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Health & Fitness

Realtor Partnerships and the Work/Life Balance

Just for fun in my last real estate blog I wrote about some of the annoying things that real estate agents do. The fact is there are a lot of really good Realtors out there adding a lot of value to the lives of their clients. The best Realtors help their clients and potential clients with property related issues that arise before, after and during the sale of a home, all while balancing the needs of their clients with their own personal lives.

The other day I was visiting a homeowner who will be selling his house in the next year or two: or not. If he does sell he hopefully will use my services. He mentioned that his recent MMWD bill was $1,200, likely from a leak that sprung somewhere on his property while he was on an extended vacation. He already knew about calling MMWD to get his bill adjusted, but he would need to address the leak, which wasn’t a leaky toilet. I turned the water off at his house to check if the leak was between the house and street. It wasn’t. So we walked the property and looked at the landscaping for obvious signs of leakage. Since we couldn’t find any I referred him to a good and reasonably priced plumber. I added value, exceeded my potential client’s expectations and effectively partnered with him.

The best Realtors try to go the extra mile for their clients, and to me that means trying to be available while balancing a personal life. While I was recently on vacation I took a call from a client whom I feel as close to as a family member. Over the years I’ve helped her buy several cash flow properties, setting up her retirement. She had found another and wanted me to write an offer: offers were due within the half hour. The price of the condo was in the low to mid $100’s so there wasn’t a whole lot of commission in it for me, but I knew getting the condo would make a real difference in her life, and it would still be a decent little paycheck potentially. So from my hotel balcony while my family went to the beach I wrote her the offer, which was later accepted. It didn’t take that long and I joined my family on the beach later that morning. I’d do the same thing again, regardless of whether or not the offer got accepted because it’s my responsibility to my client.

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I often stand with one foot over the work/personal life line. Recently my daughter turned 10 years old and was having a sleepover party. The brother of another repeat client whom I have known and worked with for several years found a place close to my house and wanted to look at it during the party, after he got off work. I arranged to meet him at the house at 7pm. That gave me enough time to BBQ for my daughter’s friends, eat with them, then show the house and pick up a movie from Silver Screen on the way home. It worked out, and I only missed about 45 minutes of the party, which went until the next morning at 10am. My daughter didn’t even miss me.

I guess that’s the objective. If I want to be a good Realtor for my clients I need to be accessible and helpful but not at any damaging expense of my personal life. Nine years into my real estate career, so far so good.   

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