My Job is to Serve You
Through the years, I’ve had people tell me I could sell ice to an Eskimo and every time I react with an emphatic “no!”. I know it’s meant as a compliment - that I am good at selling things. In middle school and high school I actually got excited about the bi-annual fundraisers and would go door-to-door until dark selling candy bars or magazines. I loved strategizing and figuring out the best neighborhoods and times to sell each product. When my kids were little I even did a stint as a Tupperware Lady until I went to Ikea and saw that they had pretty much the same type of product for a fraction of the price. I cannot sell things that I don’t think are actually good for the person buying them.
Why does this matter? We have all had that experience (often while buying a car) of the sales person obviously just wanting to make a sale. They don’t listen and seem to use techniques designed to wear you down. Unfortunately, I’ve heard plenty of people who have had horrible experiences with Realtors not seeming to look out for their best interest or are just not competent. Sometimes you have the very part time Realtor who does it on the side for family and friends but doesn’t have the experience to really serve those family and friends. There’s also the Realtor that relies on Zillow leads. If they pay enough money each month they will keep getting folks thinking they are calling the listing agent and instead getting someone who often isn’t even from this area.
I truly believe that Real estate should be a Service industry and not a Sales industry. Yes, I do help people buy and sell homes. But, I will never have an annual sales goal which would make things about me instead of you, my client. I’ve gone to listing appointments and listened to people’s goals and actually encouraged them NOT to list and sell their home. I almost always insist that people put their house on the open market rather than do an easy sale at a lower price. Read more about this on my blog - When You Do NOT Put Your Home on the Open Market. It drives me crazy when I watch shows like House Hunters and the agent only shows properties wildly over the clients’ budget. You might need some help figuring out what you can actually buy in your price point, but I am not going to ever push someone’s budget without permission. I understand what it takes to help you achieve your housing goals. Sometimes I will show people homes and it might be years before they find what they want and need. I am not going to ever put pressure on someone to buy something just because it is time for me to make a sale. Every home I get to show makes me better at my job even if it doesn’t end in a sale. If I am encouraging you to make an offer on a house, it is because I think it is good for you!
I feel privileged that many of the Realtors in our area seem to have the same mindset. I am grateful when I am working with another agent that also wants to do a good job, serve their client, and help everyone be happy at the closing table. If you have had a bad experience with a Realtor in the past, I hope you haven’t given up on working with someone who has the expertise, experience, and the mindset to truly serve you.
