Some People Simply Don't Get It.....At All

I had a referral from a friend of mine elsewhere in Texas recently.  I was very happy to be of help, and I was overjoyed that she thought of me first as her Austin-area business connection.


I met with the seller, who seemed motivated and eager to start.  She was so eager, in fact, that she was ready to sign the papers within a few minutes of meeting me for the first time. Clearly, my friend did a great job of "pre selling" me to this client.


The signing of the listing agreement was probably the last good experience I had with this particular seller.


I took pictures of the home a couple of days later (we had met at night, so it wasn't conducive to photos upon my first visit). I also shot a video with my handheld camera that I was going to upload to YouTube and include here on my blog. I was going to place it on my well-ranked Austin real estate website, along with the other usual suspects (Trulia, Zillow, etc.). I would also spread the word via my now extensive network on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.


I didn't get a chance to do any of that. After loading it into the MLS on a Sunday, the seller decided by Tuesday that she was fed up with me and said, "You're a very nice man, but I think I need someone more aggressive." Seriously?!?


Well, if that's the case, perhaps you should have given me more than 2-3 days to prove to you that I would get you more exposure than any other agent in town. I had red flags when she was unhappy with the MLS verbiage because it didn't mention the "fabulous two-story entry", which is roughly 5' x 5' (smaller than an elevator).  She also questioned me as to why I didn't include a photo of the awesome hot tub. I didn't include a picture of the awesome hot tub because the awesome hot tub didn't convey with the home. It was being sold separately for $3,000. I bit my tongue, when I wanted to say, "It's the MLS, not Craigslist."


At any rate, after a few days of her nonsense, I was eager to pick up my sign and lockbox and move on with my life with more sincere clients. I did look to see who she had chosen to represent her interests. He got his license at some point after August 2010, and apparently he was offering a heavy discount if the home didn't sell quickly. I don't fault her for trying, I guess, but I can guarantee that I bring value to the transaction that no one licensed for five months can bring.


I called my friend, and it turns out that it wasn't just me, so that made me feel better.  I try to treat all referrals like gold, so it's always a letdown when things don't go as planned. I'm very thankful that my ActiveRain has resulted in a steady stream of referrals (about 3 per month) and most of them do go smoothly. 


I just felt like letting off a bit of steam. I was, however, thankful for one thing: This particular seller didn't waste any more of my time.

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