Loyalty
This year marks the inspiring 54th anniversary of my parent's rock-solid marriage. Similarly, my twin sister and her husband have been married over 25 years (Cal Berkeley sweethearts - just as our folks were) and while my own record is not quite as impressive as either of these two examples, my husband and I are happily sailing towards our 17th anniversary this April. In all of cases, loyalty has played a major role in cementing each of our relationships.
I bring up loyalty because it's often a motivating factor in choosing a Realtor. When is loyalty appropriate and when isn't it? When does loyalty help you to achieve your goals and when does it get in the way?
A friend of mine in Piedmont hinted recently that she and her family might be making a major move in the next few years that would require the possible sale of their charming home. Thrilled that she was considering me to represent her, she followed up a few days later with . . . "I've thought about this a great deal and while I would love to work with you, I have used another agent at your firm for several transactions and feel loyal to her."
Although initially disappointed, I responded with " I can only hope my own clients feel similarly in the years to come. . ." and I meant it. Truly, to have clients feel strongly enough about you and the service you provide, so that they return time and time again, is the very essence of success. It is what each of us as professionals, is working to achieve. Certainly, I hope that I have garnered that kind of respect and trust in my practice even now.
This is an instance where loyalty makes good sense. If you have established a relationship with an agent that has served you well, knows the area, and has placed your needs first and foremost, why risk your most valuable asset by abandoning what has proven to be a winning team? As my mother likes to say, "If it ain't broke, why fix it?"
On the other hand, yesterday, while touring the upper Rockridge area of Oakland I came across a property that I thought would be perfect fit for a new client of mine who lives in Los Angeles. He and his wife are planning on moving up north in May to be closer to their grown children and grandchildren (appropriate loyalty). This house had been listed by an out-of-area Realtor so there were no MLS sheets at the Broker's tour. ( The MLS sheets provides statistical information about the property including bedrooms, bathrooms, year built, etc.)
"No Problem," I thought, I'll just send him the information via the Internet when I get back to the office. Unfortunately, upon my return, I discovered that the property has yet to be entered into the Oakland MLS - either the agent is not a member of our local board of Realtors and doesn't have the ability to do so, or he doesn't know the area protocol for advertising and promoting a listing in Oakland. Here's when being loyal to a friend, a colleague, or even a Realtor you may have used in the past, is an inappropriate use of "loyalty" and here is where it can cost you dearly. Failing to place the property in our local MLS drastically limits the number of agents that will find your property when they search on line. Fewer agents translates to fewer buyers which directly translates to fewer dollars.
Having lived in San Francisco for eighteen years, I'm often asked by clients moving over to the East Bay if I can sell their property for them on the other side of the bridge. Technically, the answer is "yes." My California license allows me to sell anywhere in the state of California - my conscious, does not. Although I know every crook and cranny of San Francisco, I moved out of the city three years ago. Three years in Real Estate terms can be epic. The market is constantly changing and selling a property when I no longer know the micro markets, the emerging neighborhoods, or the local players does my clients a disservice. Saying "yes" to this request would be an inappropriate response no matter how "loyal" I feel to them. I serve them best, by referring them to a reputable, local, knowledgeable agent instead.
Loyalty is a wonderful quality and it serves us well - in marriages, in friendships and in business. Just make sure that your "loyalty" is not taken for granted, both in a marriage and in a working relationship with your agent. Make sure your agent is as "loyal" to your goals as he/she is to their own.
I bring up loyalty because it's often a motivating factor in choosing a Realtor. When is loyalty appropriate and when isn't it? When does loyalty help you to achieve your goals and when does it get in the way?
A friend of mine in Piedmont hinted recently that she and her family might be making a major move in the next few years that would require the possible sale of their charming home. Thrilled that she was considering me to represent her, she followed up a few days later with . . . "I've thought about this a great deal and while I would love to work with you, I have used another agent at your firm for several transactions and feel loyal to her."
Although initially disappointed, I responded with " I can only hope my own clients feel similarly in the years to come. . ." and I meant it. Truly, to have clients feel strongly enough about you and the service you provide, so that they return time and time again, is the very essence of success. It is what each of us as professionals, is working to achieve. Certainly, I hope that I have garnered that kind of respect and trust in my practice even now.
This is an instance where loyalty makes good sense. If you have established a relationship with an agent that has served you well, knows the area, and has placed your needs first and foremost, why risk your most valuable asset by abandoning what has proven to be a winning team? As my mother likes to say, "If it ain't broke, why fix it?"
On the other hand, yesterday, while touring the upper Rockridge area of Oakland I came across a property that I thought would be perfect fit for a new client of mine who lives in Los Angeles. He and his wife are planning on moving up north in May to be closer to their grown children and grandchildren (appropriate loyalty). This house had been listed by an out-of-area Realtor so there were no MLS sheets at the Broker's tour. ( The MLS sheets provides statistical information about the property including bedrooms, bathrooms, year built, etc.)
"No Problem," I thought, I'll just send him the information via the Internet when I get back to the office. Unfortunately, upon my return, I discovered that the property has yet to be entered into the Oakland MLS - either the agent is not a member of our local board of Realtors and doesn't have the ability to do so, or he doesn't know the area protocol for advertising and promoting a listing in Oakland. Here's when being loyal to a friend, a colleague, or even a Realtor you may have used in the past, is an inappropriate use of "loyalty" and here is where it can cost you dearly. Failing to place the property in our local MLS drastically limits the number of agents that will find your property when they search on line. Fewer agents translates to fewer buyers which directly translates to fewer dollars.
Having lived in San Francisco for eighteen years, I'm often asked by clients moving over to the East Bay if I can sell their property for them on the other side of the bridge. Technically, the answer is "yes." My California license allows me to sell anywhere in the state of California - my conscious, does not. Although I know every crook and cranny of San Francisco, I moved out of the city three years ago. Three years in Real Estate terms can be epic. The market is constantly changing and selling a property when I no longer know the micro markets, the emerging neighborhoods, or the local players does my clients a disservice. Saying "yes" to this request would be an inappropriate response no matter how "loyal" I feel to them. I serve them best, by referring them to a reputable, local, knowledgeable agent instead.
Loyalty is a wonderful quality and it serves us well - in marriages, in friendships and in business. Just make sure that your "loyalty" is not taken for granted, both in a marriage and in a working relationship with your agent. Make sure your agent is as "loyal" to your goals as he/she is to their own.
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