How many times have we wanted a sale to go through only to lose it for some small reason, or because the Agents couldn't work together. I know Real Estate Sales are just that....sales, but aren't they also about negotiating?
Sale #1 - I closed today on contract that was only supposed to be 7 days....it was about 21. I had both clients, so I can't even say that it was issues with another Agent. It would be easier to blame someone else, but the fact is sometimes Murphy's Law just comes into play. You know that saying, "whatever can go wrong will." Anyway, my simple sale became like that when we added a 2nd Buyer that wasn't related to the 1st one. Whether they were related or not wasn't the issue, the issue was communication. We seemed to have a few issues of everyone being on the same page at the same time. But hey......with a little ingenuity, we got everything to Title this morning......and closed this afternoon.
Sale #2- My REO house......I had done a Brokers Open a few weeks back, showed it many many times, and even had written an offer on it. Nothing.....until last week. An Agent called and asked if there were any offers. a I told her that 2 different agents stated they were writing offers ....of course I never saw, nor heard from them again :) Anyway, I told her this, and she stated her client was interested....OK #3 now. But that's my job.....1,2,3, it doesn't matter. Tell the Agent what you know, and try to be respectful. They have choices too of what to show, or even how they present the information to their client. Everyone needs to work together.
Ok, so I tell this Agent what I can, and they write an offer. I present it, and my seller decides to counter. We almost lost the sale over this counter......and not because it was unreasonable by any means. But today, with all the choices of homes, and everyone giving some type of concession....the buyer wasn't happy. I could feel it, and I could feel our deal going south real fast.
What to do......Problem solving 101......I sent an email to the seller and told him how many homes were available around here, and gave him all the current stats, and told him my honest opinion. It wasn't worth losing the sale. A while later he called me, and told me to change that particular issue.....
The other Agent and I spoke several times during this process. I know in this sale I am the Sellers Agent, but that doesn't mean I can't work with the other Agent on issues that can kill a deal that everyone wants. And it sure is/was nice to work with another Agent that wasn't concerned with ego, being right, or being in control......neither of us had those types of issues.
So one closed, and one in Escrow.....both of which had some issues, but we worked through them. The Clients, and Agents working together for a win-win.......one person sells what they need to sell, and one person (or more) buys something they want to buy.
Now isn't that really what Real Estate is all about?
By: Kathy McGraw - CELLing Realty
DISCLAIMER: Neither myself nor CELLing Realty are responsible for the accuracy or content from anyone other than myself.The opinions expressed in my Blog by The Activerain Network and it's members and anyone providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Kathy McGraw
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Nice story of agents working together to make it a win win situations really thats the way it should always be at Keller Williams win / win is part of our mission, thanks for sharing. Orobosa
Kathy, Almost every step of the transaction is about communication; isn't it?
Team work...woohoo! Yes, this is what real estate is all about....coming together and working together to make the transaction work...for all parties involved....good for you...great things are happening!
You had a good day Kathy! I'm so glad....you deserved it!....its like an elastic band, the pulling and stretching, occasionally it breaks, but usually it comes back together again!
You are so right Kathy! We agents "represent" different parties, but that doesn't mean we need to be rude to the other one. In fact, we have an obligation to our clients to make the deal go as smooth as possible with the other agent! We are to act in their best interest i.e. buying a home they want, or selling a home they want to sell.
Hi Kathy,
Bottom line, imho you did the right thing by working things out with the other agent.
It seems like too many times some agents "get in the way" of their own transactions. If we gave more thought to working together as allies vs. adversaries at times I think consumers in general could be better served.
It's never a good idea to treat the other agent as an adversary. We may be on different teams, but we both want, and can, win the game.
Orobosa- I love win-wins....and I really like working with Agents like the one I am with now...I don't think it's the Corporate philosophy that matters so much as whether the Agent has the integrity and ethics to do as they're supposed to do :) Thank you for that comment on your company, I didn't know that.....:)
Marchel- So very true. and Sale #1 was a perfect example of what can happen when there are communication problems. My suggestion would be if a buyer or seller has an issue to let your Agnet know :)
Sally- Yes mam...team work :) ;) I( just love it when Agents work together, not just the ones in the same office, but from different companies. Things are turning around here, and hey next I am going to do everything possible to get our home in the 55 plus community sold....that's my new goal now...That, and to get at least one of our lots sold :)
Liz- Thank you so much.....it sure did make the day a good one :) Hey I like your analogy ....nice.
Pam- You said it perfectly...I couldn't have done any better. And yes, the clients deserve this.....think of how many times Agents add stress to a situation that might have gone better if they would just work together :) Thanks for adding that......what company are you with ?
Lynda- Thank you....your opinion means a lot :) And of course I agree, we can serve the clients better if we would just work together better.
