interested. We even kept him a bit over the 3 hour scheduled time, asking more questions.

Many of the agents in this class were there because they wanted to learn from the best...and like me did not need the credits.

One of these special agents kept her hands busy with this doodling while listening to everything, participating and adding to the overall classroom discussion.

                                   

Rather than tell you about the COE, you can go read them...I thought I would share her classroom doodling. Don't miss the smiley faces.

 

Thank you Tom Drechsler for a well presented session. We appreciate you and your time!