The Job of a Realtor

Some Days Will Be Good and Other Days Will Make You Want To Give Up!

I received a letter the other day from a Realtor who was thinking of giving up her career and moving onto something else. She wrote "it just seems as though I can never please anyone, no matter what I do. When something goes wrong whether my fault or not I take the blame. It doesn't seem worth all the stress I feel every day to sell a house. How do you deal with the unrealistic clients?"

Just as in any profession, Realtors work differently from each other. There are great Realtors and there are Realtors who aren't so great. There are also great clients and not so great clients. Realtors and clients should have a conversation before joining together in a business partnership about what each expects from the other.

Purchasing and/or selling a home is not only a time consuming process but one with ups and downs. Realtors many times not only deal with marketing the property and negotiating the deal, but with emotions that can run high, and finding a way to help their client understand what is necessary in the Real Estate environment we are experiencing.

I have been very lucky as most of my clients have been easy to work with, understanding and realistic about the market. Of course I've had those clients that will not be happy no matter what you do to try to please them. They will consistently complain about things that are totally out of the Realtors control. They will not and will never appreciate what is being done for them.

I try to spoil my clients. I make the arrangements for Use and Occupancy and I am there for the inspection, I make arrangements for any work that has to be completed and I am there for the estimates, if my clients are not living in the house I check on it regularly. I have pulled weeds for elderly clients after an unreasonable buyer refused to go to settlement because it had overgrown and I have helped sellers move out of properties when they ran out of time. I have heard the husband complain about the wife and the wife complain about the husband. I hear about how overwhelming some of my client's lives are and how they have trouble coping. I go to the house for the insurance agency if the buyer's agent "doesn't have time" to make sure the process continues for my client. Many times a Realtor's job is much more involved then is what on the surface. We play the referee, the peacemaker, the counselor and the negotiator.

Sometimes I am the first Realtor that a buyer/seller has experienced. I let them know that I will be there for all inspections and take care of anything that needs to be completed to be sure the transaction is a smooth one.

Unfortunately you will not please all clients just like you can't please everyone in your life. But if you know you are going above and beyond what is required of you and you work hard for your clients that is enough. I wouldn't give up Real Estate because of a bad experience, we all have them. Just put it behind you, learn something from it if there is something to be learned and move forward.

 

Jennifer Daywalt, Realtor
RE/MAX Results Realty
Phoenixville's Home Town Realtor
Top Realtor 2004-2011
www.JenniferDaywalt.remax.com
Author of "Ask The Realtor" in The Phoenix
RE Blogger for The Phoenix
610-489-7355 Main - 610-999-7693 Direct