Christine- You're right.....we can win by working together. I don't know the answer.....I am just happy that once again I have a good Agent to work with! I know her buyer loves the house, and my Bank needs to sell it.....win-win.....as long as we don't trip over ourselves during the process, as Lynda said, we'll move right along to closing :)
Yeah for you. I always say this business is hard enough and some agents make it harder than it should be. Even if you talked to the seller about the counter to maybe works something else out, the goal is to get the house to the settlement table. Countering back and forth is just shadow boxing with a lot of what if's? Glad you had a successful day, you deserve it.
Audrey- Absolutely....the goal of selling your house is to "Get it Sold" and sometimes everyone has to compromise. Period!!! I don't like counters, and try very hard to get everyone on the same page before we even have the written contract. It saves time,and resources, and I just like to work that way. Negotiate pretty much everything up front. I still get counters, but not nearly as many as some Agents :)
Hi Kathy, I love hearing the success stories, and your moral to the story is certainly true! Cheers, Harley
Kathy, You took a wonderful approach to the problems and worked them all out...for everyone. That absolutely is a success story, congratulations!
Great post. Thanks for sharing all that good news in the real estate market.
Kathy,
Nice post!!! Too many look at a real estate transaction as 'adversarial' buyer vs seller...it's more like a 'partnership' passing on benefits to successors!!! Thanks, Fran
good post..I always try to work well with the other agent..our job is to get the deal closed...makes it much easier for everyone if thereis good communication and follow yp with the other agent...plus they might sell your listings again or you might have an offer on their listing.
Kathy- There is no reason whatsoever for there to be adversarial relationships with any agent or company. The primary objective for all of us is to get properties sold, period. Professionals are supposed to be just that, professional!
How true that we need to treat the other agents as partners in the transaction and not adversaries. Sometimes, even when we do that, we get in each other's way. I had a final inspection at one of my listings yesterday and I am completely convinced that the deal would have imploded had the buyer and seller not met and liked each other and been able to communicate. The other agent and I were both remarking that we spend so much time trying to protect our clients and their interests that we sometimes kill the deal without meaning to.
p.s. It made me smile to picture you working problems out....with yourself :)
Good stories. The ability to work with our coagents and clients to create a win-win situation is where a good percentage of our value lies.
What a wonderful Success Story! Communication is the bloodline of a company. Congratulations on your May successes! You go Girl!
It's so easy to forget that we are tasked with selling homes. In the final analysis our success is based on how many sales we complete, not in how many contracts we write. Our ultimate success in the real estate business is judged by how content our clients are with their transaction, so that they refer more business to you.
i agree good post, I am tired of agents who can't comprehend win-win.
Kathy,
Nothing really happens without collaboration. If it only worked like this all the time-CONGRATS ON A SALE!
Steve
Oh boy without communication we'd all be toast. I'm happy to hear you got it figured out.
Kathy -it was me in the above comment. Didn't want to be anonymous, just wasn't signed in:)
Harley- Cheers to you too, and there are a lot of success stories out there.....look and you shall see :)
Carole- Thanks my friend :)
Lynn- I think we've all heard enough of the negatives....I prefer some of the positives myself :)
Fran- you stated it's more like a "partnership" .....absolutely. A partnership between clients, agents, then the Title and Escrow people. It's like a well planned choreography...everyone doing their part for thedesired final outcome.....a Recorded, Closed Sale :)
Michael- you made a good point about the future after the sale. You just never know, and if we were to burn our bridges, then what???? Plan for the future by treating everyone right today.
Vickie- I liked what you said about Professionals are supposed to be professional.....now, how do we get everyone on the same page......... LOL :)
Lisa- I had a buyer one time that went to the seller several times during the course of the transaction. The seller lived next door to the property. No matter what I said, they liked the sellers, and saw no reason not to talk to them....both parties became friends..and again we compromised several things, depending on what both couples wanted.
Oh, and it sure was interesting me Problem solving with myself :) :) I learned a lot....LOL :)
Jo- You made a good point....a lot of the value of a good Agent is in working towards a win-win. Thank you for taking the time to comment.....sounds like you have the kind of attitude I like :)
Janice- Thanks....OK that's May. Now we have to help our other clients get their properties sold....come on June :)
Keith- Yes, it doesn't matter how many contracts we write....and clients are not doing anyone any favors by "just writing" a contract. It's better to have all our ducks in order first, and talk with the other Agent. They might be able to shed some light on something that could make a big difference in whether our offer is accepted or not :)
Steve- Yep, and thanks :)
Alan- Communication, and Listening Skills....sometimes these are even more important than anything else.
Faina- Thank you, and how have you been? I know you are so good with your clients that this is 2nd nature to you....communicate and negotiate, or risk losing the deal :)
Keith M.-Ahh, tchnology took at my signature line (they're working on the system)....and somehow I missed your comment.....you are right, some people don't comprehend a win-win.....The ones of us that do obviously can provide an attitude that benefits everyone involved :)