I'm a fairly private individual. It took me years to finally get a house cleaner. It was never a money issue, but I had to wrangle hard with the idea of a stranger having access to my home and seeing behind closet doors. There's really only a handful of people with restricted access through my privacy buffer: My cleaning lady Gaby, my doctor, my accountant, my attorney, a hand full of close friends and family.
Although my cleaning lady sees my laundry, she doesn't see me naked. My doctor has seen me naked, but doesn't know my last will and testament. My attorney knows how I hold title to my home, but he doesn't know my credit score.
I would have to have a lot of trust and faith in an individual to give them complete access.
Now let's look at the Realtor-client relationship: As Realtors we have access to clients' homes. We see what's in their garages and basements. We know the code to the security system, the flaws of the house, the age of the roof. We know where little Johnny spilled eggnog on the carpet. We know if a home is sold through probate, because of a divorce settlement, or because of a job transfer. We know the names of the kids, the pets and spouses. We know our clients' financial goals, financial history, and even their credit score. We learn a lot about our clients' private life and sometimes even function as counselors.
At the highly emotional times in life, we get the call:
"My mother passed away. Will you list her house?"
"I'm getting divorced. Will you sell my home?"
"We're having a baby. Will you help us find a bigger house?"
"We're being transferred. Can you refer us to a realtor in Cincinnati?"
"We're retiring. Well you help us down-size?"
"We're done renting and can finally afford home ownership. Can you help us purchase our first home?"
As Realtors we have private access. It's a great honor and a great responsibility. That's why we owe our clients confidentiality, skill, loyalty, accountability, honesty and fairness through the real estate agency law.
Being a Realtor is truly a privileged profession. 
Now to go back to my cleaning lady: If Gaby would hike her rate tomorrow, I'd rather pay more than hire someone else (I hope she doesn't read this). It would never occur to me to change my gynaecologist just try out someone new. And although other tax accountants charge less, I wouldn't change accountants because I know I can trust the one I have.
This is why I don't understand people who use a different Realtor for every new real estate transaction. Perhaps they haven't found one they're happy with yet, but a real estate transaction goes so deep on so many levels. It's not something you'll want to entrust to the luck of picking a name from the yellow pages. Find a professional you can trust and like. Ask your friends, family or colleagues for referrals to someone worthy of the special position as your family Realtor. And when you've found your Realtor, stick with that professional just like you would with your family doctor.
Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com
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As a your full service Realtor and Accredited Staging Professional in the Olympia, Lacey, Yelm, Dupont and Fort Lewis area, I specialize in single family residential property and military relocation.
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you make some great points. We are the shoulder clients lean when you have them listed. we do become there alli in life. I have had clients call and discuss marriage problems, not liking the next house as much as the spouse, race problems, money issues and so on. we are there rock. why I am not sure . i ques it is easier to talk to an agent about things then your family at times. If we do it right they should and will refer us and remain there agent as well
Very good points, I appreciate your perspective and I'm sure your clients appreciate how much you value the trust they've placed in you. :-)
Colleen "Fish"
Serving the Seattle/South King County areas for 18 years
Excellent post ...I love how you relate it all to trust. Great job.a
Sharon, you're right, sometimes we become the strong shoulder to lean on.
Colleen, I would probably have dragged it out longer, but my husband pushed me to finally hire someone to do the cleaning. I don't regret it for a moment. Whatever day of the week your cleaning lady comes, will become your favorite day of the week. Go ahead and take the plunge.
Monika, Trust is what it all comes down to.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Sandy
Sandy,
This is a good perspective on the subject. Glad I stopped to read it.
Kim, I'm glad you stopped by, too. Thanks for your kind words.
Sandy
Sandy, excellent post, you tied it into area's that most wouldn't give a thought to comparing these to an agent. Great job!
What a great post, Sandy. I totally agree. Don't we get to know sometimes the most intimate of information about our clients. Througn it all, I've formed great friendships with past clients.
Now, about that cleaning lady. AACK! Not yet, not yet. <smile>
Gabrielle, I love the friendships that form from an agency relationship. I also love your logo.
Sandy
So true. That's why I haven't changed our cleaning lady. She's become a part of our family. I hope more Realtors realized what a privilege they have.
Scott, and I hope more clients realize what a special relationship they have with their Realtor.
Sandy
Sandy,
I'm new to this site, and this is the first post I have read. I must say, what a great way to begin here at activerain. This is a very insightful post, and I really wish more of the general public could read it. Maybe a good editorial for every local newspaper? We sometimes get a bad reputation of being like used car salesman because of the way consumers view our "high commissions." I think this would really help shed some positive light on our industry, as long as we as a community of professionals would step forward and prove that we can deliver the kind of service, loyalty and privacy that you describe.
Great post again!
