The Right Thing

Sometimes putting together a real estate transaction is close to landing a plane in the Hudson River. While we feel like ‘heroes‘ when they do go together, we are, after all, only doing our job. Yes, it can be dangerous, precarious and almost life threatening at times. The market is tough, buyers and sellers are traumatized and the media is not helping calm people in this real estate climate. We, as professionals, have to do our job to the best of our ability, and often have to fly at a dangerous altitude. Doing the right thing should be a natural part of our business model.

Recently I went to the local grocery store and rang my purchases up through the ‘U-Scan’. I told the machine I wanted $20.00 back – and got $35.00 for some reason. Did I accidently punch in the wrong numbers? I looked at my receipt. No, I asked for $20.00. As I held the three extra $5.00 bills I began to think about what I might do with an extra, unexpected $15.00. “STOP!!!” my brain yelled out…”this is not your money!” How could I possibly think I would spend money that was not mine? I walked up to the manager, explained that there seemed to be a problem with one of their U-Scan machines. I handed back the three $5.00 bills. She said “thank you” and proceeded to put an ‘out of order’ sign on the U-Scan machine. So, I did the right thing! When I got to my car, I began to wonder why the manager didn’t give me some kind of reward or words of accomodation for being so honest. After all, I could have taken the money. “STOP!!!” my brain yelled out again. “Why should you be rewarded because you did the right thing?” Ouch, that hurt! It hurt because it was true. Why in the world did I think I deserved anything for being honest? I hung my head and drove away repenting for such thoughts!

The next day a real estate offer I had been working on flawlessly went together. The reason why? Both buyer and seller said they wanted to ‘do the right thing’. No more negotiating over the inspection list or anything else. No kidding, that was their final say on this offer. Signed around, and on the way to closing! What? How could this be? Is it possible that doing the right thing is really that important?

Probably as important as landing that plane safely…..

Relationship in Business

I decided to start the New Year off by improving my technical skills by taking tech classes, joining Facebook, YouTubing my listings and on and on. I then began to wonder…when will I have enough knowledge and skills to be called technically savvy? I have a website, hired the experts to keep it updated, I got the the ‘cool’ and newest cell phone, took more classes on how to effectively email my clients and market my listings to the current generation. I try to keep everyone updated on Facebook….and why do they call it ‘Facebook’ anyway? It is not like you are FACE TO FACE with anyone! And what will I have to talk about when I actually do get in front of my friends? Will I have anything to say when I am actually with them? The answer to this question is: probably not. Anyone I have a relationship with knows that I have plenty to say at any given time on any given subject. So, I have come to the conclusion that I will survive this technical whirlwind. Those technical skills contribute to me doing my job more effectively. However, they are only part of the word ‘relationship’. I started to think about this word relationship and how it applied to us in our business practices today.

Selling real estate is not always an easy job. Over the years that I have been doing this (over 15 to be precise!) the job I do comes back to relationship. Of course knowledge and education are vital and the skill and care I take with my clients is also an important part along with being technically savvy. It isn’t just one thing that makes a good working relationship. It is all of those skills (and wisdom) that play a part. Talking with my clients face to face (no, not the online kind!) is a large part of my relationship with them. Being technical is important, but nothing can replace the personal part of the relationship between client and professional…in just about any profession. For example, I would rather my accountant take the time to tell me in person how much I owe the IRS…..an email or text message wouldn’t be the best way to communicate with me in that regard. My accountant knows that. We have relationship. He is wise. I appreciate this and that is why I continue to work with him. We have a good business relationship. Now, no one likes to personally deliver news that would be easier to email or text over, but when you have relationship with someone, you take the risk because your client is worth it. When I need to communicate with my client regarding something as important as the most valuable asset they have (yes, that is still true today – could give you that stat’s, but won’t right now) there are times times when it is important to actually talk to them in person. That is part of the business relationship I have with them. It is important for my clients to know that I think they are important enough for me to get in front of them. How many other industries in American can say that? Don’t we spend a lot of time pushing buttons on the telephone just to get another recorded message? Then we wait for a ‘live and informed’ person to talk to us. Being technically savvy is only part of a working business relationship. It is part of the big picture and not a means to an end. We should remember that.