Jason Wright ("newbie")
Birmingham, alabama
Jason,
Welcome to Active Rain, and thanks for stopping by to read my blog post. I appreciate you remarks and agree with with you about the need for our Realtor image to be adjusted in some people's eyes.
Sandy
Sandy,
I explain this to all my clients at the first meeting. They need to understand that for me serve them best, I have to know all this information that is usually very private. I make sure they know that it will be held in strictest confidence. I think that piece gets missed by some. It takes the tone of the conversation from a pre interview to a solid business conversation. Shows my value to them too.
List and Sell (with confidence and confidentiality) Gary
www.RentonHomeFinder.com
Gary, I do the same for clients and also at listing appointments. Often sellers share a lot of information during listing interviews and I want them to know that it stays confidential even if they list with another agent.
Sandy
Hi Sandy - trust, that special word that we work so hard for and that people just turn over to us when they hire us. It truly is something to be treated so gingerly, especially in those extremely difficult times like you wrote about. We are entrusted with so much, and I think sometimes we forget the magnitude with which we impact people's lives.
Great post! Congrats on being featured in this week's Week-in-Review - well deserved with this post!
Ann
What a terrific post. It's true that we really do know very privileged and intimate information right off the bat with our clients. It's a great testament to our abilities when we get called again or obtain referrals from them. But it's a wonder as to why it doesn't happen more often enough. Very insightful post!
This is such a timely post -- I just got a call friday from a client who had a tragic incident happen to her family -- she was overwhelmed and said she called me because I was someone she could TRUST! We do get to know a lot about our clients and they do come to rely on us. We owe it to them to be true professionals and look out for their best interests.
Ann, Thanks for letting me know about "the week in review" I just added it to my groups.
Jeannie and Joan, I can tell that you realize and appreciate the special position you hold and I'm sure your clients do, too.
Sandy
Sandy, your point is very well stated in this post! Congratulations in having this post included in the Week in Review. It was very deserving. When we undermine the importance of the relationship which are a part of the real estate transaction...everybody looses a little. It's very important to find someone to trust and then let them do their job.
Lola, thanks for stopping by my blog. I want to take this opportunity to tell you that I enjoy reading your posts.
Sandy
Wow, Sandy I never thought of it in this way. It is true that people trust us with their deepest most intimate secrets. This is an awesome responsibility. I want to make sure that I am responsible with the knowledge I have.
Debbie, Isn't it nice to know how much trust is placed on us? You're right when you say it's an awesome responsibility.
Sandy
Sandy - what an excellent reminder for all of us. Trust is key to any sucessful relationship, especially for our clients!
Melissa, So glad you stopped by to read my post.
Sandy
With our willingness to allow so many "part time" people into this business it is understandable why some consumers do not become CLIENTS of those folks, because they might not be devoted to all the concepts you have presented. Would you "trust" your doctor if he/she also was an accountant on the side?
That also leads to the constant replacement of the agents used. The one they used once before, may not be there the next time. Hard to be loyal to someone that can move in or out of this business so easily.
Good advice though, for the rest of us.
Sandy:
This is a great post. We all have those professional people in our lives that, some more personal than others, but that we rely on to give us the special help or assistance we need. AND it makes it so much more pleasant if we actually like that person, have a rapport with them and ultimately trust their opinion or rely on their service. Relationships are so important!
Don, I'm in agreement with you. The rapid turn over of agents, along with low entrance requirements into our industry hurt our overall image.
Sandy
Katy,
I also appreciate it when I can have a personal relationship with the professional people in my life. I notice that more and more professionals are paying attention to relationship building.
Sandy
Sandy, I totally agree that a Realtor has a great responsibility with the privacy of the client they represent. The reason people don't stick with the same Realtor is the Realtor doesn't stick with them. Either they never contact them periodically after the transaction or they get out of the business. I completely don't believe in the Realtor for life mantra. I think it is possible for good Realtors who are committed. But it is so far from the norm. Even doctors stay in their professions much longer than Realtors. Also, if you did a survey after a deal is closed, many clients WOULD NOT use the same Realtor again, because of all the bumps in the road that they blame on the Realtor, rightly or wrongly.
It comes down to TRUST. If you are a person that can be trusted you will get repeat business. Many Realtors do not fall into this category.
Gary, I read a NAR statistic a while ago that showed that a majority of consumers (I don't remember the exact percentage) stated that they would use their Realtor again on a future transaction. Let's hope it's true.
Sandy
Sandy, sometimes I feel more like a counselor than a Realtor. Those clients who truly trust you tell you WAAAAYYYY more information that you need or even want to know. TMI!!!! A true real estate professional respects this position of confidence and works very hard to ensure that this relationship and the clients are protected.
Rhonda, well said.
Sandy